This year, the SpeakEasy Bookmobile has been out and all about in the boroughs of New York City. We’ve been to Queens, Brooklyn and The Bronx — and have had the pleasure of connecting face to face with readers all along the way. Read on for some snapshots from recent deployments.

With Hudson Yards Hells Kitchen: Open Streets

• Where: Bella Abzug Park, Manhattan
• When: Thursday, July 25th, 10 AM – 2 PM
• What: HYHK Open Streets

We headed out to Bella Abzug Park for another day with our friends at HYHK—now part of an ongoing partnership through the summer of 2024. We’ll be visiting the community of Hudson Yards and Hells Kitchen every other Thursday.

With Red Hook Initiative: Banned Books Day

• Where: Red Hook Initiative, Red Hook
• When: Wednesday, July 17th, 10 AM – 2 PM
• What: RHI Banned Books Day

We followed up a reading by SpeakEasy author Torrey Maldonado with free copies of his books for the kids at Red Hook Initiative.

With Bed-Stuy Strong: Summer Party

• Where: Herbert Von King Park, 670 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn
• When: Sunday, July 14th, 2 PM – 6 PM
• What: Summer Party

At Bed-Stuy Strong’s Summer Party, we handed out boxes upon boxes of free books to pedestrians at Herbert Von King Park. We were joined by grocery vendors giving out free groceries sponsored by Bed-Stuy Strong’s mission as a grassroots COVID-19 food security operation to attempt to address some fraction of the skyrocketing community need around hunger.

With Hudson Yards Hells Kitchen: Open Streets & Book Signing

• Where: Bella Abzug Park, Manhattan
• When: Tuesday, July 9th, 11 AM – 2 PM
• What: Open Streets

This special Bookmobile outing featured a book signing by the author of “Be a Scribe.” In the cool shade of Bella Abzug park, we welcomed plenty of kids, puppies, and passersby for free books and special scribe activities that transported our guests to ancient Egypt for the afternoon.

With Red Hook Initiative: Open Streets Launch

• Where: Red Hook Initiative, Red Hook
• When: Thursday, June 27th, 12 PM – 5 PM
• What: Open Streets

A day of Open Streets and open access to free books, with our friends at Red Hook Initiative (RHI). With a freshly-stocked supply of children’s and young adult books, the kids and teens at RHI were able to help us in distributing hundreds of free titles to the Red Hook community.

With Red Hook Initiative: Spring Into Red Hook

• Where: Red Hook Houses Farm, Red Hook
• When: Saturday, May 18th, 12 PM – 5 PM
• What: Spring Into Red Hook

Our trip to the Red Hook Houses Farm was a blast! We sprung into Red Hook and the beginning of our Bookmobile summer season with some brilliantly warm weather and fully-stocked shelves.

With Bed-Stuy BID: 40 Years of NYC BIDs

• Where: Marcy Plaza, Bed-Stuy
• When: Monday, May 6th, 11 AM – 3 PM
• What: NYC BID Day

Our first trip back out to Marcy Plaza this season was in celebration of NYC BID Day, celebrating 40 years of business improvement districts across the City. BIDs play a critical role in supporting the residents and business owners of an area—including hosting events like our Bookmobile outings.

With NYC DOT: Car-Free Earth Day

• Where: Port Richmond Ave, Staten Island
• When: Saturday, April 20th, 10 AM – 4 PM
• What: NYC DOT Car-Free Earth Day

The first outing of our Spring/Summer ’24 season, this event with the NYC DOT kicked things off in a brilliant spirit with live music, dancing, and the chance for Staten Island residents to grow their home libraries with the Bookmobile.

With Bed-Stuy BID: Winter Wonderland

• Where: Marcy Plaza, Brooklyn
• When: Saturday, December 2nd, 12 PM – 4 PM
• What: Bed-Stuy BID’s Winter Wonderland

In our second-to-last trip of the season, the Bookmobile joined our friend’s at Bed-Stuy Bid for a holiday celebration. Community members in Bed-Stuy came by for free books from the SpeakEasy Bookmobile while enjoying live music and festivities under the holiday lights.

