Safe Routes to Libraries
Paving the Way For Safe Routes to Libraries
For 20 years, communities have been working to make it safer and easier for students to walk, bike, and roll to school. Safe Routes to School provides a tried, trusted, evidence-based framework for improving traffic safety and encouraging active travel to and from school, and in daily life. In recent years, new programs like Safe Routes to Parks and Safe Routes to Healthy Foods have applied the Safe Routes to School framework to other community destinations, proving the strength and effectiveness of this program.
Safe Routes to Libraries builds upon years of work from library staff, partners, and patrons to increase accessibility and promote physical activity. Initiatives like UNC Greensboro’s Let’s Move in Libraries take a public health approach to library programming, laying the groundwork for Safe Routes collaborations. Library staff are participating in transportation planning, organizing walking school bus programs, and securing infrastructure funding to support walking, biking, and rolling. Their success positions Safe Routes to Libraries to adopt a more formal framework in the coming years.
Learn how libraries can partner with Safe Routes and how Safe Routes partners with libraries.
Storywalk® image for 2024 library outreach in Washington, DC
Why Safe Routes to Libraries?
Libraries are essential community destinations.
Public libraries exist to serve the community. From printing and copying to tax preparation assistance to nutrition and wellness classes, libraries do it all at no cost to patrons. During COVID, patrons visited the library to get vaccinated, drop off voting ballots, and pick up food. This reinforced libraries as essential community destinations that must remain safe, open, and accessible.
Libraries serve a broad user base.
Libraries play a pivotal role in developing a sense of social connection, safety, and independence for vulnerable populations like children and teens, older adults, and unhoused people. Libraries are one of the only free and open spaces to the public. Creating safe walking, rolling, and transit routes ensures everyone can enjoy the library’s benefits regardless of age, race/ethnicity, ability, or income.
Our Journey to Safe Routes to Libraries
The Safe Routes Partnership has actively cultivated relationships with libraries, recognizing their role as community hubs. Here’s a look at our recent efforts:
- 2024 – The Safe Routes Partnership announced an exciting new project with Urban Libraries Council, funded by a National Leadership Grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This 18-month planning project will create a Safe Routes to Libraries framework to increase safety, accessibility, and physical activity around public libraries.
- 2022 – Public library staff presented at the Safe Routes to School Virtual Summit. Their session “From Bikes to Books: Exploring Partnerships Between Safe Routes to School and Public Libraries” sparked a wave of interest from Safe Routes practitioners looking to engage librarians. This inspired us to build relationships with library partners and seek funding to support Safe Routes to Libraries.
- 2019 – Safe Routes to Parks grantee Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) focused their project on improving safety and access to the library. After a successful demonstration project, they installed temporary pedestrian and bike lanes in front of the library branch. The City of Little Rock applied for and received 1 million dollars in federal funding to install permanent infrastructure at the site.
Libraries are already doing Safe Routes Work
Libraries nationwide participate in safe routes activities, from providing space for transportation planning meetings to organizing walking school bus programs. Check out these national examples of Safe Routes to Libraries in action!
Kansas City Public Library
Kansas City Public Library
BikeWalkKC recognized the Kansas City Public Library as its 2024 Partner Champion Organization for its support of transportation advocacy. The library hosted five screenings of The Street Project, during which community members shared their traffic safety priorities. The library also has a dedicated health and well-being specialist who focuses on public health programming, including blood pressure check machines and fitness classes.
Streator Public Library
Streator Public Library, IL
Baltimore’s Enoch Pratt Free Library
Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore MD
Safe Routes to Libraries and Safe Routes to Healthy Foods converge at Baltimore’s Enoch Pratt Free Library. The Pratt Free Market is a free grocery store at the Southeast Anchor Library Branch. The location is accessible by transit and active travel modes. To address food insecurity, libraries are stepping up to provide food pantries, food distribution services, and mobile farmer’s markets, with safe routes being key to the success of these initiatives.
Baxter County Library
Baxter Country Library
Baxter County Library in Mountain Home, Arkansas, secured nearly $500,000 in Transportation Alternatives Funding to enhance pedestrian and bicycle friendly access through a trail connectivity project. The project provides safe walking and rolling routes for students and patrons to access the library and strengthens the library’s role as a central hub for active transportation. The library foundation was pivotal in applying for Arkansas Department of Transportation funding and collaborating with local partners to create an active transportation network.
Canton Free Library
Canton, New York’s Complete Streets Committee, used leftover funds from a Main Street Improvement grant to install bike racks and a bike shelter at the village library. The project was approved because the funds were used for a Complete Streets purpose. The new bike racks and shelter provide more bike parking on Main Street and increase access to Canton Public Library.
Volusia County Public Library
Volusia County Public Library
Volusia County Public Library in Northeast Florida empowers low-income, working adults with reliable transportation through The Pedal Forward Project. Launched by social workers who recognized their clients need reliable transportation, the project works with community partners to donate bikes, bike locks, and helmet vouchers. The Pedal Forward project helps participates reach critical jobs, appointments, and essential services, including increased access to the library.
How Safe Routes Can Partner with Libraries
How Libraries Can Partner with Safe Routes
Interested in partnering on a Safe Routes project and don’t know where to start?
First, see if your community has a Safe Routes to School Coordinator. For infrastructure projects, reach out to your transportation department or public works department. For physical activity programs, connect with your public health department.
If you are still unsure, email info@saferoutespartnership.org.
Our Safe Routes to Libraries journey is just getting started! Stay tuned for more project updates, resources, success stories, and more.
Safe Routes To Libraries Resources
Webinar: How Public Libraries are Advancing Safe Routes Advocacy, Funding, and Programming
It’s been over two years since our first webinar about partnerships between libraries and Safe Routes to School programs – and a lot has happened since then! Join us to…
Read ResourceFrom Bikes to Books: : Exploring Partnerships Between Safe Routes to School and Public Libraries
This encore presentation from the 2022 Safe Routes to School Virtual Summit features librarians from across the country who are supporting Safe Routes projects in their local community. From participating…
Read ResourceGuest Blog: 5 Reasons Why Your Public Librarian Is the Key to Your Next Safe Routes to School Partnership
This guest blog post is written by Noah Lenstra, Associate Professor of Library and Information Science at the University of North Carolina Greensboro (njlenstr@uncg.edu). For the past seven years, I’ve…
Read Resource