Since the 1930s, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library has reached underserved populations through mobile services. THPL purchased its most recent bookmobile in 2006, along with a grant-funded Cybermobile to provide internet access and technology instruction and better serve the Spanish-speaking community. Both vehicles experienced frequent downtime as they neared the end of their life expectancies, disrupting service and requiring significant time and money. Their size also limited where they could visit.

THPL used the bookmobile’s replacement fund to purchase two smaller, fuel-efficient vehicles. Library2Go and MILO set up in open areas at community locations to offer card sign up, holds, browsing, Wi-Fi and computers. Items hand-picked based on customer interests are carried in bins and transferred to rolling carts. Since staff can operate the vans without a commercial driver’s license, THPL was able to eliminate two specialized positions and store the vehicles at its downtown branch allowing for more monthly stops.

Library2Go and MILO have greater flexibility to reach residents who may not be able to visit a library, and in the first six months of service they received 64% more visitors than the same time the previous year, engaged with 1,706 people at 188 classes, and popped up at local markets, festivals and conventions. The smaller vehicles provide library services in English and Spanish in underserved areas and expand library presence at community events while reducing operating and personnel costs by $192,000 annually.