Library welcomes new early literacy bookmobile, year-round Sunday service hours

ROCHESTER HILLS — A new early literacy bookmobile and longer service hours have been added to the Rochester Hills Public Library’s offerings this summer.

The additions, library officials said, were possible thanks to the new library millage approved by voters in August 2024.

The library’s early literacy bus service began in 2012 with the purchase of a used 2001 Ford ELF with a bequest from the Doris & Charles Edie Estate. It originally visited eight child care centers and preschools in the library’s service area.

Betsy Raczkowski, the head of the library’s communications and community engagement, said that after 13 years of dedicated service, the bus was long overdue for an upgrade.

“It’s past its useful life,” she noted. “It’s had so many repairs, and we’ve had to have it off the road — and every time we do that, preschoolers, teachers, they are all affected by it not being able to visit. By getting this brand-new bus, we’ll be able to continue service without any interruptions. And, hopefully, we will be able to expand.”

Today, the early literacy program visits preschools and child care centers in Rochester, Rochester Hills and Oakland Township, providing story times and a mobile book collection for newborns through 5-year-olds. The bus currently visits 17 facilities regularly, and in 2024, it served 26,527 children and teachers.

Local dignitaries and library staff cut the ribbon on the new “Big Blue Bus” June 14. Sporting an in-house design that emphasizes the five practices of early literacy, the custom Winnebago seamlessly takes over the schedule without disrupting service.

Aboard the bus, students can choose their own materials from a specialized collection for checkout, and teachers can select books to temporarily extend their classroom libraries. In the summer, the bus visits the Rochester Community Schools Summer Camp, extending its reach to school-aged kids and allowing the library to provide books and summer reading programs for those students who might not get to the library.

“With a more reliable program, we can expand where there is room and reach out to more preschools in our service area,” Raczkowski added.

Library Director Juliane Morian said the mobile preschool visits have strengthened the community bonds at each center and have given the library insight into how to perfect its service. This summer, be on the lookout for the bus and enjoy a game of “Eye Spy” as the bookmobile rolls through town, emblazoned with the alphabet, bright colors, and the library’s mascot, Stretch the Giraffe.

“We want to thank our supporters for allowing us to grow,” Morian said in a statement.

This summer, the library is also continuing Sunday hours into the summer months, keeping its doors open 1-6 p.m.

Bob Bonam, president of the Library Board of Trustees, said the library had previously eliminated Sunday hours from June to August as a cost-cutting measure, allowing the library to avoid limiting hours during the week.

“One of the promises made to voters last summer was that the library would add 70 operating hours annually by remaining open throughout the weekends, year-round, if the additional tax revenue was secured to fund the cost. We are pleased to deliver that promise to our dedicated patrons,” Bonam said in a statement.

Morian said staying open throughout the summer is a goal the library has been working on for years.

“Part of being a public library means being there for patrons, and by adding five hours to every week this summer, we can continue to provide a community space seven days a week,” she said.

The Rochester Hills Public Library’s main branch is located at 500 Olde Towne Road.

For more information, visit www.rhpl.org or call (248) 650-7150.