Iowa City Bike Library reopening in new digs

IOWA CITY - The Iowa City Bike Library is reopening in a new location this weekend.

The non-profit operation diverts bicycles from the landfill, restores them through volunteer labor and lends them out to the public for a deposit. The community bike loan program has been closed for weeks as it readied its new digs at 840 S. Capitol St., about a mile south of the downtown area.

'I think we are pretty happy about the new location,” said Anne Duggan, who is among the library's all-volunteer staff. 'A number of people did a lot of work over the break to get this ready. The workshop area is beautifully set up and retail area is in there, too,”

The library has been closed since December as volunteers moved equipment and supplies and reconfigured old warehouse space into a workshop and retail area.

The old John Wilson Sporting Goods building at College and Gilbert streets served as home for eight years. More recently, accommodations were in doubt as talk of redeveloping the prime location heated up.

Library volunteers decided to relocate rather than wait to be forced out, staff members have said.

Liz Christiansen, director of the University of Iowa sustainability office, helped facilitate an arrangement for the Bike Library to relocate into UI space.

'The space was available, but I also thought this was an opportunity for working more closely together and increasing opportunities for student experiences in bicycle programming,” Christiansen said.

She said there is a growing job market for bike planners on city and campus staffs.

David Kieft, UI business manager, said because UI leases rather than owns the warehouse, it has a month-to-month agreement. The rate is $250 per month including utilities, which is low for Iowa City.

Kieft said if UI's lease ends, the university will work to find another space on campus, although there's no guarantee it exists.

The Bike Library will offer the same services and hours in the new location as the old, Duggan said.

The hours for the bike loan program are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. Patrons are encouraged to use the east entrance to the building from Lafayette Street, she said.

Duggan said 10 bikes in a range of sizes are available to check out this weekend. A $75 to $150 deposit is required, but that can be refunded if the bike is returned in good condition.

'We have some good sturdy town bikes for people riding around town,” Duggan said.

The Bike Library also offers education and volunteer programs, such as rent-a-bench, volunteer nights and Wheely Fun, a women-led bike night.

'People have been writing in saying, ‘When will you be open again?' and volunteers want to get back to doing what they do,” Duggan said. 'We are a community service that people miss when we are not here.”

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