Bucks County Free Library Outreach Vehicle
Design: Design Research, Mechanical Design, Environmental Graphics
The Bucks County Free Library created the Outreach Vehicle to reach new communities within Bucks County who don’t visit the library’s branches. The goal of the Outreach Vehicle is to bring the library directly to new patrons at parks and playgrounds, events, schools, and community centers.
The vehicle needed to be able to do a lot of things, and it needed to adapt to any event it showed up to. It needed to accommodate activities like performing story times in town centers and signing people up for library cards at local farmer’s markets.
Before this project began, the Outreach Vehicle was only a pickup truck and a concept. Leading a team of staff helped the library transform the idea into a reality. Through design thinking and user testing, we solved issues through creative methods unknown to the project team before I joined this project.
Creating the Blueprint
This project began with several meetings to identify the key activities of the Outreach Vehicle. It needed to be all the fun things that a library does daily but on wheels. It needed to carry supplies for programming, be able to register folks for library cards, and showcase all the wonderful things happening at the nearest branch.
After research, staff and patron interviews, and prototypes a blueprint was created. The blueprint was walked through multiple times to identify how various tasks would be carried through.
Once it was approved by the team it was sent out to be manufactured.
The Container
Once the truck's container was built, we user-tested it to see how it could adapt to various programming. This container included side doors that transformed into overhead signs that can be seen amongst a crowd, pull-down shelves that could be used to display books and signs, drop-down whiteboards, electric outlets to demonstrate 3D printers and other tech, and WiFi so staff could sign new patrons up for library cards.
The design also has 7 feet of internal storage in the middle of the unit that is accessed by a shelf that pulls out. Once the user testing was completed, we began working on branding the truck with custom graphics.
Truck Graphics
The graphics that wrap the truck follow the Bucks County Free Library’s standard branding. We wanted to ensure that folks knew it was our library. With the signature green pattern and bold typography the truck is easy to recognize.
The interior of the container was also wrapped with vinyl to protect it from any water damage and stains. Wood patterned vinyl gives the design a laid-back retro feeling that immediately comforts visitors and helps them recognize that the library is a welcoming and wonderful place.
Project Outcomes
This project was in conception for a long time before I joined the team and led its development. Everyone in the county knew the vehicle was coming, but none were sure when. Once it made its first journey through the county, it was met with well-received attention.
The Outreach Vehicle hits the road and makes two-three stops every week. Within a few months staff registered over 1,000 new patrons to the library.