The Bradford County Library Bookmobile makes a total of 58 stops all throughout the county. From Wyalusing to Millerton, from Canton to Warren Center the bookmobile travels to all four corners of the county and numerous spots in between. The demand for library services in rural settings has increased dramatically since the founding of the Bookmobile in 1941.
Some stops offer a full range of library services. Users can board the Bookmobile, peruse the shelves, make selections, and place requests for specific materials. During these stops, a librarian is available for assistance and check out. Most stops have a two month rotation. Another option is deposit stations where shelves of books are displayed for check out using the honor system. Users sign out the book by leaving a card with their name on it; once returned they scratch out their name and replace the card. When explaining why the bookmobile operates in other library’s service areas the Bookmobile Librarian, Rosemary Wynott traces the issue back to lack of funding, “Library funding is under such stress in many cases we pick up the outreach services that other libraries are unable to provide.” The Bookmobile, in addition to the Bradford County System of Libraries courier van, helps the local libraries share valuable resources.
As the Bookmobile looks forward to celebrating its 75th anniversary of service next year, library staff predicts an increased range of services necessary for community growth. Wynott foresees, “in the future we can see the Bookmobile becoming more of a mobile technology resource center which is very important because many of the small rural communities lack access to other freely available technology such as internet. Without library services these communities risk falling behind in our ever increasing technology world. For many families it is a hardship to travel great distances for these services.” Think of the Bookmobile as a mobile community classroom; featuring prominently in the role of education and training, especially for the growing number of homeschooling families. Perhaps the most telling sentiment is the response when asked, “At what cost(s) would you be able to replace the resources of the bookmobile?” The answer given by Janette Smith, a bookmobile user of 15years, speaks volumes about the importance of Bookmobile outreach, “priceless.”
The libraries of the Bradford County are participating in a public awareness campaign called “Geek the Library.” Geek the Library uses ‘geek’ as a verb. The things you geek are the things you are passionate about. Everyone geeks something, and whatever you geek, the public library supports you. The campaign is designed to help people in our communities be more aware of the vital role of public libraries and bring attention to the critical funding issues many libraries face. The public library’s role in building strong communities and providing valuable community resources is more important than ever. Unfortunately as usage increases, many libraries simply don’t have sufficient funding to support the new demand. Most public library funding comes from local dollars. If you are interested in learning more, please visit geekthelibrary.org or stop in to one of the nine libraries in Bradford Co.