Outreach Resources for Services to Bookmobile Communities

The ALA Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services, in partnership with the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services, has assembled the following key resources to assist library and information workers in the provision of quality bookmobile and outreach services. Bookmobiles and direct-delivery outreach services are, and continue to be an integral, vital part of libraries around the country. For over 100 years bookmobiles have served rural, urban, suburban and tribal areas, bringing access to information and life-long learning resources to all classes and communities. Bookmobiles are a central part of library service, and ALA is firmly committed to recognizing their contribution to public life with the goal to highlight their value and extend their reach.

The ALA Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services, in partnership with the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services, has assembled the following key resources to assist library and information workers in the provision of quality bookmobile and outreach services. Bookmobiles and direct-delivery outreach services are, and continue to be an integral, vital part of libraries around the country. For over 100 years bookmobiles have served rural, urban, suburban and tribal areas, bringing access to information and life-long learning resources to all classes and communities. Bookmobiles are a central part of library service, and ALA is firmly committed to recognizing their contribution to public life with the goal to highlight their value and extend their reach.

Stories from the Field

Contacts and Groups

Events

National Library Outreach Day

National Library Outreach Day (Wednesday, April 26, 2023) celebrates library outreach and the dedicated library professionals who are meeting their patrons where they are. Whether it's a bookmobile stop at the local elementary school, services provided to community homes, or library pop-ups at community gatherings, these services are essential to the community.

National Library Outreach Day is coordinated by the ALA Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services (ODLOS), the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS), and the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL).

Resources