BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.–Not everyone in Berkeley County lives close to a library. However, that doesn’t have to stop them from checking out a book or two thanks to the county’s very own bookmobile service.
While Berkeley County’s population has dramatically increased in the past fourteen years from 142,000 in 2000, to an estimated 194,000 now, 35% of the population still resides in the county’s rural areas.
“A mobile library is our single most critical need,” said Donna Osborne Worden, director for the Berkeley Co. Library System. “With this service, residents in outlying areas will have the opportunity to borrow materials easily, especially those that enhance literacy skills and the love of reading. They can gain access to the Internet for educational information, employment-related resources and personal enrichment.”
The county’s bookmobile service is really nothing new. In fact, it first made its debut in Berkeley Co. back in 1948, providing a way for folks who didn’t live close to a library to check out books. Unfortunately, this service came to an end in 1990.
For the next 18 years, many people didn’t have an easy way to check out books. However, that changed in 2008 when The Daniel Island Rotary Club gave the Friends of the Berkeley County Libraries $10,000 in seed money to start the bookmobile service back up. The Friends also committed $40,000, a federal grant provided $50,000 and Home Telecom gave $25,000.
This put the library’s bookmobile service back in business.
“Our new mobile library, M.O.R.E., which stands for Moving Our Resources Everywhere has the capacity for over 2,000 volumes and space for six laptops for Internet use,” said the director. “The Mobile Library delivers literacy resources to children, adults, and families in the rural areas of Berkeley County as well as laptops and trainers for computer classes at scheduled stops along vehicle’s routes.”
These routes will include schools in rural communities, community centers, assisted living centers, low-income housing sites, more than 50 daycare centers and churches.
M.O.R.E. completes its route every two weeks and includes service to Bonneau, Alvin, Wando, Cross, Pinesville, St. Stephen, and rural communities near Summerville, Goose Creek, and Ladson.
To view the bookmobile’s summer schedule, click here.
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