The Christian County Literacy Council is preparing to take a newly minted book mobile trailer directly to young readers in the community.
Created through a Leadership Hopkinsville-Christian County class project, the book mobile was made possible through several supporters, said Francene Gilmer, executive director of the literacy council.
Beaver Tree Service donated the trailer, and art teacher Paula Gieseke’s students painted it with whimsical creatures that resemble Dr. Seuss characters. Hopkinsville Rotary and the city of Hopkinsville gave the literacy council grants to help stock the book mobile.
Children in the literacy council’s Beyond the Books summer camp participated in a dedication ceremony for the book mobile Thursday afternoon at Hillcrest Baptist Church, where the camp was held.
Some of the first stops planned for the book mobile will be at the Hopkinsville YMCA, which has a summer reading program, and at ballparks for athletic events, where children will be invited to pick a book of their own at no cost.
The literacy council is considering a number of ways to use the book mobile — such as setting up for a special day at the Downtown Farmers Market and going to the Boys and Girls Club on Walnut Street.
The book mobile’s selection includes book appropriate for readers ages 4 to roughly 16. These range from picture books for the youngest children to chapter books for teenagers.
Community members who want to help the literacy council may donate new or gently used books. Gilmer said these can be dropped off at the Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library, 1101 Bethel St.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
