Alexa Bennett Fox loved the way she saw pop-up libraries in Vancouver bringing the community together.
She saw friends place a big pop-up library on the 10th Avenue bike route in Vancouver, and seeing how it drew people in to chat and share books was inspiring.
Which is what made Fox and her brothers, Isaac and Quentin, decide that New Westminster should be home to the same kind of community-building libraries.
It's a project they've been working on since the spring - and it's coming to fruition this weekend when they hold a launch event at River Market on Sunday.
The siblings' idea to create four pop-up libraries for New Westminster made the shortlist for the 2014 One Prize presented by Donald's Market and River Market earlier this year. And, though it didn't win, the Fox family had no intention of quitting.
They applied for a Neighbourhood Small Grant through the Vancouver Foundation instead and secured the necessary money that way.
They got construction expertise from their father, who builds roofs, and made one prototype library - a large, sturdy three-shelf "house" for books that sits on a sturdy post ready to be installed on a lawn.
With funds in hand, they hosted a building workshop at River Market in the summer, inviting members of the community in to help build the remaining three libraries.
The workshop was a great success, Fox notes, bringing together participants from age 12 to 60-something. The libraries have since been shingled and waterproofed, with waterproof doors added, so they're ready to be put into action once they find a home.
Which is where the siblings are focusing their efforts now: finding individuals or community groups who'd like to "adopt" a library.
Fox notes they're hoping to find people who are ready to commit to hosting a pop-up library permanently - who want to paint and decorate their library, install it on their lawn or in another public space, and really make it their own. If any assistance is needed with installation, the Fox family is willing to help.
"We want them spread out around the city, and we want them in places that are accessible," Fox says, noting that one library has already been committed to Sapperton, but the other three still need homes around the city.
If people aren't quite sure what it's all about, Fox hopes they'll turn out to the second floor of River Market on Sunday for the launch event.
"Our event's going to kind of function like a giant pop-up library," she says.
The non-profit Kindlers Society has donated 1,000 books for the event, which will be up for adoption. People can come to donate books or take away new ones - or both - and find out more about how pop-up libraries work.
SoAreWe Creative - sisters Tegan and Taryn Cheremkora - will also be on hand leading two art projects: a stamping and bookmark-making craft for kids, and a bookbinding session in notebook making for those who want to get more involved in the creative process.
"It will be a really cool event for people of all ages," Fox says.
The event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the second floor of the market.
Check out www.facebook.com/popuplibraryproject or find the project on Twitter, @popuplibraries.
If you're interested in adopting one of the libraries, you can email [email protected].
