BOOKMOBILES Many children across New Hampshire and Vermont do not have access to high-quality books that could inspire them to become stronger and more active readers. To help address this problem, many bookmobile programs have been started throughout the Twin States to bring the books to where the children live. Unfortunately, these programs often operate on very limited budgets and many of the titles they circulate are worn, second- or third-hand books. CLiF recognized that bookmobiles are very effective outreach tools, so we created our Bookmobile Program to provide them with needed support. In this program CLiF awards collections of new, high-quality children’s books to bookmobiles that serve residents of low-income housing developments, trailer parks, remote rural areas, and other locations where there may be children who have limited access to books or who rarely visit a library. CLiF has already sponsored more than 20 Bookmobiles across New Hampshire and Vermont. Through this program CLiF provides the following support: New Children’s Books: Each sponsored bookmobile receives $2,000 in new children’s books selected by the bookmobile’s staff from our CLiF Booklist. CLiF also pays to have all the books covered with Mylar covers and preprocessed. Presentation for the Local Children: A CLiF representative delivers the books and gives a fun, inspiring literacy and storytelling presentation at one of the bookmobile stops to as many children as possible. During the 45-minute book delivery celebration we display all the new CLiF books and talk with the children about the power and joy of reading and writing. We find out the types of books the children like to read, and then we describe many of the books CLiF is donating to their bookmobile. We also tell stories to the children and read from one of the new books aloud. After the bookmobile in Williston, VT received a CLiF sponsorship, its Director commented: "The CLiF books circulated like hotcakes. We added a new stop last summer, the trailer park in St. George, which is quite far from the library. I coordinated my visit with the time when the children were receiving their free lunch. This stop became the highlight of my week. These children were so thrilled to borrow new, beautiful, shiny books. Even though the bookmobile only operates in the summer, I continued that visit until November when it became just too cold to drive the bookmobile. The bookmobile collection started with donations which were primarily tired looking books. We had no book budget and it's great to have these new books to entice the children." View other comments of coordinators whose bookmobiles have received a sponsorship. Apply for a Bookmobile grant and learn more about the deadlines and application process.