Sometimes things do not turn out as you planned. Sometimes they turn out even better.
What are story centers?
Story Centers are mini library kiosks also/better known as little free libraries. These kiosks would serve as mini community hubs, inspiring diverse and intergenerational interactions through a collaborative design and building process as well as through their subsequent curation and programming. While this was not an entirely new idea (the Little Free Library organization is an international nonprofit devoted to building and registering them, and Mt. Airy already had several), the closing of the neighborhood library, Lovett Memorial, presented the ideal opportunity to take inventory of those existing in the neighborhood and areas in need of more connection to literacy and community. We decided to build three that would fill in these gaps.
The Process
Bringing the concept of Story Centers into fruition took over a year. The idea emerged from a charrette attended by all the partner organizations of the Philadelphia Reimagining the Civic Commons initiative in the summer of 2016 and, since its inception, has taken many forms and iterations. From deciding which partners to work with to confirming the event date to recruiting participants, the process was a practice in patience, adaptability, and ingenuity. Most of these unforeseen pivots led to positive outcomes. One of the most fortuitous of these was choosing to work with Trades for a Difference (TFAD), an up-and-coming Mt. Airy-based nonprofit dedicated to the mentoring and workforce development of local youth. Other changes resulted in less-than-ideal unforeseen consequences, like rain on the build day. The end result was a good compromise between the spirit of the original idea and the nuanced constraints of circumstance.
The Build Day
On Thursday, October 26, in the Trolley Car Diner Pocket Park, the Free Library, TFAD, and Mt. Airy USA partnered to build three story centers to be installed in various locations in East Mt. Airy. The build day coincided with Autumn on the Avenue, a seasonal sidewalk festival, also taking place on the busy thoroughfare of Germantown Avenue. Despite initial low turnout due to unexpectedly cold and rainy weather, the event otherwise commenced as planned. As the afternoon progressed, more participants came, and the sidewalks became full of families with costumed children once the rain completely stopped. Folks of all ages came together using power tools, painting shingles, enjoying refreshments, and singing and dancing to oldies. While it was not what was originally conceived, Story Centers and the build day were still a success.
Lessons Learned
There is no coincidence that Story Centers were funded by the Knight Foundation’s Innovation Fund. The essence of innovation is the evolution of an idea. Plans change. Obstacles appear. Problems must be solved. Sometimes in order for things to fall into place, relinquishing control and submitting to some uncertainty are necessary. Story Centers was the ideal project to illustrate and understand these lessons. As storers of books and ,therefore, of ideas and knowledge and history, Story Centers embody the beauty of embracing necessary change and will continue to encapsulate the changes in the Mt. Airy community for years to come.
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