tsl

It was forecast for 87 and we got 91. With no acclimation time to warm weather, I figured my best bet would be to wear my warm weather 50+ jersey to work.

Clicky to embiggen.


Yrs trly with the BbB trailer, teen librarian Miss Whitney, and friends. Hey! And check out my chainring tattoo!

This was the "soft launch" public debut of our shiny new Books by Bike bicycle bookmobile trailer, our latest addition of our Outreach Programs. The BbB trailer's maiden voyage was to our block club's annual Bike Day. They have bike giveaways for kids, a bike rodeo, and free bike repairs for kids and adults.

Our facilities department built it for us on a 64" Bikes At Work cargo/utility trailer. OUr graphics department ginned up some really nice signage, and our IT department contributed decorative LED lights.

The yellow drawer in back holds our iPad and wireless hotspot so we can circulate materials and issue new library cards on-the-spot, using CARL Connect, the mobile version of our ILS (Integrated Library System) software.


With the decorative lights on, Thursday in the lobby of Central Library downtown.



It even has a huge library card on the back.


My boss (our Children's Librarian), Miss Whitney (above) and I get to share the honors of towing it to farmers' markets, festivals, daycares and whatnot through to the autumn. When not on the road, it becomes a mobile display in our library.

choteau

That's a cool way of bringing books to the readers.

Laserman

You and your cohorts do good work. Carry on.

miss kenton

tsl, This is such a great project, not to mention a great way to spend a work day!! You mention it being towed to locations, can you actually ride it? It looks as if it would be really heavy!
As part of a bike share program, a friend of mine built a similar (but much smaller) thing for "pop-up bike repairs" for kids in disadvantaged neighborhoods here.
(Love the titles on display in the photo)

bikemig 

The jersey says how fast you like to go on a bike, or does that contraption you're pulling slow you down a bit?

Great pics; thanks for sharing.

freedomrider1

Best of both worlds...

tsl

Not really. My role in the design and construction was suggesting the Bikes At Work trailer as the platform, and emphasizing to our facilities department that light weight was really, really important, particularly for my co-workers who aren't avid cyclists.

I was really happy with the prototype which was made out of foam insulation board. But they thought it wouldn't support the weight of the books on top. The finished project is framed with 1x1s and sheathed in 3/8" ply. So it's much lighter than it looks. Not so aero, even with the choice of wire racks on top, but that's life.

The bulk of the weight is the books and totes. On the maiden run, as you can see from the very few titles on display, we kept it very light. It can hold two of our standard book totes, which weigh 35-50 pounds when loaded. Plus our Easy-Up tent fits inside. That's another 30 pounds or so. The trailer's maximum gross capacity is 300 pounds, but I expect 100 to 200 will be typical. I see parents towing a couple of 40 pound kids in kiddie trailers all the time. So it's actually not a lot more than that.

As you would expect, it's noticeable when pulling away from a stop. But once under way, it's easy to forget the thing is even there. Except for the people pointing and yelling, of course. Yesterday's run was flat, but I imagine I'll notice it on hills. Not that it's a hilly area. A quarter-mile of 1-2% is a big hill in our neighborhood.

doctor j

Very innovative.

The library provides the tow bike?

tsl

Um, no. And thank heavens.

Do you see the difference between me and Miss Whitney? Do you think we'd even ride the same size, let alone have the same fitting?

Frankly, I'd rather use my own than whatever X-Mart POS the library would have purchased. I even bought my own trailer hitch so I don't have to hassle with installing and removing the one that comes with the trailer.

doctor j

Yeah, I was thinking that adjustments from one cyclist to the next might be an issue.

Good on you for providing resources to make it all work.

Dan Burkhart 

That's very cool. Well done!

KenshiBiker

Too cool; just way too cool. Congrats on getting this project rolling. I am very impressed with everyone involved. Bonus points for wearing the 50+ jersey (wore mine this morning).

