Bolingbrook, are you ready to celebrate all things Bookmobile with our Outreach Services team? Join us on Wednesday, April 7 from 2 to 4 p.m. in front of the library for a chance to tour our Bookmobile or Library Express Van, participate in trivia, win cool prizes, do crafts, have your picture taken in front of our vehicles, meet our Outreach Services team and much more!
This year marks the first-ever National Library Outreach Day, formerly known as National Bookmobile Day. We will be celebrating the invaluable role library professionals play to bring library services to those in need. The American Library Association (ALA), the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS) and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) rebranded National Bookmobile Day in recognition of all that outreach library professionals do within their communities.
Did you know that the first Bookmobile in 1905 was a horse-drawn wagon that visited farms and schools? Bookmobiles can be a truck, van, trailer, bike or even a boat serving as a mobile library. In some countries, mobile libraries still take unique forms such as camels, donkeys and elephants that bring books, information and technology equipment to rural villages.
But let’s go back to our village of Bolingbrook and talk about our mobile libraries—the Bookmobile and Library Express Van. Both vehicles are part of our Outreach Services efforts designed to reach district residents who do not have convenient access to or cannot get to our library. We expand the reach of our traditional resources and services by transporting books and other materials to potential readers, providing programs and scheduled stops around the community that are open to the public and visiting local preschools, schools and senior facilities. Our Outreach staff and Bookmobile even participate in many community events throughout the year.
Five Ways to Celebrate National Library Outreach Day
1. There is always something fun to do on the Bookmobile for your entire family! Check out books and movies, take a craft to do at home, enjoy fun prizes and much more! Visit our events calendar for a schedule of our Bookmobile stops.
2. Watch our National Bookmobile video from 2020.
3. Watch a puppet show created by our talented puppeteers, Miss Laura, Miss Melissa and Mrs. C, such as Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock.
4. Check out a book from our library about bookmobiles, such as Ready to Fly: How Sylvia Townsend Became the Bookmobile Ballerina by Lea Lyon or The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger.
5. Make an origami Bookmobile. Color it and bring it to one of our Bookmobile stops to receive a special prize!
Download & Print Origami Bookmobile Template
And, be sure to mark your calendars—we can’t wait to see you on National Library Outreach Day, Wednesday, April 7 from 2 to 4 p.m. Come see what the Bookmobile has to offer for all ages!