INDIANAPOLIS — After more than 10 years, The Indianapolis Public Library is making its services available to the general public with regular site visits by the Bookmobile, IndyPL’s full-service library on wheels, at numerous locations throughout Marion County.
Following a period during which the Bookmobile’s community visits were curtailed due to budgetary and other service priorities, the resumption of services allows the Library to engage new users and improve its presence in neighborhoods with little or no nearby Library service. The new public stops will complement the Bookmobile’s nearly 4,000 annual visits to young children at local day care and faith-based centers.
On the city’s north side, new weekly Bookmobile stops will include the Ft. Benjamin Harrison YMCA, 5736 Lee Road; Farrell-Bell Apartments (a senior living center), 3935 N. Franklin Road; Finish Line Boys & Girls Club, 3870 N. Post Road; Crooked Creek Tower (senior living), 7988 N. Michigan Road; Finish Line Boys & Girls Club, 3870 N. Post Road; and the Fay Biccard Glick Neighborhood Center, 2990 W. 71st Street. The Bookmobile also will provide non-public services to the John Craine House, 6130 N. Michigan Road, a center for incarcerated women on work release and have children.
On the city’s south side, the Bookmobile will visit Community Caring and Sharing Church, 2830 S. Holt Road; Kroger locations at 1330 W. Southport Road and 3361 Kentucky Avenue; Abbey Apartments (senior living), 4012 S. Mann Road; and the LeGore Boys and Girls Club, 5228 W. Minnesota Street.
Additional Bookmobile visits throughout Marion County are being planned for the near future.
The designated Bookmobile to visit these new public sites is one of two new colorful, custom-made Bookmobiles that began service this past April in replacement of two 15-year-old vehicles that had logged more than 180,000 miles and 4,000 community stops per year. Patrons can use their Library cards to check out books and other materials, as well as utilize the Bookmobile as a WiFi hotspot and power charging station. It features full accessibility for mobility-impaired patrons and inside benches to accommodate small audiences. New patrons can visit the Bookmobile to apply for and receive a Library card on the spot.
For more information on the Library’s Outreach Services, call 275-4075 or visit indypl.org.
