LINC & the Mobile Services Team: Expanding Library Services Throughout Spokane County

Posted on June 9, 2022 at 4:30 am

We’ve expanded our service that reaches out to customers who are unable to easily visit the 10 libraries in the District. The team heading up this service is called Mobile Services.

Some of the ways Mobile Services reaches out include providing books through the mail, bringing materials into facilities, and visiting communities with LINC, our new library on wheels and the latest addition to SCLD.

LINC, the new Mobile Services library vehicle, got its name from the acronym “Libraries In Neighborhoods & Communities,” and it is literally a library on wheels.

“Designed with flexibility in mind, LINC delivers a traditional, walk-up bookmobile service with a wide variety of books, DVDs, CDs, and other items for community members to browse and check out. Unlike a traditional bookmobile, LINC also has space to provide library programs such as storytimes, hands-on events, and digital programs and classes.” – Doug Stumbough, Operations Director of SCLD

Along with borrowing materials and participating in programs, when you visit LINC, you can connect to Wi-Fi for your mobile devices, use a library computer and access the internet, and print your files using the library’s Mobile Printing option.

“One of the greatest values of LINC is that it allows us to regularly bring materials, services, and programming found in our brick-and-mortar locations to neighborhoods and communities in Spokane County that don’t have a library nearby.” – Doug Stumbough, Operations Director of SCLD

You may just see LINC at one of many community celebrations, fairs, and events this summer! If you do, stop by to explore a plethora of materials and resources as well as the mobile library experience.

In the fall, LINC will have a regular schedule of stops to different communities around the county. Watch for more information about LINC’s fall schedule later this summer.

Another service from the Mobile Services team, Books by Mail helps Spokane County residents check out library materials when they cannot easily leave their residence to borrow and return library books. The library checks out and ships books and other materials through the postal mail to people who are homebound and signed up for this service.

You may have seen our former library van in parades and around the county visiting various facilities and locations.

The new SCLD van is making regular visits to retirement facilities, assisted living homes, and apartment complexes. If you are a resident of any of the locations the van regularly visits, you may have seen library staff rolling carts filled with library materials into lobbies for you to browse.

Both LINC and the new SCLD van were made possible by voter approval of the library levy in 2019.

You can learn more about the Mobile Services team, LINC, and the services they provide by visiting our Mobile Services web page.

Tags: bookmobile, books by mail, communities, facilities, homebound, LINC, mobile library, mobile services, neighborhoods, outreach