Wayne County readers won’t have to go to their local library branch to borrow books this summer.
The Wayne County Public Library Outreach Team of Sherry Granberry and Delores Gray will visit sites throughout the county three days a week for six weeks, from June 17 through July 22.
The schedule for the summer is:
Tuesdays: * Cliffs of the Neuse State Park, 240 Park Entrance Road, Seven Springs, NC 28578 (in conjunction with Children’s Department story times); * Mae’s Restaurant, 300 Main St., Seven Springs, NC 28578; * Garris Chapel Church, 823 Piney Grove Church Road, La Grange, NC 28551
Wednesdays: * WAGES Stephen and Susan Parr Family Learning Center, 243 Sleepy Creek Road, Dudley, NC 28333; * Dudley Volunteer Fire Department, 4533 S U.S. 117 Alt Hwy, Dudley, NC 28333; * Southern Mobile Village, corner of Southern Drive and Mobile Circle Road, Dudley NC 28333; * WoodmenLife Building at the corner of Highway 13 South and Grantham School Road
Thursdays: * Mount Nelson Baptist Church, 206 W Main St., Eureka, NC 27830; * Alpha Arms Apartments, 201 N Alpha Court, Goldsboro, NC 27530; * Rebuilding Broken Places, 2105 N William St., Goldsboro, NC 27530.
Locations were chosen based on information from the Wayne County Planning Department who provided maps and data. “We were looking for areas with concentrations of children and of course, areas without library access such as the Seven Springs, Dudley and Grantham areas, and sites beyond the library’s three mile service area,” said Granberry.
“We appreciate the willingness of everyone we contacted to host the mobile library,” said Gray. “We are excited to able to set up in locations that will be convenient to people in communities all over Wayne County.”
The outreach program will serve readers from young children to senior citizens.
“While we always strive to cultivate and support a love of reading and literacy,” said Donna Phillips, director of Wayne County Public Library, “one of the major goals this summer is to keep students engaged to prevent learning loss.”
Thanks to the Wayne County Public Library Foundation, the mobile’s bookshelves are filled with board books for infants and toddlers, children’s picture books in English and Spanish, juvenile fiction and nonfiction, young adult books, large print books, and adult fiction and nonfiction.
In addition to checking out three books per visit, patrons will be able to get a new library card or update their current library card. Storytime for the children will be offered at most locations.
The mobile library is air-conditioned and equipped with a ramp for patrons in wheelchairs or who have other mobility issues.
“We look forward to carrying on the bookmobile tradition. We’ve heard many stories from citizens who have visited the mobile library at events held in the spring who have shared their memories of visiting the bookmobile when it came to their community,” said Granberry. “One avid reader related that the date of the bookmobile’s visit was circled on the calendar in her grandmother’s kitchen.”
The library staff welcomes suggestions for future locations and programming for the fall when mobile library services will expand. Contact Sherry Granberry at 919-734-1824 extension 5243 or email [email protected].
