The structure stands at the side of a quiet residential street in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, along a popular bikeway and under a canopy of trees.

Those who are new to it do double-takes as they pass, often cranking their necks, then doubling back to see what the display is all about. Among those who are familiar with it, its description is varied: It’s a library; it’s a hang-out; it’s a neighbourhood symbol of pride.

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Oliver Kuehn, who lives in the area with his wife and son, likens it to the “broken windows” theory – the idea that cracking down on minor offences such as graffiti and vandalism can forestall bigger crimes. The little things, like a free book exchange, can make a big difference over all, he says.

“It lends a lot of charm to the neighbourhood,” he says. “It makes me proud to live in a neighbourhood that has some whimsy and culture to it.”

Read all of “Vancouver Pop-Up Libraries Serve as Community Hang Outs” by Andrea Woo at the Globe and Mail.

[Top Image: A neighbourhood book exchange at Charles Street and Lakewood Drive. Photo care of Paul Krueger.]

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