Recently our children’s library bus was out in town when a grandmother stopped her car at a red light so her granddaughter could see it better. The little girl loved the library so much that she just had to see the bus. They told our driver they were also headed to the library that day. When the bus returned, the grandmother and granddaughter were walking up to the front doors just as it pulled in. Our driver invited them inside for a quick tour, and when they finished, the granddaughter even received a library bus sticker. Moments like this remind us how special library buses can be. They elicit a special place in all our memories from young to old. Here at BCPL our library bus is just a small part of what we do to take the library beyond our walls and into the community.
Our Outreach team at BCPL connects people with library programs and resources by encouraging visits to our branches, delivering services to those who cannot travel to the library, and meeting the community at local events.
Outreach includes three areas:
• Youth Services
• Adult Services
• Mobile BIL (Boone Innovation Lab).
Our Youth Services Outreach team brings storytimes, early learning programs, and library materials into childcare centers, preschools and community spaces. We currently visit about 23 centers, reaching more than 1,600 children. The team also manages the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which provides Boone County children from birth to age five with a free book every month. In addition, the library bus visits around 7 underserved neighborhoods each month, bringing books to borrow and activities to enjoy.
Our Adult Outreach team visits independent living communities, assisted living facilities, adult daycares and individuals in their homes monthly. They currently visit 14 facilities, and on average, 50 individual homes a month. The team offers programs such as crafts, local history presentations, and help accessing digital resources like Libby. Providing these opportunities promotes cognitive function, reduces stress and boosts emotional well-being.
Our Mobile BIL (Boone Innovation Lab) provides access to hands-on building and experiential learning. During visits to community events, summer camps, organizations, schools and residential facilities, we demonstrate maker technology and give participants the opportunity to create their own projects. A variety of equipment is utilized and shown to the community including sublimation machines, XTool, 3D Printer, Silhouette and Cameo machines. Some items are geared for a younger crowd including Ozobots, Coding Mouse and Code-a-pillar. These visits give people of all ages a chance to experience the creative technology available at the library.
Our Outreach team is committed to bringing the joy of the library to wherever you are. We are committed to a lifetime of learning and are thankful for the opportunity to engage with our patrons of all ages. So many times we hear from our patrons how much Outreach services mean to them. They reminisce fondly of times past when they had a different bookmobile in their life. On behalf of Outreach, I would like to personally say thank you to all of the patrons for letting us into your lives and your homes.
