The Bike Lane - A Path to Engagement
Hennepin County Library, Minn.
Anti-Racism, Digital Equity and Inclusion
| 2020
Innovation Synopsis
Hennepin County Library endeavored to engage the community and maintain visibility while library buildings were closed. Supported by a custom-built bicycle and a branded van, staff targeted outdoor community events to safely distribute thousands of culturally responsive books, activity kits and local resource referrals.
Challenge/Opportunity
- The compounding effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the murder of George Floyd brought a heightened awareness to injustice and racial disparities facing Hennepin County residents.
- Civil unrest in Minneapolis led to large scale loss of essential services and social supports.
- Libraries were closed or offering limited services, resulting in significant barriers to in-building community engagement.
- East Lake Library, damaged by fire during the unrest, remains closed for repair until 2021.
Key Elements of Innovation
- Staff evaluated existing outreach tools, teams and partnerships for new opportunities.
- Staff used a Racial Equity Impact Tool to select partners with shared goals.
- Outdoor engagement sites included parks, encampments and food distribution sites.
- Supplies pivoted away from circulating books to culturally relevant giveaway books and early literacy play kits.
- HCL’s Library Bike and All are Welcome Van were outfitted with PPE.
- Mobile units brought both high-visibility and approachability to the in-person experience.
Achieved Outcomes
- HCL interacted with thousands of Minneapolis residents, distributing 6,000 #OwnVoices titles and 2,500 early literacy play kits.
- The novelty of the mobile units generated light-hearted interest and attracted a range of positive of resident responses.
- Mobile library services were offered five to six days per week at 100 events from June to September.
- Events were located in neighborhoods facing the greatest barriers to access to resources.
- Through outreach we aimed to support learning, access to information and trust-building.