With NYCHA: NYCHA Resource Fair Community Baby Shower

• Where: Rutgers Community Center, 200 Madison St, Manhattan
• When: Saturday, November 18th, 1 PM – 4 PM
• What: NYCHA Resource Fair Community Baby Shower

SpeakEasy’s Bookmobile joined our friends at NYCHA for another weekend of giving out books to their residents, this time as part of a community baby shower at Rutgers Community Center. As expected, we had plenty of early reader titles on offer, with a full side of the Bookmobile dedicated to children’s books. Of course, there’s always something for everyone at our events, and parent and guardians had plenty to choose from too.

With PS/IS 268: Character Day Book Giveaway

• Where: PS/IS 268, Jamaica, Queens
• When: Monday, October 30th, 10 AM – 2 PM
• What: PS/IS 268’s Character Day

SpeakEasy’s Bookmobile went from one side of Brooklyn to the other to deliver a full truckload of kids books to the costumed students of PS/IS 268 in Jamaica, Queens. It was a packed day, as the Bookmobile staff kept refreshing the shelves for over 600 students who each walked away with a new book. 

With Bed-Stuy BID: Community Book Giveaway

• Where: Marcy Plaza, Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn
• When: Saturday, October 28th, 1 AM – 1 PM
• What: Bed-Stuy BID Community Book Giveaway

For the first part of the Bookmobile’s Brooklyn double-header this Saturday, we made another trip to Marcy Plaza to join our friend’s with the Bed-Stuy Gateway Business Improvement District. Our trips to Marcy Plaza are always a hit, and with the late-fall day hitting 80 degrees, it felt like we were right back at one of our early summer deployments. With a live DJ and plenty of vendors spread out across the plaza, the spirit of summer was alive and well in Bed-Stuy.

With Supportive Housing NYC​: Community Book Giveaway

• Where: Brownsville, Brooklyn
• When: Monday, October 9th, 12 PM – 4 PM
• What: Community Book Giveaway

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Bookmobile this past Monday for our partnership with Supportive Housing NYC. We had the best time enjoying a warm fall day with the tenants from the area—it was such a nice day we brought out the Bookmobile’s chairs and had community members sitting together to read in the sun.

With Van Alen Institute: Van Alen Block Party

• Where: 303 Bond St, Gowanus, Brooklyn
• When: Saturday, September 30th, 12 PM – 6 PM
• What: Van Alen Block Party

The Van Alen Institute’s annual block party was a hit, with the SpeakEasy Bookmobile joining the festivity alongside music by the Los Herederos Sonicycle, community conversation on the future of the Gowanus neighbourhood, performance by the Gowanus Wildcats Drill Team, and free ice cream! A perfect accompaniment to free books on a hot day, making for a lovely afternoon of community celebration and books for all.

With City Council: Book Giveaway

• Where: East 53rd Street (Between Church and Snyder), Flatbush, Brooklyn
• When: Saturday, September 16th, 3 PM – 7 PM
• What: City Council Book Giveaway

The Bookmobile joined City Council Member Darlene Mealy and the community of East Flatbush in an afternoon celebration featuring live musics, DJs, dancing, and books for the community. Thanks to our sponsors, we had a busy day of filling up our shelves as attendees walked away with just the right books for their home library! 

With Bed-Stuy BID: Bed-Stuy BID Celebration

• Where: Marcy Plaza (Fulton St and Marcy Ave), Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn
• When: Sunday, September 3rd, 1 PM – 5 PM
• What: Bed-Stuy BID Celebration

The Bookmobile kicked off Labor Day weekend with a trip back to Marcy Plaza, joining Bed-Stuy Business Improvement District’s celebration with live music, food, and dancers and drummers from Cumbe dance center. As the day wrapped up, a fashion show started up in front of the Bookmobile, sending off our team and books in style. 

