The Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library is stepping on the gas to bring its offerings to more people out in the community.
The update came this week in a meeting of the Mishawaka Common Council. The council was checking in with organizations that received some of the $12 million in Covid stimulus money, or American Rescue Plan grants, that the council distributed in 2021.
The council gave the library $50,000 toward the cost of a bookmobile. Jennifer Ludwig, the library’s director of patron services, told the council that the library plans to buy a customized Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van from Elkhart-based TWR Specialty Vehicles. The library also plans to build a garage for the van on land it will lease from the city on 10th Street, near the city’s Central Services property.
Ludwig said the van will cost about $133,000. For the rest of the vehicle’s cost, along with the garage, the library is asking the St. Joseph County Council to let it tap into its Rainy Day Fund. She said the library hasn’t used the fund since 2019 and the fund contains about $241,000.
Ludwig said the library especially wants to bring the bookmobile to poorer neighborhoods.
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The library expects to receive the bookmobile in February.
