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New “Libby” Mobile Express Unveiled at City Hall Thanks to the Support of College of the Holy Cross, Worcester Public Library Foundation, and City of Worcester

Mural was created by POW! WOW! Worcester artist Key Detail.

Worcester, MA – The new “Libby” Mobile Express was unveiled on Tuesday, January 9 at Worcester’s City Hall.
Mayor Joseph Petty and City Manager Edward Augustus presided over the official unveiling and announcement. The new “Libby” Mobile Library will replace the current 1992 model “Libby,” which returned to the road in June 2012, and makes an average of fifty-five stops per month.

“This is not just about giving our Worcester Public School students access to books and computers, it’s also about giving our seniors a way to stay busy and active,” said Mayor Petty. “It’s a way to connect to patrons who may have obstacles to accessing library services.”

The new vehicle will bring improved reliability, increased headroom, and additional shelf space, which has allowed for expanded collections for all ages. The upgrade also houses three work stations for staff, staff printing capabilities, a seat for patrons, and windows to let in natural light.

“The library comes alive because of the men and women who work for the library day in and day out,” said City Manager Augustus. “Today we have a mobile library that is 25% bigger than the previous Libby - that’s a lot more items that kids, seniors, and citizens want to borrow!”

The new mobile library also boasts high performance batteries in place of a generator, which will power library functions while the vehicle is serving patrons. The batteries are more dependable, cleaner, and quieter than the current generator.

“We are grateful to the leadership of the city for their support in elevating the lives of our city and our citizens,” said Stephanie Pasha, President of the Worcester Public Library Board of Directors. “Great partnerships result in great outcomes.”

Also in attendance were State Representative John Mahoney; City Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson; City Councilor Sarai Rivera; City Councilor Gary Rosen; School Committee Member John Monfredo; Stephanie Pasha, President of the Worcester Public Library Board of Directors; Tim Loew, President of the Worcester Public Library Foundation Board of Trustees; Jamie Hoag, Director of Government and Community Relations at the College of the Holy Cross; Christine Murray, Executive Director of the Worcester Public Library Foundation; and Geoffrey Dickinson, Head Librarian.

The “Libby” Mobile Library is a collaboration between the City of Worcester, the Worcester Public Library, the Worcester Public Library Foundation, and the College of the Holy Cross. The original artwork on the exterior of “Libby” was created and executed by Key Detail, a Belarusian artist who has worked with POW! WOW! Worcester among other high profile organizations around the world.

For more information on the Worcester Public Library and a complete list of events and programs visit mywpl.org. For more information on the “Libby” Mobile Express contact Linnea Sheldon, Community Relations and Communications Manager, at lsheldon@mywpl.org or 508-799-1654.