 | Since the inauguration of the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route (URBR) over a year ago, many cyclists have rolled over all or parts of the route. Their intersection with libraries along the way accentuates the potential for unconventional partnerships radiating from the library as community hub. This article is adapted from a presentation at the 2008 Pro-Walk/Pro-Bike Symposium in Seattle. |
 | Way stations on the historic Underground Railroad were places identified as safe for fugitive slaves to stop and rest. They welcomed travelers, connected them to what they needed in the community, and helped them set out for the next safe stop. “The railroad was not so much a physical route as it was a movement of people who assisted slaves in their quest for freedom.” (Carl Feather, Star Beacon, 6.05.08) Applying this metaphor to the present-day, libraries serve as way stations and the library staff as conductors, with the terror and secrecy blessedly dropped from the picture. |
 | Those of us steeped in the library world know that libraries live at the heart of their communities, but for many of the cyclists, this discovery came as a pleasant surprise. Ginny Sullivan, Adventure Cycling’s instigator of the route, had the foresight to include library locations on the detailed maps available to participants. As a result, the travelers found the local libraries along the way and found a treasure trove of resources: pointers to good restaurants, grocery stores, Laundromats, bike shops. They could use clean bathrooms and even charge their cell phones. Most significant for the URBR experience, they found libraries as the keepers of community history, often in partnership with local historical societies. |
 | At the time of the historic Underground Railroad, communication would have been difficult and erratic, relying on furtive messages, either written or spoken. Today, we have the Internet—possibly the number one motivation for travelers to stop at a library. Internet access on the public computers is a major service provided by the library, enabling visitors to keep up with news and weather, contact work/family/friends through email, and to maintain an electronic journal of their trip. One such e-journaler was Rachel Bruce, oldest daughter of the Biking Bruces, a family of five who rode the entire route from Mobile to Owen Sound. In Rachel’s blog-journal, there are at least 21 mentions of library stops, as typified by this entry: (Monday, May 19, 2008: Amory TN) “We're in a small-ish town called Amory. … Library access is why we stopped.” Here, the library’s free wireless service is running, even though the library is closed: (Saturday, May 24: Waverly TN) “So we have been hanging out in front of the closed library (its closed on saturdays in the summer unfortunitly) using the wi-fi connection. … We won't probably have Internet for many days; there aren't any libraries on the route in many hilly miles.” Rachel gets so accustomed to free Internet connections at a library, that she has a moment of pique over this stop in Canada: (Wednesday, June 25: Collingwood, Ontario) “we got into town earlier than expected (wow! that almost never happens!) and are killing time at the library. Though I'm not thrilled that they charge $1 per half and hour on the computer!” |
 | Shelter would have been a high priority for runaways on the historic Underground Railroad, but not so obvious as a benefit of a library stop. However, many cyclists found relief—getting warmed on a cool day, cooled on a hot day, and dry on a stormy day. The Biking Bruces appreciated the sheltering libraries: (Tuesday, June 03: Louisville to Warsaw KY) “Well, we are in a library, taking shelter from the big storm outside.” (Wed, June 4: Warsaw, KY) “We are now in Warsaw, we ate our lunch on a picnic table outside the library until the sky let loose and the librarians told us to come in with our food.” Chuck Harmon, who rode from Columbus (OH) to Owen Sound (ON) during an August heat wave, recalls his visit to a public library in Canada on a 95+ degree day on which his group rode over 60 miles: “It was the best rest stop of the entire tour.” |
 | Libraries have a natural inclination to form partnerships within their communities. Although partnering with a cycling club is a bit unconventional, the URBR opened multiple channels for connections, with the library at the hub of groups finding commonality. This is exemplified by the Erie County Public Library’s participation in the URBR, spearheaded by the energetic children’s librarian, Sue Micelli. Micelli pursued a number of potential connections, involving cycling, African-American history and genealogy, health and fitness, and environmental/nature groups. When she approached the local cycling club about the project, they responded immediately, saying, “We’ve been meaning to call you. We’ve been looking for ways to expand our membership to the minority community.” |
 | Libraries are often the center of commemorative efforts. Many have created displays on the history of the Underground Railroad. Quilts feature prominently, having a rich tradition in the African-American community. A staff member at the Ashtabula County District Library (OH) designed and stitched the beautiful quilt on the left for the bicycle route project. Cyclists who rode the URBR often choose libraries as the venue for sharing their stories with the interested public. The “bicycling sisters” have given several presentations to library audiences in the past year. It would be hard not to be awed by Evie Weber (age 70) & Norma Witherbee (age 74) as they recount their adventures along 2100 miles of the URBR. “[We had a] desire to see the heartland from the seat of our bicycle. It’s really about touching the heart and soul of our country.” |
 | The deep experience of the URBR riders and their connection with libraries is beautifully summed up by Ellen and Lowell Satre. Not only did this intrepid couple cycle most of the Underground Railroad route, they started their marathon trip in San Francisco and traveled across the Southwest to Mobile (AL) before turning north to Youngstown (OH)—a total of 5000 miles. And they stopped at libraries all along the way. “The Underground Railroad Route librarians would tell us that other cyclists had been in their libraries. Though we rarely saw those folks, thanks to the interest of librarians, we felt as if we were part of a stream of travelers on an historic journey.” |
