Megan Fisher, community engagement specialist at the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, reads to children inside the library’s bookmobile Wednesday, April 10. The bookmobile, an outfitted former ambulance, was parked outside the library on Wednesday. As the spring and summer get underway, the library is preparing to roll it out to neighborhoods, parks and events around Janesville.
JANESVILLE — The sun shone, beckoning spring, as the Hedberg Public Library’s Bookmobile threw open its doors Wednesday.
The bookmobile was parked outside the library, 316 S. Main St., on National Library Outreach Day. Families and other patrons stopped by on their way to and from storytime and other activities inside the main library building.
The day was part of the broader National Library Week, April 7-13.
Megan Fisher, community engagement specialist at the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, works inside the library’s bookmobile in April 2024.
Megan Fisher, the library’s community engagement specialist, said the bookmobile will soon roll for the season, visiting neighborhoods, summer camps, parks and events, allowing visitors to check out and return materials and doing outreach. On Wednesday, Fisher shared with guests that checking out of materials was not available on that day but would be as the spring and summer get going.
Engaging the community through unique experiences embodies the American Library Association theme of National Library Week: Ready, Set, Go!, said René Bue, the library’s community engagement manager.
“We’re ready, when you’re ready to come to the library. We’re ready to help you in whatever way that we can,†Bue said.
The bookmobile’s presence on Wednesday was “an opportunity for people as they come to the library to check out what’s in the bookmobile and get a look at our schedule for the summer,†Bue added.
Megan Fisher, community engagement specialist at the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, reads to children inside the library's bookmobile Wednesday, April 10. The bookmobile, an outfitted former ambulance, was parked outside the library on Wednesday. As the spring and summer get underway, the library is preparing to roll it out to neighborhoods, parks and events around Janesville.
During the spring and summer months, “the bookmobile is our way to get outside of these four walls to connect with people. We go to the YWCA transitional housing and they’re able to check out books right there,†Bue said. “We regularly visit different parks, and people love it. Families intentionally look to see where the bookmobile is going and show up wherever it is to check out or drop off books.â€
As part of National Library Week, Hedberg is also emphasizing how libraries provide providing safe places and engaging programs for people of many ages. Programs include storytime for babies, a new club for tweens, four-genre specific book clubs for adults and yoga and Medicare classes for seniors.
“From babies to seniors, we have something. Today is Wednesday so it’s storytime with babies,†Bue said.
Megan Fisher, community engagement specialist at the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, stands inside the library's bookmobile Wednesday, April 10. The bookmobile, an outfitted former ambulance, was parked outside the library on Wednesday. As the spring and summer get underway, the library is preparing to roll it out to neighborhoods, parks and events around Janesville.
“Babies in the Library†occurs every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.. No registration is needed.
Library users can also schedule one-on-one time with librarians to learn more about technology such as computers, kindles, tablets and smartphones.
“We’re not here just for entertainment from books or DVDS, but also to help connect you to resources to help in your day-to-day living,†Bue said.
“Hedberg Harmony,†is a live music program that exposes visitors to different music and unique instruments, such as the dulcimer.
“Kids love to come and listen to them play. I love the dulcimer but a lot of people don’t know what it is,†Bue said.
“Partnerships allow us to reach more people than we could on our own. Many of our most successful programs such as our citizenship class involve collaborating with outside groups,†Bue continued. “Building relationships with the community is one of the library’s main goals.â€
Upcoming events include a Budgeting 101 program for teens and adults and a Sustainable Living Fair. The budgeting program is Thursday, April 25, from 6-7 p.m. The Sustainable Living Fair is being planned in partnership through the city of Janesville’s sustainable committee and takes place on Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Guests can learn about sustainability through hand-on learning and activities, and presentations by local experts.
Another unique program is Hedberg-at-Home, where volunteers select and bring materials to those unable to get to the library themselves.
The volunteer also “chats with the patrons to find out if they liked what was selected or if they want something different next time,†Bue said.
For more ideas on how to celebrate National Library Week, visit the American Library Association website, .
Visit www.hedbergpublic for more local program information.