Philly Free Library’s Book Bike Brings Joyful Reading to Neighborhoods

The Book Bike travels around Philadelphia, offering books and library resources to the community.

Philly Free Library’s Book Bike Brings Joyful Reading to Neighborhoods
Philly Free Library’s Book Bike Brings Joyful Reading to Neighborhoods

Philadelphia: If you spot a big tricycle in the city, especially at a local event, it’s probably the Book Bike. It’s hard to miss with its red front compartment filled with books and a cyclist pedaling around.

That cyclist is Tyler Gittelman, who works at the South Philly Library. He takes the Book Bike to community events, like the Healthy Kids Running Series, where people can check out books right on the spot.

They even give away free books and help folks sign up for library cards. It’s a fun way to make the library feel more accessible and less intimidating, especially for those who might have mixed feelings about it.

Kate Eckert, the Library Supervisor and co-creator of the Book Bike, wanted to bring the library to the people in a lively way. The idea started back in 2016 when she and a couple of colleagues got together to make it happen.

At first, they took turns bringing the bike to parks, but soon, community members wanted it at their events too. The bike is a modified cargo trike made by a local company, and it can hold about 100 books.

Tyler, who started operating the bike this spring, curates the book selection based on the event and the season. He had a blast preparing for Halloween, making sure he had something for everyone.

He loves surprising kids with books, saying it brings back that magical feeling of finding your favorite book in a library. For him, riding the Book Bike is the best job ever, and he’d jump at a full-time position if it became available.

Every moment, from riding around to seeing kids light up at events, fills him with joy. Eckert hopes to see the Book Bike reach even more people in the future.

For now, if you want the Book Bike at your outdoor event, just shoot an email to bookbike@freelibrary.org. Eckert is thrilled to see the bike thriving and bringing happiness to the community.

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