National Library Week is April 23rd through the 29th and is a time to celebrate our nation’s libraries and library workers as well as promote library use and support. The theme for National Library Week 2023 is “There’s More to the Story,” illustrating the fact that in addition to the books in library collections, available in a variety of formats, libraries offer so much more. Many libraries, including yours, now lend items like state park and museum passes, games, digital devices, and tools. Library programming brings communities together for entertainment, education, and connection through book clubs, story times, movie nights, maker groups, and lectures. And library infrastructure advances communities, providing internet and technology access, literacy skills, tech support and support for businesses, job seekers, and entrepreneurs.
On Wednesday, April 26 in the middle of National Library Week we celebrate National Library Outreach Day. Formerly known as National Bookmobile Day this name has been changed to reflect the expansion of library services to adapt and meet the needs of the public we serve.
Here in little Ignacio our library lacks none of these additions and is proud to provide our community with an ever-expanding list of services, programs and equipment to meet the needs and feed the ambitions of our patrons. So it is with great excitement that Ignacio Community Library has acquired a Mobile Library, our newest addition to expand our ability to reach underserved and underrepresented communities. Formerly a 14-seat activity bus, it is being remodeled and reconfigured to meet its new mission and should be on the road by summer. The library staff is currently gathering suggestions and forming plans and partnerships for Mobile Library activities. More than likely Mobile Library duties will include remote story time and makerspace, business services, computer access and will act as a mobile hotspot. Of course, we will have a selection of books and DVDs for checkout and will be providing a delivery service for reserved titles.
ICL is also looking for the public’s help in naming the new mobile library. Bookmobile may seem like an obvious choice but as mentioned previously libraries are much more than books and a name that reflects these characteristics may be more appropriate. So, we are asking for your input and suggestions for names at this time. Some bookmobiles have been named after famous authors, others have catchy phrases such as Mobile Tomes, Obey the Read Limit, Traveling Libraries, Paperback Rider and Novel Approach. Please come in and add to our survey or call us with your suggestions.
If you have not had a chance to visit our library, please make a date and come in to see what we have to offer. Visitors from all over the country remark on how nice the building is and marvel at the wide choice of opportunities awaiting the curious. Schedules of programs can be found in the newsletter which can be accessed online with paper copies available at the library and soon to be available on the Mobile Library at a location near you.