MISSOULA — Missoula County is getting a new library — and this one is on wheels.
The Bookmobile is getting ready to hit the road this October. If you have a Missoula Public Library (MPL) card and the bookmobile comes to town, people can check out anything from a paperback to DVDs.
"We have six library branches, but that still doesn't get us to everybody we want to see," shared Programming Librarian Xavier Kneedler-Shorten.
"It's hard during the winter to get here. So, we can go to them, and then also we can get to people that are just geographically isolated," Kneedler-Shorten continued.
The library's goal is to bring books, art supplies, and educational materials to all corners of the county.
Kneedler-Shorten added that the bookmobile was made possible through community contributions.
"Another thing that's really exciting about the bookmobile and I think it is just a testament to Missoula is that it all was funded through philanthropy," he said.
Library staff want to make sure everyone has access to a library; especially in towns that don't have one.
"Books are so important, especially to families that might not be able to have access to educational or, or literary material. So, giving kids that opportunity to read, to learn where they might not be able to that's just so so important," said Kneedler-Shorten.
As for returning books, Kneedler-Shorten told MTN, "You can check out a book while we're there and then you can pretty much hang on to it until we come back. Drop it off either at the bookmobile when we come back or you can drop it off at any of our branches or this main branch in downtown Missoula."
An ultimate goal for the bookmobile is to be able to stock individuals' specific book requests.
"If people are really interested in a particular book, they can request that book. It won't go on the bookmobile. It could come to their local branch wherever they are. But that's one of our dreams is really to figure out how to expand the bookmobile even more to give people exactly what they want."
The library is hosting a ribbon cutting to officially launch the Bookmobile on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. After that, it will make 25 different stops throughout October. The full schedule of stops will be shared here.
