On Wednesday, Sept. 28, the first pop-up library in the area, dubbed The Connection, will open in Crystal City. Arlington Public Library’s leadership decided to open a pop-up library in this location because the nearest library, the Aurora Hills branch, isn’t convenient for neighborhood residents. The new location is intended for those residents, and it will also be conveniently located near the Metro.
“We’re interested in making library services as accessible as possible to people,” Diane Kresh, director of Arlington County Public Library, says. “So that means going out into the community and working with the community to provide the services that they need.”
Kresh believes the space will host literacy programs, health classes and book clubs and provide room for visitors to play cards, watch movies, read books and meet others.
The pop-up library can be found at 2117 Crystal Plaza Arcade between TechShop D.C. and Gallery Underground. It will have all of the furniture necessary to accommodate visitors, plus laptops and iPads, audio-visual materials, free Wi-Fi and, of course, books.
“The goal is to make the space flexible enough that we can do a variety of different things,” Kresh says.
The Arlington County Public Library signed a nine-month agreement, but the pop-up location may outlast the contract depending on its success.
“I hope that [community members] feel that the library is relevant and important and that it can be part of their lives,” Kresh says. “There are a lot of resources available to the community, and we want to be that gateway. And the best place to do that is in the neighborhood where the people are.”
A ribbon-cutting ceremony with representatives from Arlington Public Library, the county and Crystal City Business Improvement District will be held on Sept. 28 at 10 a.m.