With NYCHA: Van Dyke Houses Family Day

• Where: Van Dyke Houses, Brooklyn
• When: Saturday, August 26th, 1:30 PM – 4 PM
• What: Van Dyke Houses Family Day

The best bookend to a long day of giving out free books? More free books! After a lovely morning in Bed-Stuy, the SpeakEasy Bookmobile and its team made a beeline for the Van Dyke houses for the Bookmobile’s second deployment of the day.

With the State Assembly office: Back-to-School Book Bag Giveaway

• Where: Duke Ellington School, Washington Heights, Manhattan
• When: Wednesday, August 23rd, 11 AM – 1 PM
• What: Back-to-School Book Bag Giveaway

The Bookmobile rolled out to Duke Ellington School in Washington Heights to join the State Assembly office’s book bag giveaway. The State Assembly office brought the bags and, as always, we brought the books! Students left with brand new backpacks, filled with brand-new (and free!) books.

With CLOTH: CLOTH Open Streets

• Where: Washington Heights, Manhattan
• When: Wednesday, August 16th, 11 AM – 4 PM
• What: CLOTH Open Streets

The SpeakEasy Bookmobile headed to Washington Heights on Wednesday for CLOTH Open Streets! As always, our visit to 159th St and Amsterdam Ave was a perfect afternoon of free books, connection, and late-summer fun.

With Red Hook Initiative: Red Hook Open Streets

• Where: Red Hook Initiative, Brooklyn
• When: Friday, August 11th, 12 PM – 4 PM
• What: Red Hook Initiative’s Open Streets

A good book is the best weekend plan! The SpeakEasy Bookmobile joined Red Hook Initiative’s community block party on Friday to celebrate with some end of summer fun and free books!

With 31st Ave Open Streets: Open Streets

• Where: 31st Ave, Astoria, Queens 
• When: Sunday, July 30, 11 AM – 6 PM
• What: 31st Ave Open Streets

The Bookmobile rolled out the green carpet for 31st Ave Open Streets on Sunday, a grand bookend to a long weekend of giving out free books across Manhattan and Queens. The Bookmobile will return in August! Check out our future dates here.

With CLOTH: CLOTH Open Streets

• Where: Washington Heights, Manhattan
• When: Friday, July 28, 11 AM – 4 PM
• What: CLOTH Open Streets

SpeakEasy’s Bookmobile made a much-anticipated return to CLOTH Open Streets at 159th and Amsterdam, kicking off the first chapter of a full weekend of deployments across the city with bubbles, a story-time reading, and, as always, free books for all.

With CLOTH: CLOTH Open Streets

• Where: Washington Heights, Manhattan
• When: Friday, July 14, 11 AM – 4 PM
• What: CLOTH Open Streets

For the first time this month, SpeakEasy’s Bookmobile joined CLOTH Open Streets at 159th and Amsterdam. It was a perfect day of free books, great music, and easy weather. Missed it? The Bookmobile will return to 159th later this month—find out more here.

With Red Hook Initiative: Red Hook Open Streets

• Where: Red Hook Initiative, Brooklyn
• When: Thursday, July 6, 12 PM – 4 PM
• What: Red Hook Initiative’s Open Streets.

After rescheduling due to the past week’s smoke conditions, the Bookmobile arrived with clear skies and free books to Red Hook Initiative’s Open Streets. Readers of all ages gathered under the shade of the Bookmobile’s awning, beating the heat while finding that perfect book to take home.

With the Red Hook Community Justice Center: Summer Safety Festival

• Where: Coffey Park, 85 Richards St, Brooklyn
• When: Saturday, June 10, 11 AM – 3 PM
• What: Summer Safety Festival hosted by the MAP Department at the Red Hook Community Justice Center.

The Bookmobile rolled out to Red Hook in Brooklyn to join the Red Hook Community Justice Center’s Summer Safety Festival. The event allowed Red Hook residents to get access to resources on public safety, complete a safety survey that gages their perception of community-police relations in Red Hook, and also complete ballots from the recent Local NeighborhoodSTAT event. There was free food, performances, raffles, games, and free books provided to residents by our truck. 

With the Brooklyn Museum: For Those Who Mom – Celebrating Joy, Autonomy, and Community Care

• Where: Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn
  
• When: Saturday, May 13, 2023, 11 AM – 4PM
  
• What: A Mother’s Day celebration hosted by the Brooklyn Museum.

