Public libraries in America have been particularly vulnerable to budget cuts and have been stripped down to their bare bones. Seattle has been no exception. The city’s cuts have meant that its libraries are open less and have week-long “library vacations” in which all branches close. Over the last few years the Seattle Public Library (SPL) budget was cut so much that it was desperately near to having to shutter some branches. Fortunately, it never came to that. After voters approved a $123m seven-year library levy last August, Seattle’s mayor, Mike McGinn, increased SPL’s 2013 operating budget by $11.2m. The result has been a breath of new life for the libraries, leading to an innovative new programme called Books on Bikes.

Thought up by Jared Mills, a librarian, the programme will see 11 librarians, all rather fit, spending their summer riding bicycles with custom-made trailers attached that carry 500lb (227kg) of books, a large sign and a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot. Each will turn up to various festivals and parades and also parks. They let the community know where they are going to be through website, Facebook and Twitter postings. The purpose is to start book talks, hold story time for children, issue library cards and simply be available as a place to check out some of the “hottest” books of the season.

Besides being an ingenious programme for a city obsessed with bicycles, (Mr McGinn is often referred to as Mayor McSchwinn) it should also help with what Mr Mills thinks is the reason public libraries are faring so poorly, which is that the public do not often realise how much their neighborhood branches still offer.

By breaking down the physical boundaries of the library, Books on Bikes hopes to reach out to a new demographic. At its inaugural event at a school, six out of the 26 children present received a library card for the first time and all of them almost completely cleaned out the librarian’s stash of books.

The goal is to connect with the public, especially those living in underserved communities. But the target audience are Millenials, as it is this generation that will make the difference between public libraries growing or becoming obsolete. “So far we’ve had a lot of success with that through this project,” said Mr Mills. He explained that anytime you put resources into trying to create innovative new projects for the libraries it really resonates with the community.

This is a pilot programme. It will run throughout the summer and then in October officials will determine whether to continue it. And in a city like Seattle known for its rain, each bike comes equipped with a holder to stick a giant umbrella.



