Bay Point Book-to-Action Mural Project
Contra Costa County Library, Calif.
Innovation Synopsis
The Bay Point Library hosted a Book-to-Action project centered around the book Maybe Something Beautiful illustrated by Rafael López. Staff brought the book to life by commissioning Lopez to create a mural at a local school that the community helped him complete at a day long festival in May.
Challenge/Opportunity
The Bay Point library is co-located inside the middle school, which means many residents are not aware that there is a library in their community. Bay Point is also one of the poorest communities served by the Contra Costa County Library and sorely lacking in services. Marketing the library to Bay Point residents is a priority in order to connect them to critical services and resources.
Key Elements of Innovation
Staff applied for funding from the California Center for the Book and then secured the artist for the project. The community of Bay Point was chosen because of its lack of public art and its similarity to the demographic featured in Maybe Something Beautiful. At the event, hundreds of participants painted alongside the muralist and enjoyed stories, music, dance and crafts at a day-long festival. Children left with an autographed copy of Maybe Something Beautiful.
Achieved Outcomes
Because the final event was so well attended, it greatly raised the community's awareness of the library. The mural will permanently remind the community of the library, its value and the library's commitment to the community of Bay Point.
