In order to meet current and future library customers “where they are” and remove barriers to service, Broward County Library launched Pop Up Libraries, which provide instant access to library e-books in brick-and mortar locations such as waiting rooms and gyms. The Riders Become Readers project extends that reach to transit riders, offering them free on-board, online entertainment they can access quickly and easily. The initiative hopes to turn riders into readers and non-library users into happy library customers.

The key element of innovation for Riders Become Readers is the location of a Pop Up Library on a county transit bus. Broward County Library partnered with book/service provider Baker & Taylor to offer this program, which lets riders use the buses’ existing Wi-Fi to download free e-books. Broward County Library is the first library in the world to launch Pop Up Libraries on buses, with the goal of making library resources quickly and easily available to everyone in the community.

Anticipated outcomes for the Riders Become Readers project include increased usage of the Broward County Library’s e-book collection, increased awareness in the community of library services that can be accessed without a library card and an increased number of Pop Up Library locations in Broward County. Achieved outcomes include local and Spanish-speaking media coverage.