For many of the children we serve, the bookmobile is the only point of contact they will have with the library. We not only want them to participate, but also enjoy the experience. Reviewing the statistics, we determined that a smaller and smaller percentage of the students were able to check out over the course of each school year. This was due largely to children exceeding the library’s fine threshold of $15, thus blocking their cards. Many times parents and teachers were unaware that children had checked out materials. This lack of accountability was keeping many children from continuing to use the bookmobiles.

In the 2014-15 school year, we entered into a pilot agreement with six elementary schools. Under the terms of the pilot, library cards were issued to each classroom, using the teacher’s name as an identifier. The teachers were told that each child could choose up to three books and all of the books would be checked out on the “classroom card” and remain in the classroom. The intention was for all the students to have the freedom to choose what they wanted to read, to expand the classroom library and to keep the books under the control of the school.

Communication between the library and the school districts involved in the project suffered some setbacks, and the program was not as clearly outlined to the teachers as we had hoped it would be. However, despite this, the program seems to be working. More children are able to come and choose what they want to check out, the books are staying in the classroom and communication between the library and the schools is improving. We do intend to offer this service to these six elementary schools in the 2015-2016 school year with a clear Memorandum of Understanding for the schools to make all responsibilities clear from the outset.