While the city is a hub for global technology, economic growth has led to decreased access to housing, infrastructure and city services. Take Part highlighted the changing city and the vanishing industrial neighborhoods and served as a focal point for discourse about making and protecting space for living in San Francisco. Fittingly, no space in SF was large enough to display the entire model, so pieces were displayed at each library location, ensuring every neighborhood had a tangible connection and a piece of the city.

In partnership with SFMOMA, this project was conceived by the artist Bik Van Der Pol to display the 1,300-square-foot Works Progress Administration model, in storage since 1942, into every single neighborhood library. The project began with hundreds of volunteers cleaning the WPA model at a library warehouse followed by the creation of a cohesive program plan. SFPL hosted dozens of programs for residents of all ages: from exploring the historic aspects of the city to Lego building and map making programs for children.

• More than 1.1 million people visited SFPL libraries during the January 25–April 28, 2019, display period.
• 100 volunteers prepared the model for display before the program.
• Numerous neighborhood history groups advised on the programs.
• 50 individuals collected a unique stamp and earned a final prize for visiting every library branch during the exhibition.
• 5,300 people attended 125 programs including a free family day at SFMOMA.
• 632 residents signed a petition seeking to permanently display the scale model of San Francisco.