Library to debut new bookmobile

A new bookmobile will be taking to Findlay and Hancock County roads this year, compliments of the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library. Director Sarah Clevidence said the new vehicle replaces an older, 2004 model. "The bookmobile is really a mini-library on wheels, so the inside of the bookmobile will hold small collections of the variety of items you'd find in the main library, including books, movies and music for all ages," she said. The 32-foot-long bookmobile is being constructed by Farber Specialty Vehicles in Columbus. Clevidence said the library worked with Michael Swendrowski of Specialty Vehicle Services as a consultant on the project. He helped with every step of the process, from determining the library's needs to writing the proposal request. He also joined the staff for the bookmobile's February inspection at the Farber plant. Clevidence said the bookmobile makes weekly visits to all of the villages in Hancock County, along with a stop at Senior Towers. "Our bookmobile service, we think it's really important because that's how we can say that we're serving our full county. But I also think it's underutilized," she said. "So that's really going to be a big goal to build up that service and take a good look at it and make sure that we're doing what we need to do to serve those outlying communities in our area." She said there will be many opportunities to take the new bookmobile places beyond its regular route. "We've done the Halloween parade for years and Touch A Truck, but we really haven't taken it other places. And I think there's some opportunity to get it out to other places without disrupting the regular service," she said. In addition to the items stocked on the bookmobile, patrons will be able to place holds on other items owned by the library or other libraries in the consortium, and have those holds delivered to their bookmobile stop. Clevidence said the Friends of the Library donated $1,000 toward an opening-day collection of new items that will be placed on the vehicle during its first week on the road. The cost of the new vehicle is $267,200. Clevidence said Swendrowski will help the library with the sale of the old bookmobile. The library hopes to add new storywalks in both Findlay and Hancock County this year. Clevidence said she'd like to be able to add more permanent structures like the one that is already located at Riverside Park. The library offered a pop-up storywalk downtown over the holidays. "So we're also hoping to expand that idea. So we want to be downtown again for ArtWalk, and also to try and do pop-up storytimes in some of the smaller communities and even other locations in Findlay over SummerRead," she said. The library also plans to continue offering curbside service, which debuted during the pandemic and has proven popular. From May 2020 through the end of the year, 4,912 library patrons utilized the service, Clevidence said. "Obviously it was used heavily the first month, when that was the only way you could use the library," she said. But even in December, once the library doors had reopened, 353 people used the service. "We want to make sure those people stay a part of our library services going forward, even out of the pandemic," Clevidence said. The staff began offering many of its programs virtually over the past year, including storytimes, book talks and craft programs. "The staff has been so creative at figuring out how to bring virtual programming to the public," said Clevidence. "We'll have to decide what virtual programming they might want to keep coming out of the pandemic, and how we can find that balance between the two, and how that transition happens." The library recently completed its latest strategic plan process. Based on those results, library staff will focus on the areas of diversity, literacy, accessibility and community over the next three years. "We don't want to go too far into the future and not be able to change with the times," Clevidence said. During the pandemic, for instance, the library had to shift gears on some of its goals. "We hit pause on so many things that we did. This was a really great time to stop and think about our most important priorities as we build back," she said.