(Pittsburgh, PA) – Wednesday, April 15 is National Bookmobile Day, a celebration of the more than 930 bookmobiles and dedicated bookmobile staff that provide vital library services to their communities. The occasion is an opportunity for Americans to express their support for these important mobile institutions. For over 100 years, bookmobiles have delivered information, technology, and resources for life-long learning to Americans of all walks of life.
Here in Allegheny County we have reason to celebrate. The Allegheny County Library Association’s Mobile Library Services program is on the road each day to bring library resources to preschoolers, older adults, and others who can’t make it to a community library. The same type of services that community libraries provide are also available in a personalized environment at a host of remote locations. Bookmobile service in Allegheny County has been in operation for more than 50 years.
“Libraries are the heart of every community. Bookmobiles bring these valuable resources to patrons who may otherwise not have access to them” says Chuck Arrigo, Operations Manager, Allegheny County Library Association Mobile Library Services. “Our bookmobiles serve people of all ages and all backgrounds, just like community libraries do, providing reader’s advisory services, computer access, and story times for preschoolers.”
Currently the ACLA Mobile Library Services provides three kinds of service: preschool/Head Start service: free service to low-income preschool and daycare facilities with special emphasis on Head Start programs throughout Allegheny County; senior service: free service to senior centers, senior high-rises, independent living and assisted living facilities throughout Allegheny County; and general community service: contracted for by local community government, local public libraries and school districts.
Preschool and senior service is funded primarily through support from the Allegheny Regional Asset District.
Funding for community bookmobile services through ACLA Mobile Library Services is provided by Northland Public Library, Northern Tier Public Library, Ben Avon Borough Bookmobile Friends Group, and the South Allegheny School District. The schedule by location for community bookmobile services is as follows: Ben Avon: Anchor and Anvil Coffee Bar on Church Avenue, every other Saturday (beginning with April 4) 11:00 AM – Noon; Marshall Township: Marshall Middle School, Marshall Campus off Wexford Run, Fridays 3:30 – 4:30 PM; Pine Township: Pine Tree Shoppes, Route 19 at Wallace Rd, Fridays 12:30 – 2:45 PM; South Allegheny School District: SA Elementary School, Washington Blvd, Saturdays 2:00 – 3:00 PM.
Help us celebrate National Bookmobile Day, an event sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA), the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS), the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL).
For more information, visit aclabookmobile.org or call 412-321-1853.
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About the Allegheny County Library Association The Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA) is a system of 45 independent public libraries with more than 70 locations that work together, share resources and cooperate to better serve county residents. These libraries are community connectors providing opportunities for personal and professional development through access to content and experiences for all ages. ACLA libraries support education and exploration while developing early literacy skills, school readiness and lifelong learning. aclalibraries.org