As librarians our most important job is to make sure that our patrons have access to the materials we provide. One way we can do that is to find new, innovative ways of making resources and information accessible. One of my favorite jobs as a library associate is helping people, whether that is finding the perfect book to catch their attention, helping write a book, or researching how to become an audiobook narrator. However, it is important to understand that the individuals inside the branch are not the only people in the community. There are so many more that can gain from the resources offered by libraries.
While many resources and materials are being transitioned over to electronic resources, libraries are also providing new digital resources in the library such as 3D printers, machine readers, and makerspace areas (Hunnicutt, 2021). One thing that is not going out of style or being replaced however, is the bookmobile.
Inspired by reports of mobile libraries in England, Librarian Mary Titcomb launched the first bookmobile in the United States during the turn of the 20th century (Bookmobiles are a form of outreach for libraries. Library outreach exists in many forms: programming, representing the library at community events, serving senior facilities or homebound patrons, and of course operating bookmobiles (Petrov, 2021). Bookmobiles are a way for libraries to bring material to those individuals who would otherwise be unable to access such things. One goal of library outreach is focusing on underserved populations such as poor and homeless people, ethnically diverse people, older adults, non-readers, incarcerated people, people with disabilities, and rural and geographically isolated communities (Petrov, 2021). Bookmobiles offer the opportunity to serve these individuals.
The library that I currently work for is approaching the idea of beginning a pop-up library or bookmobile. This is an opportunity to reach those in our community that may be hindered by age, wage, or illiteracy. If we can go to those who cannot come to us, how much more are we worth?
Some additional sources on this topic are:
Resources for this post:
Beyond the Library Walls: Building Communities with Bookmobiles and Other Outreach Opportunities. (2021). ILA Reporter, 39 (1), 48-54.
Hunnicutt, R. J. (2021). Providing Access with Bookmobiles: A Chapter in the History of Georgia Libraries. Georgia Library Quarterly, 58(3), 1–5.
PBS.org, (2021). http://archive.pov.org/biblioburro/bookmobile/.
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