Courtesy photo.
Innovative Project is First of Its Kind in California
VENTURA COUNTY — A brand new mobile library dedicated to serving local students was unveiled today at the Ventura County Government Center. The School Mobile Library will visit schools throughout Ventura County, with a particular focus on those that do not have credentialed librarians on staff.
The School Mobile Library will offer books for students in multiple formats and languages, STEAM instruction and programs, homework support in alignment with school curricula, and access to technology and online resources. While libraries throughout the state, including the Ventura County Library, operate bookmobiles that serve the general public, this is the first in California to be specifically for students.
“Nearly 70 thousand Ventura County students attend schools that don’t have a professional librarian on staff. And some of those schools have no on-site library at all,” said Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. “The new bookmobile will bring library services to students where they already are – at school.”
The School Mobile Library will contain $50,000 dollars’ worth of brand-new books. Staff from the Ventura County Office of Education will lead book discussions and lessons on media literacy, financial literacy, and more. County Library staff will provide STEAM kits and other fun activities during school visits. The bookmobile will also provide an opportunity for students to sign up for library cards, which will help comply with an upcoming state requirement that all students get library cards by the 3rd grade.
The School Mobile Library is a joint project of the Ventura County Library and the Ventura County Office of Education. It is made possible by a generous donation of $50,000 from the Ventura County Library Foundation, Premier America Credit Union, CBC Federal Credit Union, County Schools Federal Credit Union, and Ventura County Credit Union. This funding is in addition to the $250,000 Stronger Together: Improving Library Access grant received by the Ventura County Library through the California State Library.
The School Mobile Library will begin visiting Ventura County schools during the upcoming 2024-25 school year.
About the Ventura County Office of Education — The Ventura County Office of Education provides a broad array of fiscal, training and technology support services to local school districts, helping to maintain and improve lifelong educational opportunities for children, educators and community members. VCOE also operates schools that serve students with severe disabilities and behavioral issues, provides career education courses, and coordinates countywide academic competitions including Mock Trial and the Ventura County Science Fair. Learn more at:www.vcoe.org