Bookmobiles

Cortez writes “As the plot thickens in the case of recently indicted Ocmulgee Regional Library director David C. Wilson, now they can’t find the bookmobile: Savannah Now
“A middle Georgia library system that was the focus of a recent federal probe received a $100,000 state grant for a bookmobile, but never bought the vehicle. Federal investigators have declined to say whether the bookmobile or history project matters are the focus of any of the as-yet-undetailed theft counts””

Amanda French writes “The North Carolina News and Observer profiles Myrtle Peele, 90, who worked for forty years with a rural North Carolina bookmobile, driving muddy back roads to bring books to isolated tobacco-farming communities. Characters that appear here in her all-too-brief reminiscences include wives who neglected their housekeeping to read, the now-extinct breed of door-to-door book salesmen, sharecroppers who owned only a Bible and a dictionary, and a Hemingway-loving handicapped man who trained a goose to fetch his bookmobile books for him!”

The Curmudgeony Librarian writes “The news for bookmobiles runs hot and cold this week as a new service launches and another may be saved from cuts, while still others face the budget chopping block. There is good news in Rochester Hills Michgain, and Seattle Washington, bad news in Utica, New York and Winchester, Virginia.

In Winchester Virginia, the Handley Regional Library has halted bookmobile service to plug a massive budget gap caused by state funding shortfalls. Citing low circulation, an inability to locate qualified drivers, and the aformentioned budget gap the library’s Board of Directors unanimously recommend dropping the bookmobile from its budget. The library is considering additional ways to save money including other alternatives to the bookmobile and outright sale of the vehicle. Even with these measures, the library is still facing a severe budget gap of over $100,000. “Unless we can get the state to go to full funding, I don’t think this will get better,” said Library Director Trish Ridgeway.”

The Curmudgeony Librarian writes “The news for bookmobiles runs hot and cold this week as a new service launches and another may be saved from cuts, while still others face the budget chopping block. There is good news in Rochester Hills Michgain, and Seattle Washington, bad news in Utica, New York and Winchester, Virginia.

In Winchester Virginia, the Handley Regional Library has halted bookmobile service to plug a massive budget gap caused by state funding shortfalls. Citing low circulation, an inability to locate qualified drivers, and the aformentioned budget gap the library’s Board of Directors unanimously recommend dropping the bookmobile from its budget. The library is considering additional ways to save money including other alternatives to the bookmobile and outright sale of the vehicle. Even with these measures, the library is still facing a severe budget gap of over $100,000. “Unless we can get the state to go to full funding, I don’t think this will get better,” said Library Director Trish Ridgeway.”

The Curmudgeony Librarian writes “The people of Elmore County Alabama have reason to celebrate with the return of bookmobile service to the county. After more than six years, the patrons of the Horseshoe Bend Regional Library again have bookmobile service. The reintroduced service was funded by a $500 check given by county officials. The service is expected to reach rural communities throughout Elmore County.”

LISNews reporter Rochelle informed us back in September about funds being cut for the Seattle PL, including the bookmobile . City residents complained bitterly about this, and a Seattle journalist, Robert L. Jamieson Jr. mentioned it in his column.

Now it looks as if the Mayor is proposing a restoration of funds for the bookmobile…see paragraph nine (Council action…) in this article in the Seattle Post Intelligencer. Although the City Council hasn’t yet voted funding back to the bookmobile program, it is on the agenda for later this week.

The Curmudgeony Librarian writes “After an almost ten year absence, bookmobile service has began again for the small island nation of Guam. Forced to scale back many library services due to budgetary concerns, this revitalized service is a victory for literacy efforts on the island. The newly renovated and repaired bookmobile holds between 3,000 and 3,500 books, and there are hopes to add wireless computer access. Guam is an organized unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the North Pacific Ocean.”

Here’s a column by Robert L. Jamieson Jr. following up on a story reported here at LISNews on September 26 about cuts to the Seattle Public Library budget.

from the SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER

Jamieson urges Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels to “drop by the Life Care Center on Southwest Admiral Way, where sick and elderly residents relish simple pleasures.

The mayor could then look nursing home resident Loretta Stone in the eye and tell her about his plan to kill the bookmobile.

That news stunned Stone so much that she raised her hand in desperation during a church service Sunday. “Say a prayer for the bookmobile,” she cried. “It’s my whole life.”

The 56-year-old woman has cerebral palsy. She uses a wheelchair. She vows to fight for the bookmobile, which gives her and so many others a link to the outside world. “I know the bookmobile costs money,” Stone told me. “But just look at the happiness it gives people … this will break my heart.”

Wisconsin’s Brown County has lots of little schools spread around a vast area, and not alot of public libraries that are easily accessible to students and seniors. But it does have a beat-up Bookmobile, and “Bookmobile Bobâ€? Ripley. Because the Bookmobile’s on-board generator is on the fritz, Ripley plugs his vehicle into nearby power outlets when he makes stops in rural areas or at metropolitan nursing homes.

Last year, county officials proposed junking the Bookmobile as part of budget cuts. Colleen Magley of Wayside said area residents raised $301 from a bratwurst fry for operating costs for the Bookmobile.

“It’s not much, but it helps,� she said. Story from the Green Bay Press Gazette .

Anonymous Patron writes “Slashdot pointed the way to An AP Article on some nifty brightly painted pedal-carts accompanied by a computer instructor who gives classes to young and old, students and teachers alike. The bicycle cart is the center of a project called “Infothela,” or info-cart. It aims to use technology to improve education, health care and access to agricultural information in India’s villages, where most of the country’s 1.06 billion people live.

There’s an older article at The Times Of India and more on the project Here, which includes a diagram of the nifty looking bikes.”

Cecil County Maryland is looking forward to receiving its brand new $160,000 state of the art bookmobile next spring, and the kids and their families can’t wait to climb aboard and borrow books.

But according to this article in the Cecil Whig , it sounds like with only 52,000 miles, the old bookmobile may still have a bit of life in it. Librarian/chauffeur Maxine Gibbs says despite its resemblance to a bread truck, its slightly leaky roof and no radio reception, the van is always greeted enthusiastically, with kids begging for her to blow the horn so they can climb up and check out the Clifford books, comics and anime.