The Bookmobile rolled up in front of the Brooklyn Museum to join a daylong celebration in honor of all those who “mom”! There was music, food, art-making, wellness pop-ups, and plenty of gifts for moms and caregivers, as well as free books courtesy of the SpeakEasy Bookmobile.

With Bronx River Art Center: Scary Night, Halloween Extravaganza

• Where: Bronx River Art Center, 1087 E. Tremont Ave., The Bronx
• When: Saturday , October 29th, 2022: 4:30-6:30 PM
• What: A gathering of teaching artists, staff members, students and parents open to the public. A scary and fun evening of music, candy, party favors, and FREE Halloween. 

At BRAC, nestled between West Farms and Van Nest in the Bronx, the Bookmobile joined local Halloween festivities. Adults and children alike showed off costumes, enjoyed candy, and browsed and selected books (including some appropriately-spooky picks). 

With PS/IS 268Q: Annual Character Day

• Where: PS/IS 268Q, 92-07 175th Street, Jamaica, Queens
  
• When: Friday, October 28th: 10:30 AM – 2 PM
  
• What: For students K-8: A celebration of all things books and book characters, led off by a parade of students dressed as book characters. The day will also include visits from authors. 

This Halloween Friday, the Bookmobile drove east to Jamaica, Queens to support Character Day at one of the neighborhood’s public elementary and middle schools. Students ages 5 – 14 greeted us, coming in by grade, and donning the garb of their favorite superhero (local or mythical), royal figure, or Manga character. The Bookmobile serviced the majority of the PS/IS 268Q’s student body of over 700 — and found ourselves short on books! Thankfully, English teacher Ms. Melody Davis led efforts to surface like-new books from the school’s own surplus supply, and every child who visited us was able to leave with a book of their choosing in hand.   

With Bay Ridge BID: Fun on 5th Friday Night Live Open Streets 

• Where: 7720-7724 5th Avenue, Bay Ridge, NY
  
• When: Friday, September 30th: 6-9 PM
  
• What: Come strut your stuff while enjoying local restaurants and retail, engage with artists, and dance to live entertainment. All ages welcome!

Our burgundy Bookmobile rolled up on 5th Avenue amidst the throng of people and Friday night fun. Bay Ridge’s Business Improvement District or BID works to promote the beautification of Bay Ridge, support small business, and promote social justice. We at the Bookmobile were ecstatic to once again be of service to our eager readers.   

With READ 718 and Brooklyn Book Bodega: Back-to-School in Bed-Stuy Kick-off to the Brooklyn Book Festival

• Where: READ 718, 336 Malcolm X Boulevard, Brooklyn, NY 11233
  
• When: Sunday, September 25: 12-4 PM
  
• What: A back-to-school event celebrating young readers.
  

  
  Fueled by a shared mission of building community, increasing book access, and fostering a love of reading, this collaborative family event kicked off the Brooklyn Book Festival’s Bookends series. The afternoon included readings by Brooklyn authors, art-making workshops, and a community mural at READ 718’s center in Bed-Stuy. Though geared towards readers grades K-12, the event was open to and visited by readers of all ages. 

On Myrtle Avenue, in Brooklyn: Touch a Truck Day!

• Where: Clinton Ave, between Myrtle and Willoughby, Brooklyn, NY
• When: Saturday, September 10, 10AM – 2PM
• What: The first ever Touch a Truck Day on Myrtle Avenue will bring an opportunity for kids to get up close with all kinds of large trucks and vehicles! Big trucks – book giveaway, rafts for kids, music, and more – will fill the block

Green trash truck? Check. Yellow tow truck? Check. Burgundy Bookmobile Truck? Check! On the inaugural Touch a Truck Day organized by the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership, the SpeakEasy Bookmobile was part of a fleet of trucks that opened their doors (and in our case, our awnings) to let the community and its children know what it’s like to walk a day in our shoes, or rather, drive a day on our wheels. The Bookmobile’s function within our community, as demonstrated in the charming photo of our young reader to the left, helps enrich the lives of all within our communities. Reading is life and we are always delighted to provide free new books in places where they are needed most.

