STORYTIME VIA BOOKBIKE
City of Lakewood, Division of Early Childhood, Ohio, USA
During the COVID-19 Pandemic I started providing virtual storytime via zoom as a volunteer through a social services organization run by the City of Lakewood, Ohio. When this organization went back to providing in person programming 5 days a week, initially outdoors, I moved my storytime outside. I was shocked when over 75 people attended my first storytime in the park!
I delivered the storytime via Book Bike, which is my own bike that I converted into a traveling storytime center. Doing library outreach via bike has been a dream of mine for the last three years and although I’m not doing this project through a library, I feel like I’m finally realizing that dream.
I am very excited to be employed in a library now, and I plan on continuing this weekly programming service to my community for as long as I am able. I am tying these events into the goals of Bike Lakewood, which is a non-profit bicycle advocacy group that I am involved in.
I have been offering free books to children at my storytimes as well. So far I have collected these books from my local Buy Nothing Project Facebook group, but in the future Bike Lakewood plans to purchase used or new books for this purpose.
Lessons learned: Start where you are! You don’t have to be a library director to get started with this work.
Think outside and meet people where they are.
Be a model and inspire others: Biking librarians inspire others to hit the streets!
In addition to health and wellness benefits, these programs build community