LETTER: A LIBRARY ON WHEELS
Mobile Library, Grandview Heigjhts, OH. Photo: flckr.com
I live a few minutes’ walk from the Jones Library in Amherst, one of the finest town libraries I have ever seen. The library has announced expansion plans designed to improve patron access, especially for people with disabilities and mobility challenges. To be sure, the Jones Library must be made more accessible for all patrons. At the same time, I think library expansion plans are too large, too costly, and most significantly, overlook another, as yet unexplored, way to improve library access.
The library can be made more accessible across the community at modest cost and with potentially major impact by creating one or more bookmobiles. I propose more than just a truck that carries books, but an up-to-date, full-service extension of the library, essentially a mobile community center.
In this concept, a full-size van, small truck, or even a converted school bus would carry the library’s services to communities that, for economic and other reasons, currently have the least access to the library. The mobile library would provide books and other media, of course, but it could do much more.
Circulating through lower-income neighborhoods, senior communities, and housing complexes, the mobile library would provide internet access through computer terminals carried on board, reading circles for children, and a broad selection of books in Spanish and other languages. It could carry a supply of tax, immigration, and other official forms and someone to help fill them out.
The mobile library could be equipped with an extendable awning and some lightweight folding chairs and tables to become a pop-up community center for children’s story hours (in favorable weather), presentations about library resources, literacy workshops, or just sitting for a while with a good book. Why not carry a coffee maker and offer snacks?
I note that then-Jones Library Board of Trustees candidate Terry Johnson made a similar proposal in 2017.
In community listening circles, organizers of the Common Share Food Co-op startup have learned that there are many people in Amherst and beyond who do not have ready access to a car. They rely instead on buses and other forms of transportation. And even if a member of the community has a car, no amount of renovation to the Jones Library is going to make downtown parking and access to the library a snap. A mobile library could address these and other challenges.
It’s great to be able to meet people at the library. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the library could meet people where they live as well?
Alex Kent is a self-employed Japanese translator who has lived in Amherst since 2001
Dear Alex,
I sincerely wish that the Trustees would develop a new framework for looking at the Jones Library system including a mobile library. However, they are intent upon receiving up to $22 million of town funds towards the proposed $35.8 demolition/expansion project, not including interest.
A mobile library would have all the advantages you’ve mentioned. I’ll admit that it would include a purchase of a vehicle, maintenance, gas, materials, computers, insurance, etc. and would be probably need two staff members to oversee visits to patrons. However, this would be much less expensive in the long run than demolishing the entire 1993 addition (40% of the current Jones) and significantly gutting the historic 1928 structure and enlarging the downtown library.
NOTE: After your Letter to the Editor about bookmobiles in the Gazette last summer, the Trustees listed “Bookmobile” on their September 25, 2020, Personnel, Planning and Policy subcommittee meeting. Unfortunately, I could not attend. The minutes for that meeting are still not posted on the Library’s website after five months AND no report about that discussion was shared in minutes of a subsequent full Trustee meeting. I think we can safely say that a mobile library provided by the Jones is not of concern to the Trustees.
Dear Terry,
Thank you for your comment. Given the costs and the sheer amount of demolition involved, one might call the library’s building plans “Edifice Wrecks.”
As to the meeting minutes that remain unposted since (I assume) September 2019, that lack of public transparency is simply unacceptable. I wonder how much attention the committee actually gave to the idea of a bookmobile.
Perhaps we should start a petition campaign to get the Jones Trustees to give serious consideration to a mobile library plan.
High marks for ‘Edifice Wrecks’! Good for a several minutes’ chortle. Thanks for pointing out many of the drawbacks to the Library Trustees’ proposal to demolish 40% of the Jones, build out nearly to the CVS parking lot, and pay, pay, pay. Isn’t Amherst creative enough to do better?
I used to say that Ms Sharry and the Board had an Edifice Complex! It satisfied certain ego needs.