In Red Hook, Brooklyn: Red Hook West Family Day Celebration

• Where: Coffey Park, between Dwight St. and Mill St.
• When: Saturday, August 27, 12 PM – 4 PM
• What: In partnership with Red Hook Initiative, Red Hook West Family Day Celebration is an all-ages day of community festivities.

On Saturday the 28th, the Bookmobile returned to Red Hook — again in partnership with RHI. On the ground, we met members of the community, including some familiar faces from August 11th! We met Destiny, 18 years old, who picked up a copy of One. “This is perfect — I have dyslexia, and I’m looking for a new book!” she exclaimed. We also met 8-month-old Leah, and her mother, Lisa, who left with An Angel for Solomon Singer. “You mean I’ll get to see myself on the website?” said Lisa, with excitement. 

At Highland Park, East New York: NYC Reads Initiative Back to School

• Where: Lower Highland Park Playground, at the corner of Jamaica Ave. and Cleveland St.  
• When: Wednesday, August 24: 2 PM – 5 PM
• What: East New York NYC Reads Initiative Back to School Event

As the summer winded down, the Bookmobile had the opportunity to reconnect with NYC Reads Initiative and Literacy Inc. (LINC), with both of whom we’ve also partnered in past seasons. The deployment was also a chance to distribute some much-anticipated children’s and YA books donated to us by the wonderful Brooklyn Book Bodega! Pictured here are four-year-old Kaira with her brother, Malik, seven years old. 

In Red Hook, Brooklyn: Red Hook Initiative Block Celebrations

• Where: Red Hook Initiative Center, 767 Hicks St, Brooklyn, NY
  
• When: Thursday, August 11: 11 AM-4 PM; Freedom School Graduation. This event was primarily with 9th and 10th graders, but was also open to the community.
• When: Thursday, August 18, 2 PM-6 PM; Red Hook Initiative Block Party! ALL ages!

At Red Hook Initiative, the Bookmobile came out to support young people of the Red Hook Houses in RHI programming milestones. Here, we also met brothers Jeremiah and Messiah, pictured to the left. “When I have superpowers, I will fly,” Jeremiah (right) told us. “But the only way I will use my powers to fly is when I’m saving the world.” Visit our corresponding blog post to read more about our wokr with RHI!

On 31st Ave, Astoria, Queens: Open Streets

When: Saturdays: July 2, 16, 30; September 3: In partnership with 31st Ave Open Streets

What: Every Saturday, 31st Avenue between 33rd and 35th Streets in Astoria closes to all motor vehicle traffic and parking, and opens up for walking, cycling, dining and community programming. Click here for programming.

Where: 31st Avenue between 33rd and 35th Street, Astoria, NY, 11106

Throughout the summer, we brought our shelves repeatedly to the streets of Astoria. Here, we’ve set up alongside community-fulcrums including Astoria Food Pantry, Connected Chef and Podcast on the Streets. Passerby — with many with babies, dogs, or friends in tow — were excited to add reading to their rotations for these Saturdays. Passer-by were excited to see books set up for the taking. “The minute the Bookmobile opens, kids come out of the woodwork. It’s wonderful!” observed John, a volunteer for 31st Ave Open Streets. 

At the Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn: Juneteenth

• When: Sunday, June 19: In partnership with ArtsConnection & Culture Connected, 2 PM -6 PM
• What: Brooklyn Museum’s Honoring Juneteenth, a day of FREE family activities from community partners in celebration of Black liberation, creativity, community, and joy! Click here for the schedule.
• Where: The Brooklyn Museum (Biergarten/Sculpture Garden), 200 Eastern Pkwy.

At the Brooklyn Museum, in which our partners provided the art supplies and we the books. Readers carried away picks from The Divine Comedy to collected Louise Glück poems to Babymouse graphic novels.“Books are agents of change and envoys of new realities,” our Bookseller Jesús Rivera reflected afterwards.