Bookmobile rolls into town

TROY — Troy community members can enjoy more access to the Troy Public Library’s catalog, as well as on-site library card registration and outdoor programming, through the library’s new bookmobile.

Adding the bookmobile to the library’s amenities has been a goal of Olivia Olson, head of the library’s Community Engagement Department, since she began working with the department. Her hope was to obtain a bookmobile to be able to reach all parts of the community and provide access to those who are unable to go to the library due to illness, injury, age or disability, or lack of time or access to transportation.

“We discussed how to make this happen and knew it would take a lot of fundraising,”  library Director Emily Dumas said in an email. “A beloved patron, Salle Kaichen, passed away and generously left a large portion of her estate to the library, and we knew this was the opportunity we’d been waiting for to make the bookmobile a reality and would be a project that Salle would have appreciated. From here it was working out the technical aspects, including working with Farber and the city’s Fleet Department to get the vehicle custom made. Vehicle wait times post-Covid are very long, and it’s been a year and a half of waiting on the vehicle to be built.  It did give Olivia and her team the time to continue fundraising, procure a large collection, and plan the entire route and schedule for when the bus arrived.”

The bookmobile costs $249,867, and currently, the library has raised close to $200,000. Funding for The bookmobile also came from the support of many donors and community partners, including the Salle Owen Kaichen Trust, the Friends of the Troy Public Library, the Rotary Club of Troy, the Troy Women’s Association and the Troy Community Foundation.

This library vehicle will provide new and in-demand books for patrons of all ages. It will make stops at various events and locations in Troy each month.

“I am elated that we are launching the bookmobile,” Dumas said in a press release.  “Years of planning and preparation by Olivia Olson and her team have made this day possible, and they have amazing things planned. … I believe this will be such a positive way to impact our local schools, senior living, places of worship, organizations, events, and neighborhoods.”

The bookmobile’s schedule can be found on the library’s website.

“We want to reach people we haven’t been able to reach before,” Olson said.

Members of the public were able to see the official launch of the vehicle during a ribbon cutting Sept. 12 at Jeanne M Stine Community Park during the Troy Family Daze Touch-A-Truck free event. The bookmobile was previously seen at other Troy events prior to the ribbon cutting ceremony.

“We took it out for the first time at the farmers market, and it went fantastic,” Dumas said.

Library staff said they have seen a lot of excitement for the new library amenity.

Dumas said the response has been positive and has even sparked some nostalgia.

“In a city this physically large and only one main library, I see the bookmobile as acting as a much needed branch and being able to serve all corners of the community,” Dumas said in an email.   “We are excited to be partnering with schools, parks, senior living homes, places of worship, and other community groups.”

For more information, visit troypl.org.