DC Public Library celebrates National Bike Month each year by providing fun books and online resources about biking as well as a variety of bike-related programs for riders of all ages, including the beloved Tour de DCPL which is a community bike ride exploring different libraries across D.C. Check out events at a neighborhood library near you, pick out a great read, learn about some local history about biking right here in D.C. and more!
Tour de DCPL XVI
Library staff have discovered a great way to explore the ongoing transformations at DC Public Library, by bike! The Tour de DCPL was born in 2010, a free community bike ride that visits a selection of our 26 library locations. Every year, to celebrate National Bike Month, a group of library staff, advocates, and community members strap on their helmets and hop on their bikes to help the DC Public Library promote environmentally friendly transportation and explore how our libraries connect with the communities they serve.
This year's Tour de DCPL will take place on Sunday, May 11 at 1 p.m. The group ride will visit five locations starting with the Tenley-Friendship Library and ending at the Southwest Library.
Riders will be able to enjoy refreshments, pick up some great DC Public Library swag and share fun trivia as we explore the architecture of the city's library system and consider where we have been, where we are today, and where we are going. Stay tuned to this page for a detailed route map as well as registration details as we get closer to the event!
Bike History in D.C.
Peek into the past with the Capital Bicycle Club Photograph Collection! This collection contains photographs documenting the Capital Bicycle Club's members and events primarily during the 1880's. The Club was established in 1879 on the steps of the United States Capitol by Herbert S. “Bert” Owen, Max Hansmann, F.D. Owen, L.P. Einolf, F.G. Wood, L.N. Jessunofsy, and Charles Krauskopf.
The Club was the third of its kind in the United States and was incorporated on May 6, 1886 with the motto “Swiftly and Silently”. The initial goal of the Club was to affect public perception of the bicycle by working with local officials on safety measures. As part of Club rules, members were instructed to use bells during the day and lamps at night to avoid collisions with pedestrians. Such measures secured local rights for Club members, and wheelmen in general, while influencing new municipal bicycle policies across the United States. See some highlights from the collection below.
Ride Safely with DC Public Library Partners
New to riding on the road? The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) has created a brief video with a primer on D.C.'s biking laws. You can find more in-depth tips from WABA for planning a safe ride through Capital Bikeshare.