CROWN POINT — You won't find sweet treats in a new bike cruising Crown Point's streets.
Instead, you'll find the Crown Point Community Library has taken outreach on the road through a book bike, which offers books for sale through the Friends of the Crown Point Library and on-the-go programming.
While the book bike first appeared at the Crown Point Farmers Market in June, the library launched a naming contest for the bike last week.
Name suggestions are due online, or at the library, by Monday, and the winner will be announced Oct. 4. The naming contest coincides with Library Card Sign-Up month, which is this month.
Crown Point Community Library Director Julie Wendorf said the book bike's first big debut in the community was at the city's Fourth of July parade.
"We had a lot of positive shout outs at the parade," Wendorf said. "It was really exciting to be a part of that community event, and have something fresh and new to show them."
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A $4,390 grant from the Crown Point Community Foundation paid for most of the bicycle, which cost $5,390 and is outfitted with electrical assist, Wendorf said.
Wendorf said the library was thrilled to partner with the foundation to bring the unique and engaging outreach tool to the Hub of Lake County.
Arnold's Mobile Bike Repair assembled and serviced the library's new cycle at no cost, and graphics on the bike were done by NWI Print Pro, Wendorf said.
The nature of downtown Crown Point lends itself to the library to have an outreach bike, Wendorf said.
"We participate in a lot of activities on the square, and this is something that we can take out that's a little bit more mobile than the van," Wendorf said. "We can take it to our parks. We can take it to the fairgrounds, to Bulldog Park (and) do pop-up events."
Wendorf said Whiting Public Library and Porter County Public Library also have book bikes.
Equipped with a red cargo box featuring the library's logo, the book bike makes the Crown Point Library more accessible, whether it be taking the book sale on the road, hosting a pop-up storytime or offering to-go crafts, Wendorf said.
Dozens of books can fit into the bicycle's cargo box, which also has space for bookmarks. Books can be checked out, and library cards can be issued from the bike, Wendorf said.
"It's really about bringing access to library services outside the building to people that might not be aware of the things that the library is doing," she said.
The book bike will return to the Crown Point Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Bulldog Park, 183 S. West St.
Great books for kids to read
Times Correspondent Christine Bryant compiles a list of books for kids to read during every season.
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