Mobile Library Expands Reach to Senior and Low-Income Communities

Public Libraries are hubs of the community, providing knowledge and resources with open doors for some residents. But accessibility can be an issue for some Orange County residents.  Transportation to and from a local library can be a challenge for some, especially in low-income neighborhoods and among the senior citizen community, according to Nancy Pe’a, Librarian II Branch Manager of the county’s Mobile Library. This is where traveling libraries step in.  “Sometimes transportation can be a big issue. Where both parents work and they can’t get to the library,” added Pe’a.  The program bridges that gap, bringing library services to assisted living homes, neighborhoods and parks within their service area Tuesday through Saturday. Cities outside of this service area, such as Anaheim and Santa Ana, have their own mobile library services. “Because we show up in the morning hours or after school hours, they can access our libraries at their convenience,” Pena said. Each mobile library offers books, movies, CDs, WiFi hotspots, Chromebooks, library resources and daily programs.  please change it Books are also offered in multiple languages, including Arabic, Korean, Spanish, Japanese, Persian, Hindi and more. “I have attended the Mobile Library here several times,” said Sara Hong, a resident at Liberty at Aliso Senior Apartments.

Public libraries serve as community hubs, offering knowledge and resources with open doors for many residents. However, accessibility can pose a challenge for some Orange County inhabitants.

Transportation to and from local libraries can be problematic, particularly in low-income neighborhoods and among the elderly, according to Nancy Pe’a, Librarian II Branch Manager of the county’s Mobile Library.

To address this issue, traveling libraries come into play.

“Transportation can be a significant obstacle, especially for families with working parents who can’t easily get to the library,” Pe’a noted.

The program acts as a bridge, delivering library services to assisted living homes, neighborhoods, and parks within its service area from Tuesday through Saturday.

Cities beyond this service area, such as Anaheim and Santa Ana, have their own mobile library services.

“We show up in the morning hours or after school hours, allowing them to access our libraries at their convenience,” Peña said.

Each mobile library provides books, movies, CDs, WiFi hotspots, Chromebooks, library resources, and daily programs. Moreover, books are available in multiple languages, including Arabic, Korean, Spanish, Japanese, Persian, Hindi, and more