Bell County Public Library System Bookmobile wins Great Book Giveaway

Contact: Nichole Gilbert


312-280-4387



ngilbert@ala.org

ALA News Release


For Immediate Release


January 2002

Bell County Public Library System Bookmobile wins Great Book Giveaway

The Bell County (Ky.) Public Library System Bookmobile is the winner of the sixth annual Great Book Giveaway. It is the first time a bookmobile has won the contest, which is sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). The bookmobile will receive literally a "ton" of children's young adult and adult books, videos, CD's and audiocassettes that publishers and producers donated to YALSA in 2001 for review by the division's awards and selection committees. The estimated value of the collection is approximately $25,000.

When told the news, library director Beverly Greene said, "God bless you, that is wonderful! This has made my year!"

The bookmobile, which has been in operation since 1946, travels over 650 miles a month and is on the road an average of 4.5 days per week, providing services to 3 public schools (where, generally, there is no full time librarian on site), 3 private Christian schools, 2 daycare centers, 1 preschool, 2 adult daycare centers, 1 prison and more than 100 homes. Two years ago, the library was ready to do away with the bookmobile until librarian Patricia Hopkins took it over.

"Patricia is very energetic and puts her whole effort into serving the residents and youth of Bell County." Greene said.

When Hopkins received the news that the bookmobile had won, she said, "I am ecstatic about being able to have more up-to-date information!"

In the winning application Greene stated, "The Great Book Giveaway Grant will go a very long way to allowing us to provide not only the services we
wish to provide, but those our young patrons
need us to provide."

The application form and information for the Great Book Giveaway VII are available on the
YALSA Web site and the
deadline to turn in applications is December 2, 2002. For more information contact the YALSA office, 50 E. Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611; telephone: 800-545-2433, ext. 4390; or e-mail:
YALSA@ala.org.