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SOMERVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY UNVEILS “AWESOME BOX” PROJECT

Partnership with Harvard University Innovation Lab Helps Residents Share “Awesome” Ideas at Public Libraries

SOMERVILLE - The Somerville Public

Library, in a partnership with the Harvard Library Innovation Lab, is launching

the "Awesome Box" project at all three library branches in early February. The

first municipal partnership of its kind, the "Awesome Box" will allow patrons

to share "awesome" book suggestions with fellow readers by depositing checked

books into the Box rather than into the regular "Returns" bin. "Awesome" books will be linked to a website

for community members to learn about and explore potential book titles.

"Somerville is the first public

library to partner on the 'Awesome Box' project, and in keeping with our City's

streak of innovative programming and ideas, this is a great new program that we're

fortunate to be able to offer residents," said Maria Carpenter, Director of the

Somerville Public Library. "We are always looking for dynamic, innovative and

creative approaches to library service, and this certainly fits the bill."

Here's how it will work: When a patron

particularly enjoys an item, he or she will return the book into the "Awesome

Box," which will be clearly labeled with appropriate signage. Then, a library

staff member will scan the book twice - once, checking the book in as usual,

then another time to list that item on the "awesome" page, which can be found

here: http://librarylab.law.harvard.edu/somerville/.

Patrons can then visit the page and

see what others have found notably enlightening, mind-blowing or helpful

recently. There is also a "most awesome" section, which shows the items that

were most thought to be awesome. Users can also search for items that are

listed as awesome. When patrons click on the media's icon, it takes them to the

item's listing on the Minuteman Library Network catalog, so that they can read

more about the item and its availability or place it on hold.

For more information about this

project, contact Maria Carpenter at 617-623-5000 or mcarpenter@somervillema.gov.

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