Hollywood Pop-up Branch Library
Broward County Library
Innovation Synopsis
In February 2025, a devastating hit-and-run vehicle crash and subsequent fire rendered Broward County Library’s (BCL) Hollywood Branch unusable. With the nearest neighboring library also closed for scheduled renovations, a critical service gap emerged in Southeast Broward County. In response, BCL launched the Hollywood Pop-Up Library at the nearby community center owned by the City of Hollywood. Operating from September to December 2025, this innovative temporary branch provided 4,000 circulating items, essential literacy programming, and a dedicated location for customers to pick up materials on hold. The program’s purpose was to maintain continuity of core library services during a period of infrastructure crisis. The outcome was a seamless transition that maintained high engagement levels and provided a lifeline for customers until the permanent branch reopened in January 2026.
Challenge/Opportunity
A “perfect storm” of closures created the need for this innovation. At 3AM on February 20, 2025, a vehicle crashed into the Hollywood Branch, causing fire and water damage that forced an immediate, indefinite closure. The nearest alternative location was already closed for renovation, leaving dense communities in Hollywood and Hallandale Beach without a library nearby. By August 2025, repair timelines continued to grow, public frustration increased, and residents voiced concerns to county officials and in local media. While the county isn’t legally required to maintain a set number of library buildings, BCL is committed to equitable access to information and literacy. An easily accessible pop-up library became the best way to prevent long-term service gaps for customers who heavily on the library for internet, education, and early literacy.
Key Elements of Innovation
The Hollywood Pop-Up Library restored basic services to customers of the damaged branch using a flexible, low overhead model. BCL partnered with Broward County and the City of Hollywood to create a temporary library at David Park Community Center. Facilities staff transformed the site, and librarians offered service five days a week including reference assistance, holds pickup, returns, and key programs like language classes and preschool story time. Marketing launched an extensive outreach campaign using physical signage, social media, and emails. The initiative was unique in treating a facility disaster not as a service outage, but as an opportunity for agile innovation. By maintaining literacy programs and support for vulnerable populations, BCL demonstrated that libraries can remain responsive, nimble, and impactful even during major infrastructure failures.
Achieved Outcomes
The Hollywood Pop-Up Library turned a community crisis into an example of government agility. It served approximately 15,000 customers from September to December 2025, offering 4,000 items and a local pickup point that kept circulation from dropping to zero. By meeting residents where they were, the library preserved trust and remained a steady anchor during uncertainty. The two programs offered, English Café and preschool story time, both reached capacity, showing high demand for social and educational support. These services created a sense of normalcy and gratitude, replacing earlier frustration. The permanent Hollywood Branch reopened on January 6, 2026, to a community that felt supported rather than abandoned. The project became a blueprint for BCL’s disaster recovery, proving that library service depends on people, not buildings, and that human-centered support can thrive even when infrastructure fails. It received a 2026 National Association of Counties Achievement Award.
