In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Urban Librarians Unite announced its own small network of mini libraries. These bright orange newspaper boxes were set up outside of library branches in Brooklyn and Queens closed due to damage from Hurricane Sandy. These tiny, all-weather libraries housed about a hundred books each at a time and there was no expectation whatsoever that the books needed to come back.bicmini2

These Mini Libraries were a great way to get reading materials out to those who are still recovering from the storm.  These books were a tiny spark of entertainment, they provided some distraction, and they reminded people that the library has not forgotten them or their community. Our Children’s Book Campaign was wildly successful and we had thousands of books to distribute. These little libraries are a direct pipeline to the public, a way of putting books right into their hands.

You can still find our mini libraries in the Socrates Sculpture Park, Forsyth Community Garden and at the Hunters Point Library in LIC.