Mobile Services and Access
Mobile Library – 2019
The Foundation’s initial priority was to purchase and outfit a fuel-efficient mobile library to offer a full range of library services to the underserved areas and people of Ventura County. This includes the unincorporated areas where many people have little or no library service, as well as the areas of larger cities where lack of transportation, age or disability may bar residents from having access to library buildings.
The Foundation successfully raised funds in support of a mobile library, and presented the Ventura County Library System a check in the amount of $100,000 at the Ventura County Board of Supervisors meeting on August 7, 2018. A grant awarded by the California State Library matched those funds.
“This would not have been possible without receiving a federal grant,” said Sandy Berg, chair of the Foundation. “To receive this grant the library system had to have $100,000 to match immediately, so because we had the funds readily available, we were able to receive this grant.”
The Foundation raised the $100,000 through the Ventura County community.
“Our largest donation was $50,000 from Premier America Credit Union and was specifically designated for the mobile library,” Berg said. In addition, “the Oxnard Harbor District has given us $5,000 a year for five years to sustain the mobile library to remain current in its materials and technology.”
The mobile library will offer most of the same services that patrons find in their community libraries, including popular materials in multiple formats, story times, class visits, computer access, Wi-Fi, printing and participation in community events. It will serve communities with collections that include materials for children, teens, adults and seniors in English and Spanish. Our patrons will be able to use the mobile library just as they would any public library.
The Foundation realizes how important it is to provide an extension of the library to the citizens of Ventura County, especially those who are not able to visit the library often. It will be ADA compliant. The mobile library also is a great opportunity to introduce the love of reading to children and to discover the benefits of lifelong learning.
A mobile library will play an important outreach role, connecting new users and raising awareness of library services throughout the county. The mobile library launched May 2019.
To see a current list of stops and special events, click on https://www.vencolibrary.org/locations/mobile-library
If you wish to make a donation to keep the Mobile Library on the road.
Due to overwhelming demand for requests for Mobile Library visits, especially from schools across Ventura County, there is great need to establish another Mobile Library dedicated just to schools. The School Mobile Library will help fulfill this need and will be especially important for schools that do not have credentialed librarians on staff.
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