There wasn’t a library in the town where I went to elementary school. Instead we would use the book mobile — a library inside a bus that periodically came to town. It was exciting when the city eventually built a library, and it became a hub for the community, providing a place for meetings and studying as well as reading and reference material.
The Uni Project is an attempt to create communities by “temporarily transform(ing) almost any available urban space into a public reading room and venue for learning. We start with the conviction that books and learning should be prominent, accessible, and part of what we expect at street-level in our cities.” They want to augment what libraries do
Materials in the Uni are for browsing only and do not circulate. Areas of focus are children’s picture books, poetry, short works, art books, and reference titles. Special “curated” collections rely on the physical constraint of the 16″ cubes to provide concise, in-depth looks at various ideas or topics. Whenever possible, these cubes are curated by an individual who loves books and is deeply knowledgeable and passionate about a particular subject. For example, one curator is working on a cube dedicated to the origins, history, and use of knots—this cube will include a rope and cleat board for practicing basic bends, cleats, and hitches. Another is developing a cube on deafness and sound. Cubes may also be curated by an organization. Curated collections convey a sense of passion and depth too often missing from content chosen for public space. They also serve to include different “voices” in the collection, reflecting the communities where the Uni operates.
They’ve deployed one example in lower Manhattan. You can find out more about the project here, see their kickstarter campaign here. The idea for the Uni Project came out of Street Lab.