The Bureau of Nooks and Crannies

six experience kits and two audio pieces inspired by the Los Angeles Public Library

The Library, in partnership with the Library Foundation of Los Angeles, has established a residency program, Los Angeles Public Library Creators in Residence, designed to engage creative Angelenos from a multitude of disciplines. The program supports local interdisciplinary creators and inspires new work informed or enhanced by the Los Angeles Public Library’s collections and services, while also highlighting the impact of the library as a creative haven. Creator Andy Crocker has created six experience kits and two audio pieces inspired by the Los Angeles Public Library’s 72 branches and infinite stories. She may have also created the Bureau of Nooks and Crannies. Directory of the Bureau's Library Experiences Where to find Collaborative Stories & Mischievous Meditations You Are a Library Central Library A guided exploration of the departments, resources, and collections within ourselves. You Are History Atwater Village Branch Library A haunting tale about re-remembering who we once were. You Are the Future Vernon Branch Library A cutting-edge research project taking place hundreds of years from today. You Are a Lost Love Baldwin Hills/Chatsworth Branch Libraries A romantic quest to capture words that have been left unsaid. You Are a Giant Lincoln Heights/Pacoima Branch Libraries An important assignment for big-hearted creatures ready to help a small community. You Are Not a Book Any of the 72 Los Angeles Public Library branches A guided exploration of what it means to belong in a library. From the Creator: The summer my kid learned to read, I watched the expression on her face as she wandered out of the picture book section of our neighborhood branch and realized the vastness of the library she could now explore. It was pure wonder. I quickly became consumed with figuring out a path for grown-ups to feel that same way. I longed for us to make brand new memories not just about what we borrow from the library, but how we feel while we’re there. That's when I first came across the Bureau of Nooks and Crannies. It is possible that they had always been there, and I had never noticed. This would make sense as “hiding in plain sight” is listed as one of their core values. The more I learned about the Bureau, the more I felt drawn to them, and their mission aligned so well with mine. I have wondered whether I invented them completely. Still, if they were a figment of my imagination, it didn’t seem to matter, as another tenet of their organization is a fervent reverence for make-believe. The Bureau encouraged me to mix elements of guided meditation, game design, site-responsive art, bibliomancy, and the Dewey Decimal system to create multiple invitations to pretend. Each adventure has a unique genre and perspective. You may become a mythical creature, a heartbroken romantic, a historian from the future… or perhaps just a more playful or contemplative version of yourself. The Bureau and I can’t wait to share what we’ve put together for you. See you in the stacks!... Show More