Mayor Malik D. Evans, alongside N.Y. State Senator Jeremy Cooney and library staff, inaugurated the Rochester Public Library’s new mobile service, RPL-GO! The service aims to bring library resources directly to communities that lack easy access to a physical library. This initiative involves a specially designed sprinter van that will offer services such as computer classes and story times.
Mayor Evans emphasized the importance of the mobile library in promoting literacy and inclusivity within the community. “RPL GO! will ensure that all Rochester residents—from our seniors to our toddlers—have access to the critical resources and services that our libraries offer,” he stated. He also acknowledged the collaborative efforts behind this project: “Mobile libraries promote literacy, inclusivity, and community. RPL-GO! is a true example of collaboration; I want to thank Senator Jeremy Cooney, RIT, and the community for helping the City inspire hope and, literally, deliver opportunities.”
Senator Cooney highlighted his role in securing funding for this project. “The RPL Go! Mobile Library is about bringing the library directly to the people,” he said. “From older adults to our youngest learners, the mobile library is about accessibility and ensuring all members of our community have access to the incredible services the Rochester Public Library has to offer.”
The van will be based at Lyell Branch Library but will travel across various locations including senior living facilities, childcare centers, community organizations, Monroe County Jail’s school system, Rochester Correctional Facility Work Release Program, festivals, public markets, among others.
Students from Rochester Institute of Technology’s College of Art & Design worked with city officials and library staff on designing modifications for mobile use. The van includes modular book carts, display shelving, books, printers, digital media equipment, Wi-Fi capabilities among other features.
The concept for RPL-GO! originated from Kearstin Piper Brown during a program at Greater Rochester Parent Leadership Training Institute. Brown expressed her motivation: “It was my passion for reading and commitment to ensuring universal access to literature that led me to the idea to revive the Rochester Library’s bookmobile.”
Funding for RPL-GO! was supported by a $100,000 grant secured by Senator Cooney through DASNY’s State and Municipal Program.
