video: Street Books: A Bike-Powered Library Serving People Living Outside

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Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Kemea Smith, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Portland artist and writer Laura Moulton, is biking through the streets of Portland providing books to people who live outside, through her program Street Books.  

Street Books utilizes the old-school library card and pocket check out style, and also does not require patrons to show ID or proof of address. Moulton simply asks that a book is returned when they are able. Street Books reports that patrons return books regularly and some even donate as well. 

The site also has a great photo archive of patrons holding their book of choice and sharing their personal stories. 

The traveling bike library is gearing up for their fifth summer in business and recently partnered with Sisters of The Road Cafe hosting a Street Books Validation celebration.  

Moulton started Street Books back in 2011 after receiving a grant from Portland’s Regional Arts & Culture Council. Since then the bicycle-powered library was awarded a grant from Boston’s Awesome Foundation, and has “checked out thousands of paperbacks in all genres, from sci-fi to romance to memoir.”

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