If you visit one of the Clearfield County Public Library Mobile Service Unit’s stops this summer, you will see a new face and smile.
A few months ago, Chase Skrzypek took over the wheel of the MSU, which travels throughout the county, bringing books and library services to rural communities.
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. It has been around for over 80 years.
This new version of the old bookmobile has been on the road for a few years now, but is still finding its footing following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chase, a native of Kersey who now lives in Clearfield, is learning all the back roads of the county and meeting the patrons.
The job is a good fit for Chase, who is both a book lover and writer.
Early in life, he told stories, and as he got older, he started writing them down, he said. His focus while studying at Penn State was on English and creative writing.
“I was told (by a professor) I had the soul of a great writer,” he said with a smile.
Chase, as many writers do, has a few stories in his head with his most recent goal being to complete a musical he is writing with a friend.
Inspiration for his next story may come from the variety of people he meets along his route.
There are days when he sees only a few customers and others when he is very busy.
“We are picking up a lot of new people,” he explained. “We have two to three each week signing up (for library cards) and becoming new regulars.
Some patrons remember the old bookmobile fondly.
One man who recently signed up his daughter for a card talked about how he got books from the old bookmobile when he was young.
On nice days, Chase pulls out the book carts, which he sets up in various spots around the area. How many carts and the weather impact how many he actually takes off the van.
Patrons have missed the option of climbing into the bus to look at the books as they did in the old bookmobile, but now it is possible for people to enter the van as well to browse.
The MSU carries a variety of titles, but he has learned that a specific genre is popular, Amish romance novels, which surprised him.
Fans of these books continually choose this type of story while eagerly awaiting new releases.
Each stop is different, but “it is cool seeing more of Clearfield County,” Chase said.
In Madera more children stop by, while Mahaffey has parents and kids. Other locations attract older people.
“There has not been an age group I have not seen yet.”
He looks at himself as a “booktender”: a variation on being a bartender only with books instead of alcohol.
Often patrons will take up to 30 books at a time and many parents pick up 12 to 15 titles for their children, he said.
If there is a specific title you would like, you can request books be brought to your stop by calling the library at 814-236-0589.
“It makes it easier if they tell me what they want.”
The newest service with the MSU is document printing. There is no charge, but people are encouraged to make a donation so the service can continue.
In addition to spreading reading material around the county, the MSU has a “seed library” complete with instructions on how to grow the plants. Patrons are asked to provide seeds from their plants to the MSU for use next year.
A monthly list of the MSU’s stops in 12 different communities is available on the CCPL’s Facebook page and Web site, clearfieldcountylibrary.org as well as being published in local media including the Ad Bargain. You can also sign up for their monthly email newsletter.
During the pandemic, services at local nursing homes and elderly housing were stopped completely.
Although he is visiting Colonial Courtyard and Graystone Court in Clearfield again, Chase is hoping to add more senior care facilities to the schedule and possibly provide technology programs for these older patrons.
Plans are also being made for special children’s programs.
Overall, the best part of Chase’s job may be simply that “people are happy to see me.”