[OPLINLIST] FW: libraries with vans

Fri Aug 17 14:56:47 EDT 2012

-----Original Message-----
From: Hershey, Jon 
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 2:53 PM
To: 'oplinlist at oplin.org'
Subject: RE: [OPLINLIST] libraries with vans

Linda,

In Akron, we have two traditional Bookmobiles that are used to serve mainly children, neighborhoods, schools, Head Starts, and workshops for the developmentally disabled.  We also operate a box truck that may be of interest to you.  This truck is used 4 days per week to serve buildings or facilities where senior citizens and those with disabilities live (there is also one non-residential senior center on the schedule).  We take carts of materials and cloth bags of reserves into the facilities so the residents don't have to go out into the weather or worry if they have reduced mobility.  We also use this truck to deliver deposit collections to nursing homes and adult daycares twice a month.  We have been doing this since late 1981 and it has worked out very well for us.  I don't see why you couldn't serve preschools effectively with this arrangement because there are often issues with bringing small children out into the weather or having enough staff for someone to visit the truck and someone to remain inside with the children (for example, if the only time to visit is at naptime).  You would just have to have the appropriate mix of materials available for that day's population (I don't know if I would rather face seniors receiving JE's or preschoolers receiving LT if the wrong carts were loaded by mistake).

We lease our truck from Penske; it is a 24 foot Isuzu diesel with a hydraulic lift on the back.  We use cloth straps to hold the carts inside and have some overflow shelving.  There is also a door in the side which is very helpful for making deliveries.  This is a great truck to work on and to drive.  There is a backing camera which is very helpful as well as cart-stops on the rear edge of the lift.  This truck costs approximately $1,400 per month to lease and Penske handles the maintenance (they also provide a back-up if our truck is in the shop but they are problematic because the features we are accustomed to having are not there).  We have previously leased a slightly smaller gas-powered Utilimaster or Workhorse truck from Penske but this real truck is so much better to work on and is remarkably maneuverable.

We use Acore carts which are expensive initially but they have lasted since 1995 which makes them a bargain.  They are aluminum and are wide but with a short wheelbase so they can be put over curbs when fully loaded with 6 shelves of books and a bag of reserves.  We have had to replace the wheels several times and some shelves have cracked or broken but they were a great investment.  Pushing these carts is an excellent form of exercise.  

I have attached a few photos of our truck as well as its schedule.  http://www.akronlibrary.org/van.html 

Please contact me if you have further questions or if something is unclear.  Going out on this truck with the seniors is the best part of my job; I would recommend this method of service to anyone.

Jon

Jon Hershey
Mobile Services Manager
Akron-Summit County Public Library

-----Original Message-----
From: Hickson-Stevenson, Pamela 
Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2012 3:30 PM
To: Hershey, Jon
Subject: FW: [OPLINLIST] libraries with vans

Thought you'd be interested in this.

Pamela J. Hickson-Stevenson, Deputy Director Akron-Summit County Public Library
60 S. High Street
Akron, OH  44326

Phone 330.643.9102          Fax 330.643.9160

phs at akronlibrary.org         www.akronlibrary.org 

The Akron-Summit County Public Library provides resources for learning and leisure, information services, meeting spaces, and programs for all ages that support, improve, and enrich individual, family, and community life.

-----Original Message-----
From: oplinlist-bounces at lists.oplin.org [mailto:oplinlist-bounces at lists.oplin.org] On Behalf Of Linda Swartzel
Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2012 10:11 AM
To: oplinlist at oplin.org
Subject: [OPLINLIST] libraries with vans

We are exploring the possibility of a van or mini bookmobile for our library.  We would like to be able to visit our local senior centers/nursing facilities and preschools.  Ideally the vehicle would hold loaded book carts that we could wheel into buildings for people to select from.

Do any other libraries have something like this?  Where did you purchase it?  What was the cost?  Was it new or used?

Also, and most importantly, how did you finance it?  Did you locate grant money?  Did local businesses contribute?  Friends of the Library?

Any information you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Linda Swartzel

--
Linda Swartzel
Mary L. Cook Public Library
381 Old Stage Road
Waynesville, OH 45068
513-897-4826

_______________________________________________
OPLINLIST mailing list -- OPLINLIST at lists.oplin.org http://lists.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/oplinlist

http://aboutbooks.info -- Search for author, title, subject... anything about books.
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Van 8-17-12 1.JPG
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 98631 bytes
Desc: Van 8-17-12 1.JPG
URL: <http://lists.oplin.org/pipermail/oplinlist/attachments/20120817/6b852768/attachment-0004.jpe>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Van 8-17-12 2.JPG
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 121728 bytes
Desc: Van 8-17-12 2.JPG
URL: <http://lists.oplin.org/pipermail/oplinlist/attachments/20120817/6b852768/attachment-0005.jpe>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Van 8-17-12 3.JPG
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 142093 bytes
Desc: Van 8-17-12 3.JPG
URL: <http://lists.oplin.org/pipermail/oplinlist/attachments/20120817/6b852768/attachment-0006.jpe>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Van 8-17-12 4.JPG
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 124648 bytes
Desc: Van 8-17-12 4.JPG
URL: <http://lists.oplin.org/pipermail/oplinlist/attachments/20120817/6b852768/attachment-0007.jpe>