Village of Palm Spring Library joins Lake Worth Salvation Army Corp to provide books to local youth.
West Palm Beach, Florida (June 23, 2021) – On Tuesday, June 22nd, a Bookmobile, fashioned from a Rapid Response Emergency Vehicle previously used for disaster relief, distributed books to children living in Marlboro Court neighborhoods in Palm Springs, Florida. The Bookmobile is a collaborative effort between the Lake Worth Corps of the Salvation Army of Palm Beach County and the Community Library of Palm Springs.
Accompanying the Salvation Army staff during the Bookmobile’s neighborhood visitation was Jossie Maliska, Palm Springs Library Director, and Tiffany De Berry, the coordinator of Library Outreach. Apart from receiving 10 requests for library cards to sign-out books, Vicky Jaimes, a Salvation Army volunteer, utilized a local clubhouse to provide arts and crafts to interested children.
Bookmobiles and mobile outreach services have been used since 1905 to make connections between the library, the community, and the patrons. The first bookmobile in the US was designed by librarian Mary Titcomb as the “library wagon” in Washington County, Maryland. It had exterior shelves for books and was drawn by two horses. According to Palm Springs Village officials, reading literacy has been recognized as an area needing extra attention in their community. In addition to receiving incentives for their logged summer book reading, therefore, information will be provided to parents on local early learning and voluntary Pre-K programs.
According to the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County, nearly half of all third graders in Palm Beach County are not reading on grade level. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 22.2% of adults ages 16 or older in the County lack basic literacy skills, meaning they are not able to read and understand short materials and fill out forms. “As children learn to read and enjoy the books provided by the Bookmobile,” said Lieutenant Jeremy Porter, “my hope and prayer is that children will become comfortable with in-person visits to their local library.”
During the Covid pandemic year, the Village of Palm Springs partnered with the Lake Worth Corps in providing philanthropic services to local residents including, groceries, sponsoring children with Christmas toys through the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, and most recently, with sending children to camp. The Bookmobile Project plans to continue offering it services to children every Tuesday and Thursday throughout the summer months.
For more information, to volunteer, and/or make a financial contribution to the Bookmobile Project please contact Frank Marangos, Director of Development and Communications at 561.686.3530 and/or visit www.salvationarmypalmbeachcounty.org. Facebook information can be found by searching for @salarmypbco.
About The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County – The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1922, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 99 years.
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