Out and About on the Bookmobile

Out and About on the Bookmobile

Last Monday (July 1), Mason, our PR guy, rode along on the Bookmobile with Rebecca, the Bookmobile Librarian. They covered the day on our Instagram and Facebook stories, but we wanted to provide a little more detail here on our blog.

Out and About on the Bookmobile

The first step of the day is to load up the bookmobile with the necessary books that Homestop patrons requested. While the Bookmobile maintains a prolific collection for Community Stops, patrons who aren’t able to get onto the Bookmobile can request specific books, genres, or authors to be delivered to them where they live. Each week, Rebecca borrows items from the Main Library to deliver to patrons at their home or in the nursing home/long-term care facility.

The Bookmobile is just like any vehicle: sometimes, it needs gas. Well, in this case, diesel. Immediately after departing the Library, the Bookmobile went to Kroger to fuel up for the day. We also got some fuel of our own by visiting the Starbucks at Kroger. (#notsponsored)

The first stop of the day is Child Town Day Care. Teachers bring their classes onto the Bookmobile to pick out books they want to read individually and as a class. (Because of privacy concerns, we couldn’t get a picture with the students.)

En route to Childtown Daycare

At Childtown Daycare

The next stop is a Community Stop, which means that anyone in the community can hop on the bookmobile, browse, and even return items from the Main Library. They all end up back at the same place. Monday’s Community Stop was Finchville Baptist Church from 10:15-10:45.

En route to Finchville

At Finchville Baptist Church for Community Stop

After visiting in Finchville, the Bookmobile delivers items to Carriss’ Grocery in Southville. Though Carriss’ was closed, we dropped off some items in the Little Free Library on the front porch. Those items are free to take, but in keeping with the spirit of the Little Free Library project, we encourage you to replace a book for every one you take.

En route to Carriss' Grocery for Community Stop

Restocking the Little Free Library at Carriss' Grocery

Next up was our first Home Stop of the day on Cat Ridge Road. We were hoping we didn’t meet a FedEx or UPS truck on the way out there—it would not have gone well because the road was so narrow.

En route to a home stop

After visiting a patron at home, we began visiting nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Shelby County. The first stop was Home Town Manor Assisted Living in Shelbyville. Again, due to privacy concerns, we didn’t take any photos inside the facility.

En route to Hometown Manor Assisted Living

At Hometown Manor Assisted Living

After Home Town Manor, it was 12:00, so we ate lunch. After eating, Rebecca was hard at work shelving books returned to the Bookmobile so that they’d be available for other patrons to find.

Shelving books on lunch

Next up was Crestview Center. There, we ran into our Patron of the Day, Modenia. We visited 4 patrons at Crestview and even had a request to start services for another patron. (Remind your grandparents, kids, the Bookmobile is free!)

At Crestview Center

Rebecca with Modenia, patron of the day

We finished our day by returning to the Library to unload the Bookmobile and cool down in the air conditioning. It is July, after all.

Thank you to everyone who “rode along” with us on our Instagram and Facebook stories, and here on our blog!

If you would like more information about Bookmobile Services, visit the Bookmobile page of our website or call the Library at (502) 633-3803 and ask for Rebecca. If she’s out visiting patrons, leave a message, and she’ll call you back once she gets back to the Library!

Mason WarrenMason Warren is the Public Relations Coordinator at the Shelby County Public Library. He has worked at the Library since 2016. He is a graduate of Martha Layne Collins High School (2018) and is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Communication at the University of Louisville. Mason serves on the Board of Directors at the Shelby County Community Theatre and was a founding member of the charity Break Through For a Buddy. In his spare time, Mason enjoys photography and spending time with his two dogs, Baxter and Molly.

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