Commissioner Alicia V. Barnes of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources provided an update on the debut of the St. John Bookmobile in early 2013.
“It has always been the intent of the Department’s Division of Libraries, Archives and Museums to ensure that a bookmobile operated on St. John as one part of our commitment to [expose] our children to the world of books and reading. There are some enhancements that must be completed on the bus and once done will allow us to introduce into the community,” said Commissioner Alicia V. Barnes.
Currently located at the Department of Property and Procurement, the St. John Bookmobile, has been retrofitted with a handicapped lift in compliance with the American Disabilities Act. The bookmobile is a state-of-the-art mini-library that will traverse the island of St. John to encourage reading in neighborhoods and at community events.
The goal is for the bookmobile to make the offerings of the library more accessible to people who find it difficult or impossible to travel to the Elaine Ione Sprauve Public Library in Cruz Bay. The air-conditioned vehicle will contain more than 500 books of various genres and provide Internet accessible stations with two flat-screen monitors.
“Our planned roll-out dedication celebration is being planned for the long-awaited St. John Bookmobile and it will be one more vehicle that we are pushing and promoting to expose our children to books and ensure that library services are near to our seniors”, said Ingrid Bough, territorial director of Libraries, Archives and Museums. The St. John Bookmobile will join its predecessors: the St. Thomas and the St. Croix Bookmobiles.
For more information about the St. John Bookmobile, contact Ingrid Bough at 773-5715 or visit the Virgin Islands Public Libraries Web site at www.virginislandspubliclibraries.org
Enic Baa Public Library closes and transitions to the Charles W. Turnbull Regional Library.
Commissioner Alicia V. Barnes of DPNR has announced that Enid M. Baa Public Library closed on Dec. 18, in preparation for the transition of library staff and collections to the new Charles Wesley Turnbull Regional Library located in Tutu Park Mall. The first phase of mobilization for the move is well underway and scheduled for completion by the end of December 2012. The public is advised that all phone services and computerized access to public library records will be suspended temporarily while services are transferred and connections installed at the new facility. Some minor service interruptions at allied public library locations on St. Croix may also occur during the move. All library materials for the Enid Baa Library and the St. Thomas Bookmobile should be returned to the St. Thomas Bookmobile. No fees or fines will be assessed between Dec. 18 and Jan. 22. The St. Thomas Bookmobile will be stationed at the new site in Estate Tutu to provide library service to patrons during the transition phase, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Charles Wesley Turnbull Regional Library is located at the northern end of Tutu Park Mall. Public access to the library, as of Jan. 2 is through the gated driveway entrance at the northeast corner of the Plaza Extra parking lot.
For more information, contact Ingrid Bough at 773-5715 or visit the Virgin Islands Public Libraries Web site.
