Every Thursday in July and August 2014, we deployed the Uni reading room to a play street at Broadway and W 137th St run by Harvest Home next to their farmers’ market. Learn more about our ongoing effort at play streets. Made possible by a generous grant from Shippy Foundation and additional support from Target. Thanks to Uni Librarian and site manager Leigh Hurwitz and Rasheed Lucas! Photos below are from July 15, 22, 29, August 5, 12, 19, 26.
Pop-up infrastructure: everything we need to create a reading room in public space is right here.
Harvest Home staff mix it up with some ball games at the play street.
Uni mini book reviews are a simple, fun way to be a reader (and a writer).
We’re always exploring new content for the Uni. Expect more math and spatial reasoning puzzles in 2015.
Listen carefully to patrons. When a girl says “can we read this?”, we don’t assume she is asking that we read to her. Sometimes kids like to read to us. Or sometimes just talk. Sit down, take time, see what’s up.
Spatial reasoning puzzles are about math but also about sharing…
One guy likes to make cubes. Another guy likes to take them apart. Let’s see if we can make a deal here…
Word play. This bench isn’t going to be big enough for what she has in mind.
We don’t have the most books in New York. Our goal is to have the best. And to share them.
Trucking reading rooms around New York is like sailing: know your knots, keep your lines tidy, watch the weather.
Creating a reading room at a West Harlem farmers market and play street was a highlight of 2014. Thank you West Harlem. See you next year!