Development of the library program for the Storefront Library is underway.
Today, Boston Street Lab met with librarian Rebecca Campbell of the Boston Public Library (BPL), who will be helping to coordinate the advisory role of the BPL as we develop the services, activities, and events of the temporary library program. Our challenge is to think institutionally—building on the wealth of experience of existing institutions like the BPL—while remaining nimble enough to execute a program in a three-month temporary space. We also spoke with BPL adult services librarian, Caroline Young, who is an active member of Boston’s Asian-American community and leader of an adult book discussion in Mandarin, about sources for Chinese language materials, and the needs of likely users of a Chinatown library.
The advisory role of the BPL stems from an initial meeting with Amy Ryan, President of the BPL, who took time to attend a special meeting of the Friends of the Chinatown Library on March 25, 2009 about the Storefront project. At that meeting, Ms. Ryan was briefed about the Storefront Library, talked with Chinatown residents, and discussed ways to collaborate with the BPL to help develop the temporary library program. Also attending the meeting was Alice Henessey, Special Assistant to Mayor Thomas M. Menino, who has been deeply involved in the campaign for a permanent library branch for Chinatown.