JACKSON, Wyo. — The Teton County Library is hitting the road. A new outreach van is coming to people’s homes to make library services more accessible.
The delivery service offers free pick up and drop off of library materials for those who have barriers to visiting the library in person.
“We learned during our strategic planning surveys in 2022 that some folks found it difficult to visit the library for a variety of reasons,” said Library Director Kip Roberson in a press release. Those reasons can include health issues, injury, illnesses, family circumstances or other situations that prevent travel or leaving home, a library spokesperson told Buckrail.
That’s when the hunt for a vehicle began. Library staff found a candidate at a local auto dealer. The library board approved the purchase and the library was soon in possession of its new outreach van, according to a press release.
Local graphic designer Drayton Holcomb, who designed the Sprout Mobile van, was commissioned to make the art that would adorn the vehicle. The result is a colorful collage depicting people in all seasons on a path biking and walking, climbing a giant book, reading, floating on a river, skiing and more.
The van has also made appearances at community events around Jackson Hole and plans to make more. The vehicle served as a quiet space full of books, headphones and coloring pages at the recent Touch-a-Truck event. It’s also set to make appearances at the Grazing Rights food truck series, where staff will distribute free books and library info.
The launch of the outreach van is part of a larger effort by the library to reach patrons who have trouble accessing its services. The local START bus this summer started offering free, on-demand rides to the library this summer.
Those wishing to book a home delivery or pickup from the library’s van can email outreach@tclib.com or call outreach librarian, Anna, at 307-249-6014. More details on the van’s schedule will become available as the library receives inquiries about its services and determines interest levels in the community, the library spokesperson told Buckrail.