Phil_gretz

- New Red Bike book
- Old red bike ridden
- Old red bike rider
- "Old Guy" red jersey on rider
- Chainring tattoo

Seriously, TSL, that's a great photo that links the generations, instills the love of reading, reminds us of the joys of bike riding, and advocates for alternative modes of commuting. A+

Phil

qcpmsame 

What a great idea, tsl, very well done, to the entire staff at your library system. Kudos to all of you for coming up with such a neat way of getting reading materials out, and for promoting cycling so well.

Bill

Wanderer

Andddddddd, you had better always have at least one bike related book in it at all times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

tsl

And it turns out I was wrong.

CORRECTION:

R-Community Bikes, the local NFP bicycle recycler, donated a (wait for it) X-Mart MTB to the library to use to pull the trailer. It's probably in good working order, given the reputation of R-Community Bikes, but it's no match for my Portland.

Still, "RCB is proud to have donated the bicycle that the library uses to pull their new trailer."

qcpmsame 

At least their actions were commendable, it would be hard to receive something as nice as your Portland, though, but they tried. Pics of it in regular use would be a treat for us, too. Kudos to all involved.

Bill

cccorlew

Books and bikes? How totally cool that is!

Grant Petersen of Rivendale fame just opened a bikes and books store in Walnut Creek's downtown. Actually it's Bikes, Books and Hatchets. I don't get the hatchets as much, but books and bikes? Well done!

fishboy316

I like it!

tsl

Big week coming up next week for yrs trly and the BbB trailer.

Somehow--it wasn't me, really--my club got wind of of it and is thinking of sponsoring second and perhaps third (!) copies of it. Meeting with club officers at work on Tuesday the 2nd. Told them to bring their bikes and we'll put the hitch on so they can tow it around themselves, or they can use the donated MTB. As a backup, I'll have the Portland there. To reinforce ties, I'll wear my club jersey to work that day, sorry Curtis, and the color scheme of the club's jersey matches the BbB perfectly. I'm just wondering if I'll get club miles for it...

Thursday the 4th we receive our award for 2015 Public Library of the Year from the same outfit that provided the grant for the BbB. They came out and shot video of me towing it around last week (and discovering it attracts kids like a magnet). To be shown at the awards luncheon.

Saturday the 6th, it's "Look Ma! I'm a parade float!" It's the 50th Annual 19th Ward "Square Fair" in Aberdeen Square Park. I get to pull the BbB trailer in the parade, then set up in the park for outreach all day. I'll have to wear a library t-shirt that day, sorry Curtis.

zonatandem

WOW (Words On Wheels?)!!!
Rochester is WAY ahead of many other communities.
Great idea; great set-up!
Congrats!
Rudy/zonatandem

qcpmsame 

You are enjoying this way too much, tsl, good on your club, for looking into sponsoring more of the book trailers. Congrats on the award, too, that is quite an honor for your library system. Some pics of the parade would be a treat for us here. Agree with Rudy, as usual, 100%.

Bill

tsl

I know where you're going with that, but around here, we don't mention that one.

The WOWmobile was a failed mini-bookmobile project from a few years back that ate money like no tomorrow and never got off the ground. Lot's of reasons, primarily bureaucratic snafus.

They wanted to reuse the name and graphics for the BbB, but two of us--me and my boss's boss--put the kibosh to that.

tsl

We even got a proclamation from our State Senator yesterday. No idea who told him about it. Very official thing that was read into the legislative record. Almost two dozen paragraphs all starting with "Whereas".

As for the club, management recently turned over to a newer generation (although still 50+). The old-timers thought bike advocacy was putting up "wear a helmet" signs that lasted about a week on the canal path. There are actual bike commuters on the board now. I just may increase my involvement beyond leading the two rides a year required to secure a plate at the annual volunteer dinner.

This morning it occurred to me that just for grins, I should have a club ride waiver form ready in case anybody wants to take the BbB for a spin. That will get a lot of laughs, could get me another volunteer point, and then the miles would count as a club ride!

As for the parade, I'm trying to get people I know to come to take pictures. We have multiple outreach programs happening that day and are stretched so thin that the library itself will be staffed completely with subs.

osco53

Way cool OP,, Way Cool Indeed