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Friends Gift Homer Library Bookmobile

Photo by Casey Marsh

Dozens attended a 10-year celebration of the Homer Public Library’s building on Saturday, Sept. 17.

The Friends of the Homer Librarythrew the party that included a musical performance, refreshments and the introduction of a new bookmobile.

The Friends bought the bookmobile this spring from the community of Glennallen. They then refurbished the outside of it and marked it with their new logo.

Mercedes Harness is the coordinator for the Friends of the Homer Library. She said the bookmobile will be used for community outreach.

“The primary purpose of the bookmobile is to promote reading and life-long learning in the Homer community by providing access to books for people in the community who are underserved due to physical, economic, social, geographic or other barriers. So our hope is that by next summer we will be able to take the book mobile out east, perhaps on the spit, places where access to the library is more difficult,” Harness said.

Harness said that Andy Haas, another member of the Friends, brought up the idea for the bookmobile.

“We’ve been asking ourselves for a few years what we can do to bring people to the library that may not necessarily come here; those who may not fully have the chance to come in. For instance: students from outlying areas, senior citizens, people who are house-ridden, and people in outlying communities who may not enjoy the library,” Haas said.

Harness said that this fall they hope to bring the bookmobile to the elementary schools during the school day. They also hope that the bookmobile will encourage kids to get library cards.

All the books that are in the bookmobile were donated. If you’d like to donate books, they are accepted year-round at the Homer Public Library. 

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Local News Homer Public LibraryAlaskaHomerBookmobileFriends of the Homer Library