[Left to right]: Diane Tannehill (LSLC Board President); Bonnie Young (LSLC Executive Director); Jason Zimmerman (Dart Foundation); Ofelia Munoz-Castro (dart Foundation); Ed Miller (LSLC Special Services Manager) and Meredith Hendrix (Outreach Librarian).
The Library System is pleased to announce that The Dart Foundation has donated $5,000 to help with the cost of a new bookmobile. As we celebrate 75 years of Bookmobile service in Lancaster County, the generous support from community agencies and businesses will help to ensure the continuation and expansion of this vital service. The current bookmobile has been serving residents of Lancaster County for the past 16 years and is now in need of replacement. A new, more-efficient model will be smaller than the old bookmobile, thus having better fuel efficiency and less impact on the environment.
The Dart Foundation supports projects that serve a large number of people and reaches a broad segment of the community. The Foundation is also committed to funding tangible needs that provide long-term impact and enhance an organization’s effectiveness, which aligns with the mission and purpose of bookmobile service in Lancaster County.
Ed Miller, long-time Bookmobile driver and Special Services Manager for the Library System, looks forward to expanded capabilities of the new Bookmobile, “The new design will address key barriers to access that our current customers have and it’s “roll out” capacity will allow for the setup of book carts in lobbies and community gathering spaces.”
Bonnie Young, Library System Executive Director, is also enthusiastic about the support from the Dart Foundation, “We are excited that the bookmobile service will be expanding to every Head Start in Lancaster County. Curriculum-based books and programs will be brought into Head Start classroom to prepare children for kindergarten!”
Bookmobile’s Mission
Our highest priorities are to serve low and moderate-income neighborhoods and organizations that serve this population. The Bookmobile stops at over 50 locations in Lancaster County, which include 22 stops at Head Start Centers, preschools, and daycare centers and Amish Schools; 37 monthly stops for Seniors at assisted living facilities, personal care homes, retirement communities and low-income senior apartment buildings. Bookmobile staff offer storytimes and early literacy programs at the Head Start, preschool and daycare centers during their visits. At the Bookmobile, you can find high quality fiction and nonfiction for all ages, large print materials, audio books and DVDs.
The mission of the Dart Foundation is to advance and encourage youth education, primarily in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. They also support projects that strengthen and improve the quality of life in numerous identified communities. The Dart Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1984 by William A. and Claire T. Dart. Founded in Mason, Michigan, the Dart Foundation continues to be headquartered there. Because of this, the mid-Michigan area has long been a focal point of Dart Foundation philanthropy. In addition, grants are made in Sarasota, FL and the communities which serve as homes to Dart Container Corporation’s production facilities and sales headquarters, such as Lancaster County.
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