The Bridgeport Public Library is now on wheels! We are excited to announce the unveiling of our Outreach Van! This vehicle is awesome for a few reasons—it is 100% electric and friendly to the environment, it’s large enough to transport all our materials to events, and it increases our ability to meet our patrons where they are and provide library services and resources on the go. This accomplishment was several years in the making, and the library is so excited about this new adventure.

 

With this exciting news, I would like to revisit and explain some of the outreach services we currently offer. We currently provide Home Delivery, Community Outreach Services, and POP-UP Library opportunities.

 

We offer a Home Delivery service to Bridgeport residents who are unable to come to the library in person. To be eligible for this service, patrons must have a library card. If you need to sign up for a library card, you may give us a call at 304-842-8248 or email library@bridgeportwv.com. Books and materials are chosen by library staff based on your preferences, however, if you would like to request a specific item, we can do that too. Five to ten items are included in each delivery and can include books, DVDs, music CDs, audiobooks, puzzles, video games, board games, and a variety of kits. We will call to schedule your delivery day. The staff member who leads this service is Natalie Fox.

 

The library is available to bring our materials and services to your nursing home, assisted living facility, long-term care facility, retirement home, and other community organizations for Community Outreach. We provide books, audiobooks, DVDs/TV series, music CDs, puzzles, and more depending on what your organization needs or requests. We can also provide some light programming upon request. To be eligible for this service, a facility representative must have a library card and assume any responsibility for materials checked out on that account. If you need a library card, please give us a call at 304-842-8248 or email library@bridgeportwv.com. The staff member who leads this service is Angela Spatafore.

 

You might see a POP-UP Library at events and festivals around the City including Bridgeport Farmer’s Market, Derek Hotsinpiller Fallen Stars 5K Race, Summer Kickoff Festival, Light Up Night, and anywhere else we can set up to provide library materials and services to our community!

 

We also provide several outreach programs specific to children, teens, and families. We can typically be found at Meadowbrook Mall’s Tuesday is for Toddlers, after-school program at The Bridge, local schools and colleges for informational sessions and storytimes, and resource fairs. The staff person who leads this type of outreach is Rebecca O’Connor.

 

If you would like our library to come to your community organization or event, let us know! We may be offering different types of outreach in the near future, so keep your eyes peeled. For more information about our outreach services, please visit bplwv.org/outreach. See you on the road!