Waynesboro Public Library has been honored with the 2024 Innovative Service Award from the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL) for its groundbreaking Community in Motion Book Bus program.
The national recognition highlights the library’s commitment to serving its community through innovative and creative initiatives. The Innovative Service Award is presented to libraries or library workers who demonstrate exceptional creativity in serving their communities.
Jamie Kollar, Youth Services Librarian at Waynesboro Public Library, accepted the award on behalf of the library during the September national conference.
“Every member of the Waynesboro community deserves access to the library and its resources. With Community in Motion, it doesn’t matter where our patrons are or what kind of transportation they have access to. We can meet them where they are and bring our resources directly to them. Building a bookmobile program is something we’ve been working toward for a long time, and I’m so happy to see it succeeding and being recognized,” Kollar said.
The Community in Motion initiative began in early 2022 as a collaboration between local nonprofits, public schools and city departments, with a goal to expand outreach to underserved communities. The Book Bus serves as a vital step in enhancing the library’s outreach capabilities, providing access to resources for individuals who may not be able to visit the library in person.
The Community in Motion Book Bus was launched March 1, 2023 and has made bi-weekly stops throughout Waynesboro. In 2023, it facilitated 490 checkouts and recorded 590 individual interactions with community members, many of whom had never visited the library before.
Waynesboro Public Library partners with the Central Shenandoah Valley Office on Youth to ensure that at least two staff members are present at each Book Bus visit, fostering meaningful connections with the community.
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Rebecca Barnabi
