Free To All: Outdoor Spaces for the Boston Public Library

Free to All is a series of semi-permanent outdoor shade canopies, cooling misters, and seating strategies developed for nine satellite branches of the Boston Public Library. In the summer of 2022, Boston Public Library received a grant to improve access and visibility to library resources in nine underserved communities. The project served as an opportunity to bring the library services and spaces beyond traditional boundaries to connect with the public in new ways. Community engagement served as a fundamental bedrock of the development of the work, from initial interviews and informal gatherings, to design and construction with a local youth organization, to post-occupancy surveys and operational memos. More than an end product, Free to All is an embodiment of a design process, one deeply engaged with members of the public throughout all aspects of the project’s development.

https://doi.org/10.35483/ACSA.AM.112.16

Volume Editors
Germane Barnes & Blair Satterfield

ISBN
978-1-944214-45-6