We hear so many kind things from our community when we’re out with the Bookmobile, and it’s one of the many reasons I love my job in Outreach Services! You may have seen one of our vehicles out and about around Bolingbrook and wondered what in the world we are doing. In Outreach, we bring the library into the community for those who can’t come to the library building.
National Outreach Day
April 9, 2–4 p.m.
National Outreach Day is a day to celebrate the services and programs that Outreach staff provide for their communities. Celebrated annually during National Library Week, National Library Outreach Day is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association, the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services and the Association for Rural & Small Libraries. It’s a time to highlight outreach services and for library advocates to make their support known—through writing a letter or email to their libraries or voicing their library support to community leaders.
We will be set up in front of the library from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9. Come visit us to check out the Bookmobile and the Library Express Van and get to know Fountaindale’s friendly Outreach staff. We will have trivia, prizes, crafts, and more!
Meet our Bookmobile:
Our Bookmobile is very busy. In any given week, we might visit as many as ten different locations around Bolingbrook in the Bookmobile. We go to all the Bolingbrook elementary schools, several apartment complexes and other community locations throughout Bolingbrook. We have daytime, evening and weekend stops so we can reach as many people as possible.
During the warmer months, you can find us at different parks, community festivals and local events. We love attending these events as it’s a great way to get people interested in the library and get books and other materials into people’s hands.
The Bookmobile is not just for kids! We have materials for all ages, including bestsellers, magazines, audiobooks, music, DVDs and video games. You can also pick up your holds on the Bookmobile by selecting Outreach for the pickup location when you place your hold. If you don’t have a library card yet, you can apply for one on the Bookmobile.
Meet our Library Express Van:
The Library Express Van also has a busy schedule! We use the van to pick up materials from our off site book drops, deliver materials to the holds pickup locker at the BRAC, and deliver and pick up materials for teachers and home deliveries.
We also use the van to go to senior living facilities, Bolingbrook middle schools and local preschools. We set up pop-up libraries in the lobbies, with carts of books, movies, games and more.