ASHLAND — The Ashland Public Library’s bookmobile is on the road again, bringing books, DVDS and other library services directly to Ashland County residents.
The library staff and other community members celebrated its return last week with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Named “Van-Gogh” in a community contest, the miniature, traveling version of the library visits area schools, nursing homes and will attend local festivals and events this summer.
“It’s truly an extension of the library here, but just on wheels. There’s DVDs, CDs, books, toys,” said Ashland Public Library executive director Heather Miller.
The library bought Van-Gogh in late 2019 to replace its former bookmobile. The library had sold a bus to another library in 2018 with intentions to switch to a van.
“It is smaller. but that’s the main reason we chose this,” Miller said. “Some of the areas we go into in the county, it’s hard to take a bus. So we’re calling it a nimble vehicle. Anyone can drive it, and it can go anywhere in the county.”
Since the ADA-compliant van she wanted was on back order, the library continued services with two other vans. A cargo van called “Moby” and a former Ashland City Transit bus offered existing outreach and new services like delivery to shut-ins regularly or more temporarily to those who may have suffered illness or injury and couldn’t visit the library in-person.
Moby will continue to offer delivery services and may be used to haul supplies for outside programming.
The schedule for Van-Gogh will be posted on ashland.lib.oh.us.
