WNPL’s Outreach Services department will be expanding to offer more services in the community than ever! Mobile Services staff look forward to serving you in innovative and refreshing ways throughout this transition.
Link to a printable version of the FAQs below here.
WNPL’s Mobile Services Department (formerly Outreach & Bookmobile Services) is expanding to offer more services!
Mobile Services staff members will provide access to library materials and services at preschools, senior centers, area gathering places, and community events throughout our library district to provide a mobile library experience to more members of the community.
The department’s focus will deliver a more expansive experience – including readers advisory, all-ages programming, early literacy visits to preschools, reference help, library material selection, Wi-Fi, etc. to those who face challenges visiting our main library, while increasing your ability to find the library in more places than ever before.
Why are services changing?
Prior to the pandemic, bookmobile statistics began to reflect changes in usage for neighborhood stops, while demand was increasing for specialized outreach services and community engagement opportunities to enhance the library’s ability to reach patrons where they are.
Our local statistics align with trends in bookmobile services provided nationally. Many library districts have reimagined and repurposed their bookmobiles with updated technology and services to meet the changing needs and demographics of their communities, while also considering budget costs, efficiency, and effectiveness. Nearby library districts such as Kenosha and Racine in Wisconsin, and Skokie in Illinois, have already adapted their mobile services models and are successfully engaging with their communities as a result.
Which services will remain, and which services will change?
Current services:
• WNPL will continue to offer mobile library experiences for the community. Although individual experiences may look different, the goal remains the same – to bring the library to as many people as possible.
• Neighborhood bookmobile routes will temporarily halt after Thursday, February 2, to allow staff to evaluate current service, receive input from the community, and develop new services and schedules. Homebound service will continue, but we will make this popular service more efficient and streamlined.
Services offered beginning in February:
• Mobile Services staff will provide monthly storytime visits as well as deposit collections to preschool centers.
• Monthly lobby stop service at senior centers will be offered to give patrons a more traditional browsing experience without the need to leave their facility, ensuring safety and security. Deposit collections will be offered to centers that prefer pre-selected materials.
Future services:
• Scheduled community bookmobile stops.
• Mobile Services fleet schedule included in the library’s online events calendar, enabling more convenient access to find us in the community.
• Pop-up programs for all ages in neighborhood parks and community gathering places.
• Memory care programming and technology assistance provided at senior centers.
• Craft programs at senior centers and in community parks.
• Mobile Wi-Fi and other technology developed for use at mobile stops.
• Additional time planned and built into future scheduled bookmobile stops for easier access to services.
Will we still see the bookmobile staff that we have come to know?
Yes, Mobile Services staff, plus WNPL staff from other departments, will be adjusting schedules to help with community engagement efforts throughout the library district. The friendly faces you have come to know will still be providing wonderful services to you! WNPL staff have been and will continue to be part of the transition process. The bookmobile experiences that you have come to enjoy will be available in more places and in new, unexpected ways.
What will the new schedule look like?
A revised schedule is still being developed, but more information should be available soon. WNPL staff are working closely with community partners, such as city and village management within the library district, as well as park districts and other community service providers to determine the next steps.
I still have questions, who should I contact?
Please reach out to the following library management team members for additional information or questions:
Ryan Livergood, Executive Director, rlivergood@wnpl.info, 847-244-5150, ext. 3008
Rebekah Raleigh, Deputy Director, rraleigh@wnpl.info, 847-244-5150, ext. 3026
Scott Krinninger, Head of Mobile Services, skrinninger@wnpl.info, 847-244-5150, ext. 3025
Mobile Services staff look forward to serving you in innovative and refreshing ways throughout this transition!
Thank you for your patience and input.