So What's A Pop Up Library? One's Coming To Cranston Neighborhoods

CRANSTON, RI — Cranston has received a community grant from the Rhode Island Foundation. The City's $10,000 award will be used for a pop-up library. A pop-up library is a mobile library cart that can bring the library into neighborhoods, setting up beside a basketball court, a farmer's market, and even a bus stop.

"This mobile library cart, designed and fabricated by the Uni Project, will bring library resources into the community by transporting books and seating" to just about anyplace, the library said.

“We look forward to reaching all Cranston residents with this initiative, but especially the underserved youth populations who may not be able to find transportation to the library,” explained Library Director, Edward Garcia. “Rather than waiting for them to find a way to us, we plan to bring the library to them.”

The mobile collection will focus on books "with a strong visual component" and easy content, the library said. "While children’s books will be the focus of the collection, materials for adults will be available as well."

Once established, the pop-up library will be available upon request to community organizations hosting free events that are open to the public. For these special events, library staff members will be able to offer read alouds and kid-friendly activities catered to the theme of the event.

“Our library system is one of the key reasons why Cranston is one of the best cities to live in America,” commented Mayor Allan W. Fung. “The new pop-up library funded by this Rhode Island Foundation grant is a great example of the innovation and creative community outreach efforts happening at our busy libraries every single day. I commend our library staff for securing this grant and look forward to seeing the pop-up library at community events across the city.”

Expect to see this pop-up library around Cranston beginning Fall 2017.

To learn more about Cranston Public Library, visit their website at cranstonlibrary.org.
To learn more about the Rhode Island Foundation’s Community Grant recipients, visit the website here.

Courtesy Photo Caption: Leftmost, Rhode Island Foundation's Senior Vice President of Strategy and Community Investments, Jessica David; Cranston Public Library Director, Edward Garcia; Cranston Public Library Board of Trustees Chair, Jack Tregar.