Emerson Sponsors New St. Louis County Library Bookmobile

St. Louis County Library Foundation has received a $200,000 donation from Emerson to sponsor a new St. Louis County Library (SLCL) bookmobile. This generous donation will fund a state-of-the-art mobile unit that will hit the road in the second half of 2024. The current SLCL bookmobile fleet is aging and in need of replacement. SLCL has made school bookmobile replacement a major priority in 2023 ensuring the Library District can continue providing equitable services to students in St. Louis County. The gift from Emerson is the third donation towards the new bookmobile fleet. Great Southern Bank and the Cardinals have both made donations in 2023 to sponsor a new bookmobile. 

“Emerson has been a longtime supporter of the Library,” said Kristen Sorth, St. Louis County Library Director & CEO. “Their investment in literacy through physical spaces, such as the Emerson Teen Space at Natural Bridge and the Emerson Discovery Zone at Florissant Valley along with programmatic support, such as the Storytelling Festival, has made a real impact on our community. Sponsoring a new bookmobile will continue that legacy, and will help open up a world of discovery and enjoyment for students for years to come.” 

Akberet Boykin-Farr, Vice President, HR Corporate Functions at Emerson said, “The Library and Emerson share a strong focus on childhood literacy. Emerson is thrilled to continue supporting the Library in their efforts to meet people where they are by bringing books and materials to local students on a bookmobile. We are happy that our support will assist the Library in bringing a beloved service to school children for years to come."

The new Emerson bookmobile will house a collection of approximately 5,000 items featuring a diverse range of authors, genres and age levels. The vehicle includes an accessible lift for ADA access, ensuring all patrons can access the bookmobile safely. The interior will have removable seating for visitors, two staff stations where kids can check out books or ask questions, and multiple skylights to provide abundant natural light. The new bookmobile will include a large, 21-foot awning to provide shade and shelter for outdoor access and activities. Additionally, the vehicle will contain a cradlepoint router to provide extended WiFi access in areas where the bookmobile will visit.

SLCL’s Bookmobile & Mobile Services operates four school bookmobiles that visit more than 50 public and private schools throughout 11 school districts in St. Louis County. In 2022 school bookmobiles checked out 291,522 items to students and issued over 7,550 new library cards. Bookmobiles made 840 visits to schools and provided service to nearly 274,293 children. In 2022 there was a constant increase in the amount of school districts and sites that requested bookmobile service as it is a reliable and engaging way to enhance literacy initiatives.

SLCL has been using bookmobiles since 1947. These mobile libraries eliminate many barriers to service and open up a world of discovery and enjoyment for area students. For many young people in St. Louis County, the bookmobile is the only contact they have with the Library. 

To learn more about mobile services at St. Louis County Library, please visit https://www.slcl.org/content/bookmobile-mobile-services.

Media inquiries should be directed to Jennifer McBride, SLCL Communications Manager at 314-994-3300 ext. 2250 or jmcbride@slcl.org.