PASO ROBLES — The Paso Robles City Library made history this week when the Library’s first bookmobile vehicle was officially accepted into the City’s fleet at the latest Paso Robles City Council meeting.

The Paso Robles Library Foundation, with assistance from the Friends of the Paso Robles Library, purchased the Ford Transit 350 Van last month and gifted the vehicle to the City of Paso Robles with the understanding that the vehicle be used as the Library’s first bookmobile. City Council members voted at the Nov. 19 meeting to accept the gift and include the vehicle in the City’s fleet.

The Paso Robles Library Foundation and the Friends of the Paso Robles Library are nonprofit organizations that fundraiseto support the Paso Robles City Library. The van, valued at $74,735, was purchased and gifted by the two entities at no initial cost to the City. The Foundation and Friends will also pay to retrofit the van with an accessible lift, shelving, exterior wrap and mobile book collection. By accepting the gift, the City of Paso Robles agreed to cover the cost of future maintenance, insurance and fuel, a cost which has already been included in the City’s approved budget for fiscal year 2024-25.

advertisement

“The City Library’s new bookmobile will allow us to expand our community outreach efforts and usher in a new era of public service across Paso Robles,” said Outreach Services Librarian Taylor Worsham. “We’re excited to continue collaborating with local organizations, form new partnerships, and provide mobile services. We will now be able to bring the library’s resources outside of its physical walls, including public bookmobile stops, visits to schools and other groups, and free programming for all ages.”

Before the bookmobile makes its service debut, the needed retrofits must be completed. Patrons interested in supporting the retrofits and the launch of the bookmobile can find more information on the Foundation’s website at prlibraryfoundation.com.

“We are so excited to help launch mobile library service in Paso Robles,” said Paso Robles Library Foundation President Alicia DiGrazia. “Please consider supporting this cause and help us meet our goal of launching service in time for next year’s Summer Reading Program.”