Serendipitous Meetings
Mark Wyatt stopped me on my way to the Park Blocks shift. He was jubilant about Street Books. "Man, I wish you guys had been around about 20 years ago," he said. He told me that he was homeless for about 8 years, but he lives in a home now. Thanks for your support, Matt!
SB Supporter Schemes About Rain Protection
What do you all need? Rob asked me in the course of our conversation at the street library on Saturday. We need a place to store our back stock and we need rain protection for the cart, I replied. Immediately, Rob began building a canopy in his mind (captured here in this photo). He explained his thoughts about the rain gear and suggested a church, just a few blocks away that might be open to storing some books for us. Thank you, Rob!
Jeanie, the Girl Who Wanted the Dragon Tattoo
Jeanie stopped by the cart today to donate a copy of Stephanie Meyer's, "Twilight." She also picked up a copy of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" and started squealing with delight. She held up the book. "Do I look like a bad ass?" she asked. Indeed! Happy reading, Jeanie...
Outside, Then In
You Can't Tell a Book By Its Cover
And often enough, you can't tell a homeless person from a sheltered one. That is the lesson Stephan taught me. He approached the tent and started to brainstorm ways he could help Street Books. It wasn't until a good five or ten minutes into our conversation that I learned he has been homeless for 10 days after experiencing long-term unemployment. He was happy to find a good book to take with him.
Sebastian Loves Comic Books
I won't remember to bring this back he told me and laughed. "I have two metal plates in my head," he said. It makes it hard for him to concentrate. But he was thrilled to take a comic book to pass the time and wait out the afternoon sun.
Maggie Rogers Finds Us on a Sunny Day
Maggie Rogers was at the square when I arrived for my shift. She had a lovely selection of books to donate to Street Books, and though we have been inundated with book donations, I could simply not say, "No". Maggie had been by the cart on a rainy day in early June, but returned to donate books and give Street Books many accolades. Thanks Maggie! We couldn't do the work we do without the support of such a loving (and well read) community!
Spaz Finds The Lost Symbol
Spaz didn't let the fact that he was wakened by a police officer and two animal control agents (with a $100.00 ticket for him) spoil the day. He walked up to our library (which was only feet from his spot of slumber) and found just what he was looking for.
'Little Bit' finds a Bone
Timmy, Katie and Miss Rodeo
Though they had never been to Street Books before, Timmy and Katie stopped and chatted for a while. They perused the books and decided not to check out a book today saying they both had a lot to read right now. They each took a patron card though and said they'd be back to check books out at a later shift. See you then!
Patrick, Charlie and Skye
This trio had not heard of Street Books before. They were headed out of town and weren't sure when they might be back. Still, they each found a book to accompany them on their travels. I suggested they pass on their books to someone else when they finished and that they could come back and trade out next shift if they were still in town.
Donations fill the cart.
It is a wonderful thing, really. We have started to devise a plan for book donations as we are inundated with them right now (which is wonderful and difficult). Still, I just can't turn away good books or people. Marti Anderson and Karen Jensen stopped by with donations and accolades for Street Books. The feeling is mutual ladies. Thank you!
Roger Came by Bicycle
To donate seven great paperbacks to the Street Books library. Thanks again, Roger.
Ben Chose Tolkien
He said he'd read The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Rings, so he was glad to get his hands on the next book in the series. We've got Return of the King waiting for him, when he's ready for it.
A Collaborative Project Yields a Donation for Street Books
Erin Osborne, an AmeriCorps member with Metropolitan Family Services, partnered with her school to do a penny drive to earn books for our library. Students from Lynchwood Elementary's S.U.N. program, along with Beth Wright-Kuhns, Broadway Books and Beaverton City Young Adult Librarian Dawn Borgardt, all collaborated to add new young adult books to our Street Books collection. Students also created lovely laminated book marks (complete with drawings and poems) for our patrons. Thank you to everyone who participated. Pictured: Erin and her daughter Aida
Jemane Donated "Me" to the Street Books Library
It's Katharine Hepburn's memoir. Thanks, Jemane. Always good to see you.
Isla Wasn't Sure About Tom's Accent
He read aloud to her from a Zora Neale Hurston collection. "Why are you reading with that voice?" Isla said.
"Because they're country folk!" Tom answered. "I'm trying to make it more authentic."
Isla wasn't convinced. She checked out a copy of Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie instead.
Pynchon + Proulx = Hmmm
Interesting combination, for sure. Tom took the great novel, Shipping News, as well as Thomas Pynchon's classic, The Crying of Lot 49. It will be interesting to see how he likes each book.
