This summer, we’ll add another shift to our schedule so that we can serve Portland’s east side. To that end, street librarian Diana Rempe and I biked the Burnside route today, and scouted for possible bike parking for the new library shift there. More news on that to come.

Finally, Street Books is mentioned in an article with Goodnet called Four Awesome Ventures That Feature Bicycles. Check it out.

As always, we thank you for your ongoing support, and hope we see you this summer. Stop by a shift anytime (schedule will be posted later in May).

The Fresh Pot Coffee Shop on 724 SW Washington recently invited Street Books to install a display in their window, in the hallway behind their shop. We’ve got books, photos and more information about our project. Stop in for a hot cup of coffee and good company. Big thanks to The Fresh Pot for inviting us to spread the word.

Don’t miss our event this Thursday, from 11-2, at Sisters of the Road. We’ll be accepting donations of books for our summer library shifts, and helping establish a small library at Sisters of the Road. Any of our patrons or visitors to Sisters will be invited to choose a good book for winter reading.

Expect heart-shaped cookies, good company, and lots of paperback books. More details below: 

In other Street Books news, this past Wednesday was a very fine shift, with none of the rain the weather-folks had predicted. In fact we had some golden sunshine by the end of the shift. Mama Chewy is wicked addicted to the Harry Potter series, and I’m searching for a copy of books #3 and #4 (Prisoner of Askaban & Goblet of Fire). It was Mark’s birthday on Wednesday, and he requested 2 Ray Bradbury titles (his favorite), I Sing the Body Electric and R is for Rocket. For those of you who attended the Street Books reception in September, you’ll remember Mark as the speaker who talked about how he’d met Ray Bradbury as a young man, and how powerfully the author’s work had affected him.

I didn’t take any pictures during the shift — felt like just talking with people. But I’ll tell you instead of show you: Chris, a young man wrapped in an army blanket with ice blue eyes and a pierced nose took Jimmy Baca’s memoir, A Place to Stand. Melissa took Trace & Hex in the City. Tony took a Louis L’Amour called Comstock Lode. There were others I didn’t write down, patrons who are my Old Faithfuls, and newcomers who paused to peruse books and digest the idea of a street library. A woman named Joanne brought a giant box of paperback books to donate. We are grateful. Thanks to all of you who read this blog, and happy autumn to you.