Bike to the library for Bike to Work Week

If you got ‘em, ride ‘em.

May 11-15 is Bike to Work Week, and municipal forces are conspiring to get Los Angeles’ riders out and on the streets. Even libraries.

The Central Library in downtown Los Angeles is holding a free class on the ABC’s of bicycle maintenance on Thursday, starting at 5:45 p.m. It’s a convenient time for those who bike to work downtown -- and if you’re biking, you’ll find yourself, at rush hour, zipping right past all those people trapped in their cars.

The class is being led by Bici Libre in Pico Union, which will have some tools and lots of expertise. All you need to bring is a bike and your curiosity.

Bikers who want to learn more can check out the library’s collections: books on the shelves include “Bicycle! A Repair and Maintenance Manifesto” by Sam Tracy, “The Girls’ Bicycle Handbook” by Caz Nicklin and “The Bicycling Big Book of Cycling for Beginners” by Tori Bortman.

A few visually engaging books for bike lovers include “Bicycle Design: An Illustrated History” by Tony Hadland, “The Bike Deconstructed: A Grand Tour of the Modern Bicycle” by Richard Hallett.

For something even artier, try “Bicycle” by Paul Fattaruso, a mix of poetry and prose, with original drawings by Adam Thompson. “Bicycle Diaries” by David Byrne is the Talking Heads singer’s memoir of biking the places his band visits on tour.

And, for kids, there are new picture books like “My Bike” by Byron Barrton alongside H.A. Ray’s classic, “Curious George Rides a Bike.”

After leaving the library, if you’re not too loaded down with bike books, head to the route for the downtown LA Art Walk to see a bicycle art performance.

Book news and more; I’m @paperhaus on Twitter