Colleton County welcomes its new Mobile Library Outreach Librarian, Tywana White. For us older folks, we call this the Book Mobile.
Ms. White is from Islandton in Colleton County and has been working with children all her life. She was in the first graduating class of Colleton County High School. After high school and attending college at Technical College Lowcountry. She started working at the library 14 years ago working with the children’s library. She, says, “I switched over to the Book Mobile where I have the best of both worlds because I get to still work with children, and get to travel with the Book Mobile.”
The book mobile offers everything the Main Library offers, they just bring it to you and make it convenient. They go all over Colleton County from Ruffin to Smoaks, Hendersonville to Lodge, and even Edisto Beach. The book mobile is on a schedule. We also go to all the apartment building complexes in Colleton County. We also go out to churches, retirement communities, events and make it accessible for everybody.
The book mobile can also deliver requested items, “I will have that book for you when we come out.” We have a really good, updated collection. The collection changes as my patrons come on, and I get to know them. Whenever we stop and interact with children, we do STEM activities or we give them activities that they could do on their own. We also do book giveaways, that way, just because you don’t have a library card doesn’t mean that you can’t have access to get books. I make sure that there’s coloring activities and if you just want to sit and use our Wi-Fi, that’s perfectly fine and if don’t have a computer, we have a laptop if you need to use one.” There are plenty of services on the book mobile. White is also a notary.
The book mobile also collaborates with the library’s children’s department. They do Storytime with just about all the daycares and elementary schools. White says, “We do outreach, just really getting out into the community.” The book mobile was actually named by children, they call her “Lula Petunia”.
During the summer, the book mobile does not stop. The go to the summer feeding sites to give out books and STEM kits. They also do summer activities.
To find out more about the book mobile and other library offerings go to the Colleton County Library Web Site.
