CURWENSVILLE – The Clearfield County Public Library is getting ready to take its act on the road again.
The Clearfield County Public Library covers approximately 46,000 residents who are not served by the Joseph & Elizabeth Shaw Public Library, the Curwensville Branch Library or the DuBois Public Library.
The County Bookmobile has been sidelined for a few years because of several mechanical problems.
When the cost of repairing it became impractical, it was decided that the best option was to purchase a new vehicle that could provide a variety of services.
“The Mobile Outreach Services Vehicle, nicknamed MANDY (Mobile Accessible Network Delivering YOUR information needs), is a specialized mobile library services vehicle that will be economical to operate resulting in more materials, programs and services,” said Rob McGovern, president of the Clearfield County Public Library Board of Directors.
The new vehicle, a 2018 Ford Transit van, will require less maintenance, have lower insurance rates and can be driven by any of the library staff. It is now being custom built into a specialized mobile library services van.
“It pulls together all of the services available in a 21st century library,” said Clearfield County Library Director Paula Collins.
“MANDY” will be able to provide many services including:
- Community Education: Programs offered throughout the region that will encourage learning for all ages.
- Delivery Service: Delivery of library materials between the library facilities (Curwensville, DuBois and Shaw Library) and to various venues upon request.
- Lobby Visits: Scheduled stops at various locations within the county to allow individuals unable to visit a physical library the opportunity to browse for their own materials.
- Pop-up Library: Brings the library to wherever there is a gathering of people.
- Summer Reading: Library materials and programs offered at various locations in the county to encourage recreational reading and life-long learning.
- Technology Visits: Assistance to individuals to learn basic computer skills, use of library electronic resources and understand today’s digital world.
MANDY will “bring the library to the users,” Collins said. “Our focus is to serve the underserved.”
Visits can be arranged at local senior centers, nursing homes, pre-schools, parks or group gatherings. The plan is for MANDY to spend one day each week in each of the county’s geographical areas.
The library is also planning on creating partnerships with other local non-profit groups to present a variety of programs in the area.
“We aim to make sure everyone in Clearfield County has a library card,” Collins said.
In order to raise the needed $120,000 for the new vehicle, the Clearfield County Public Library is launching a Capital Campaign with volunteers working throughout the county.
A campaign kick-off event is scheduled for May 3 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Moena Restaurant in Clearfield.
Donations can be made at various levels starting with the supporter level at $100 up to the Leadership level of $15,000 that will get your name on the side of the van.
Anyone wanting to contribute can send donations to the Clearfield County Public Library, Attn: Capital Campaign, 601 Beech St., Curwensville, PA 16833.
For more info, you can call 814-236-0589, e-mail Collins at director@clearfieldcountylibrary.org or go to the Web site, clearfieldcountylibrary.org.
Collins encourages everyone to donate, no matter the amount.
“It’s the little donations that make a campaign successful,” she said.
