The Contra Costa County Library has 26 branches across the county, yet many residents are not able to easily visit a library. Some may live too far from a branch, don’t have access to reliable transportation, or have to work during library open hours. The Rolling Reader allows the library to prioritize providing literacy services to children 0-5 years old in vulnerable communities impacted by poverty. Research shows that early and positive experiences with books set the stage for a child's success in learning to read. Additionally, literacy skills are a strong predictor of health, employment status, and overall success in life. Providing storytimes and crafts for young children encourages regular exposure to reading and books, thus improving the potential for life success for many children and families.

The Library secured a $150k grant from the Bella Vista Foundation to purchase the van, modify the interior, and order giveaway books and promotional items. Funding to wrap the exterior was provided by MCE, a community choice energy program. Ongoing funding for the early literacy outreach staff is funded by Measure X. Measure X is a half-cent sales tax passed by Contra Costa County voters in 2020. The early literacy and marketing teams worked together to come up with a theme, a design for the exterior, a mascot, and promotional giveaways. The exterior design is a whimsical forest inhabited by Roxy the fox and her friends. The outside of the van also includes several early literacy prompts designed to get kids engaged. Themed promotional handouts for children include fox ear headbands and Roxy the fox stickers and tattoos. Families also have the opportunity to take photos with a Roxy cut-out.

Since the launch in November 2023, the Rolling Reader and outreach team have visited more than 55 unique community partners at 139 outreach events. They’ve handed out more than 4,565 books, 554 craft kits and served more than 8,870 people. The team has also signed up 150 people for new library cards.