The SAFL Bike Library Plan
by Jon Schwenk and Kevin Howard
Why a Bike Library?
The SAFL campus is a unique branch of the University of Minnesota because of both its community and location. SAFL sits beside the Mississippi River just upstream of the Stone Arch Bridge, approximately a mile by road from the main campus. Currently many students walk or drive this mile because they either lack bicycles or it’s very inconvenient to bring their bikes to SAFL each day.
SAFL also hosts a number of visiting researchers and post-docs whose tenures are approximately a year and oftentimes less. For these researchers, purchasing a bike for such a short time doesn’t make sense. A bike library would provide longer-term loan options for these researchers.
Although we haven’t conducted a formal survey, casual conversations revealed that many students and staff were excited about the prospect of a bike library. The library would save researchers time by providing a convenient and quick mode of travel between SAFL and the main campus (or elsewhere). Based on initial feedback, we believe there is sufficient interest for a SAFL bike library to be established and fruitful.
Mission Statement
The SAFL Bike Library provides an easily accessible fleet of dependable bicycles to SAFL students, staff, researchers, and visitors for free. The Library also provides lights and locks for each bike and helmets for the borrowers. A team of “bike librarians” composed of students from the student council, post-docs, and SAFL staff repair and maintain the existing fleet and expand or replace when necessary. The Library is designed sustainably to encourage minimal costs and ensure its continuation.
Update by Christopher Townswick
Bike Library Facts
NCED purchased a number of bicycles in the mid 2000’s for students to borrow short-term. However, there was no system in place to maintain or otherwise check up on the bikes, and they soon deteriorated.
The Bike Library currently has a fleet of 5 bicycles. One small (Large Eddy), two mediums (Frozen Taylor and K41), and two larges (Exner and H.A. Einstein). They are all single speed bicycles equipped with fenders and baskets. During the riding season they are locked outside to the bike rack overlooking the OSL. During the winter they are stored in the wind tunnel area. Each spring the bikes are overhauled by a motivated librarian and restored to rideable condition.
Keys, helmets, lights, a tire pump, basic tools and parts are available in the 3rd floor copy room. Want to learn how to fix a flat and stay on the road? Track down a bike librarian and ask! They will be sure to help you.
Check-out Procedure
- Go to http://z.umn.edu/bikelibwaiver and fill out the waiver
- Receive the lockbox combination after completion
- Sign bikes in/out on the check out form next to the lock box in the 3rd floor copy room
- Return keys and helmets to the copy room when finished. Keep locks paired with the correct bicycle
If at any point you find something is missing, broken, or confusing, please find a bike librarian or ask at the front desk for help. We should be able to solve the problem and get you riding. If you would like to borrow the bike overnight, please talk with a bike librarian before doing so.