BRATTLEBORO — During this past winter, children in 27 early learning programs across Windham County have been able to look forward to bookmobile day - the day when the Winston Prouty Center's Sueño LeBlond stops by with a new delivery of books and materials from the Early Learning Express Bookmobile.
Early educators have been hit hard financially by the pandemic and have even less ability than usual to enhance their libraries or purchase additional materials for their programs.
Research shows that children are more motivated to read when they can choose their own books, so regular access to fresh titles via the ELE lending program keeps learning fun and supports providers at the same time.
This winter, the bookmobile was loaning more than 600 items to 450 children and 100 adults each month at early learning programs in all corners of the county, from Vernon to Stratton, from Brookline to Halifax.
But regular visits became more difficult with the demise of the SUV that has served as the “winter bookmobile” for eight years. The car had become unsafe to drive and was deemed unrepairable.
According to a news release, Prouty launched an online community campaign in January to replace the winter bookmobile, and “in less than two weeks, a network of 48 supporters from eight states gave enthusiastically.”
An announcement on a bookmobile group email list in February led Prouty to the Manton Foundation, a family foundation focused on New England that has funded a new Toyota SUV to serve as the winter bookmobile for years to come.
“Providers keep telling me how grateful they are to have the Bookmobile continue service through the winter, and especially this year with the added isolation of COVID,” said LeBlond. “For many children, it is one of the few things they have been able to continue to rely on - a fresh pile of books from the bookmobile.”
“As mud season ends, the big bookmobile truck will come out of hibernation,” Prouty officials write in a news release. “With the pandemic receding, there are great hopes that the ELE will again be offering in-person programs blending stories, songs, poetry, puppets, and books throughout the region.”