Bookmobile News

They’re our favorite publishers of non-fiction for children! The wizards at National Geographic Kids always leave us amazed by their consistently engaging books about science, animals and more. These titles make it easy for the Free Bookmobile staff to keep youth interested in the world around them, even during ages 8 – 13 when kids often make a sharp turn toward fiction. So when our overall supply of science and nature books ran short recently, we reached out to the National Geographic Foundation with our need and they responded with a wonderful shipment of their latest material. We now have dozens of educational titles to offer children who wouldn’t normally get to bring such gems home, to immerse themselves for as long as they want. They also sent a massive box of recent NG Explorer magazines which we will make sure find a home in local schools or aftercare programs serving low-income students. Here’s more on their publishing philosophy:

For over 40 years, the Sonoma County Alliance (SCA) has brought together local leaders from all fields to encourage a healthy economy, maintain a sound environment, protect private property rights and promote a responsive political process. The Alliance accomplishes these goals through public and member education and, from time to time, through advocacy before decision makers.

Strong education leads to a strong workforce, so the SCA is an avid supporter of improving local education in any way possible. Their Education Committee has partnered with Tomorrow’s Leadership Today, the Sonoma County Office of Education, the Santa Rosa Junior College, and other supporters to create a Career Readiness Program. They also host a whimsical annual fundraiser called Bocce for Books, and this year the Free Bookmobile was one of the beneficiaries. We received a grant that will provide a nice boost in our ability to purchase materials for our youngest patrons — board books for little hands, early readers for preschoolers, and Spanish/bilingual books for families to read together. Big thanks to the SCA Education Committee for this opportunity to strengthen our resources and create better outcomes for our many low-income and access-challenged patrons!