Mobile Library Brings Books and Library Cards to Schools, Day Cares, Homeless Shelters & Community Events
Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Public Library’s (BPL) Bookmobiles, newly redesigned with support from National Grid Foundation, are in the midst of a summer-long road trip to spread the joy of reading to bookworms throughout the borough. Over the next few weeks, the Library’s Bookmobiles and Kidsmobile will visit parks, block parties, day care centers and homeless shelters, providing library collections and services where Brooklynites live, work and play.
“For thousands of Brooklynites, the thrill of seeing a Bookmobile in the neighborhood is similar to that of discovering a great new book, or rediscovering a beloved favorite,” said BPL President and CEO Linda E. Johnson. “With our fleet of redesigned Bookmobiles traversing the borough this summer, Brooklyn Public Library is able to offer extensive collections and fun programs outside of our 60 branches.”
Renowned Brooklyn artist and graphic designer Adam J. Kurtz, whose whimsical and eye-catching artwork adorns the redesigned Bookmobiles, recently led a live collaborative drawing session and gave away copies of his book, 1 Page at a Time, at a Bookmobile event at the Brooklyn Flea in Williamsburg.
"I think the Bookmobile arriving should be as exciting as the neighborhood ice cream truck," said illustrator Adam J. Kurtz. "My collaboration for the BPL Bookmobile is bright and fun, with literary-inspired art that I hope stirs the same innate excitement. You know there's gonna be something good inside."
The redesign and rewrapping of the Bookmobiles was made possible by support from National Grid Foundation, which is also the lead supporter of Brooklyn Public Library’s 2015 Summer Reading program. Summer Reading aims to prevent “summer slide” by encouraging students to read while school is out of session. Students who do not read during the summer often suffer declines in their reading skills equivalent to the loss of one month’s classroom instruction, and young people who read over the summer are more likely to succeed in school and become lifelong learners.
“National Grid Foundation is proud to support the Bookmobile program and help promote summer reading in every Brooklyn neighborhood,” said National Grid Foundation Chairman Albert C. Wiltshire. “Reading is a pleasurable and enriching summertime activity for people of all ages, but it is especially important that we encourage children to read throughout the summer to improve their literacy skills and prepare them for success in school.”
The Kidsmobile has been traveling the borough to promote summer reading, including a stop yesterday at the Brooklyn Museum, where participants in BPL’s Brooklyn Cultural Adventurers Program (BCAP) explored the Kidsmobile’s collection and enjoyed arts and crafts activities. BCAP is a summer day camp that introduces children 7 to 12 to the wonders of Brooklyn Public Library and five other member institutions: the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Children's Museum, Prospect Park and Prospect Park Zoo.
The redesigned Bookmobiles continue a decades-long tradition of mobile library service in Brooklyn: BPL’s Bookmobiles have brought books directly to Kings County residents since 1951. The Bookmobiles attend community events by request and visit diverse facilities on a schedule—including schools, day care facilities, homeless shelters, senior centers, health fairs, parks and neighborhood festivals. BPL tailors the Bookmobiles’ collections to each community they serve, offering a wide variety of genres and substantial foreign language offerings. The Bookmobile’s rotating collection includes more than 6,000 volumes.
Photos and video of a Bookmobile being wrapped in Kurtz’s illustrations can be found at http://www.bklynlibrary.org/only-bpl/bookmobile.
About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) is an independent library system for the 2.5 million residents of Brooklyn. It is the fifth largest library system in the United States with 60 neighborhood libraries located throughout the borough. BPL offers free programs and services for all ages and stages of life, including a large selection of books in more than 30 languages, author talks, literacy programs and public computers. BPL’s eResources, such as eBooks and eVideos, catalog information and free homework help, are available to customers of all ages 24 hours a day at our website: www.bklynlibrary.org.
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