Libraries
Libraries use the Charlie Cart for hands-on cooking classes and demonstrations that blend food, literacy, culture, film, and more. The Charlie Cart helps libraries become dynamic spaces for community engagement.
Why Cook at the Library?
The Charlie Cart Mobile Food Education Program is not your typical library experience. We are committed to helping your library system provide fun, accessible and educational public programming, where library patrons can explore new flavors and leave with new skills. Our goal is to help you turn the library into a dynamic space for culinary discovery and education.
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HOW LIBRARIES USE CHARLIE CART
Cooking classesCooking Classes
Patrons unleash their inner chef with hands-on cooking classes hosted right in the library. Led by local chefs or by passionate library staff, these classes cater to various skill levels and interests using the Charlie Cart Mobile Cart as the platform to launch food programming. Participants learn practical cooking techniques, recipe tips, and the art of creating delicious, nutritious meals.
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HOW LIBRARIES USE CHARLIE CART
Community Cookbook ProjectsKick-off a mobile cooking project by tying in a Charlie Cart curriculum recipe where library visitors can then share some of their favorite recipes. These collaborative efforts result in unique learning opportunities that reflect the diversity of culinary traditions within the community.
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HOW LIBRARIES USE CHARLIE CART
Food Literature EventsCommunity members come to the library and engage with culinary events that bridge the gap between food and literature. Book readings, discussions, and author talks, food sampling all centered around food-related themes provide a literary backdrop to the culinary experience.
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HOW LIBRARIES USE CHARLIE CART
Youth, Teen, and Family ProgrammingLibraries around the country are using the Charlie Cart to engage young people and their families while providing a safe, accessible, and educational space for kids to be when they are not in school. Sometimes paired with film, music, or other cultural connections, these programs help kids learn new skills, have fun with their friends, and connect with their culture.
Our libraries serve the communities with food education.
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The library has the power, tools and expertise to connect people to great ideas, inspire to change people’s lives and make them better on many different levels and that is what Charlie Cart is doing.”
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I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of a couple of programs that talk about sustainability and libraries. And that isn’t only recycling paper or whatever, but also helping to create a healthy community. And so I think that’s where we feel that Charlie Cart has that role. The Library has that role.”
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Our first lesson was a celebration of Chinese New Year. One of our branch librarians demonstrated her own family recipe, and then we all helped children and families make their own dumplings. We had a table full of children’s books about Chinese New Year and dumplings, so kids could read about what they learned at home.”
Get Started
Whether you’re a food enthusiast, an aspiring chef, or someone who simply appreciates the intersection of food and culture, there are numerous ways to get your patrons involved with food education programming. From attending your food events, participating in cooking classes, or contributing to community cookbook projects, the Charlie Cart Project is your fully-equipped mobile platform to engage your community. Together, let’s transform the library into a culinary haven for exploration and learning. Click the links below to get started or learn more.
