The goal of the Portable Library is to reach gap and underserved communities with library resources, particularly in the situation of a library branch closure. During these events, neighborhoods can lose vital services — not just access to books — but myriad other tools and programs that can greatly impact a local community.

By conducting thorough ethnographic and observational research at the Brooklyn Public Library, I identified an opportunity for an effective model of service: setting up pop up libraries within community centers.

The solution I have designed is a system of modular furniture that allows librarians to provide curated services for a community they work for. By combining furniture modules like a chair, a table, and a bookcase, librarians are able to engage in an act of placemaking that allows them to adapt a community space to their needs whether that be sharing collection materials, offering workshops, or providing open spaces for patrons and their children to interact.

#furniture

#community

#libraries