Latest Mobile CDL News

  • Mobile CDL Progress
    The Mobile CDL build is making progress! Take a sneak peek at the interior…now we are working on ordering materials. We anticipate a spring delivery, followed by staff training, pop-up visits this summer, and a pilot schedule beginning in September.
  • Thank You Green Tree Pediatrics!
    The staff and board at Chelsea District Library extend their gratitude to Green Tree Pediatrics for their generous $5,000 pledge to support early literacy efforts with Mobile CDL. Dr. Scott Moore shares, “Chelsea District Library’s commitment to creative approaches to early literacy to engage all children matches the philosophy of our practice. We are excited to partner […]
Download, print, and color your own bookmobile! Drop it off at the library to show us your creation!

 Press Releases

Why Mobile CDL?

Mobile CDL is an initiative aimed at expanding access to the library’s materials, staff, technology, and services. The Chelsea District Library service area encompasses 110 square miles and includes the City of Chelsea, Sylvan and Lyndon Townships and portions of Lima and Dexter Townships that are within the Chelsea School District. Within our service area, the City of Chelsea represents 3.3% of the geographic area and 35% of its population. The surrounding townships account for 106 of the 110 square miles in our service area and 65% of its population. Research indicates library usage increases with proximity to the building. Mobile CDL will address the geographic barriers of our service area, increase accessibility to library materials and services, and encourage greater library participation.

What Are Current Barriers to Access?

In the 2020–23 Strategic Plan, we identified the following barriers to library access:

  • Circumstance—Mobility and Disabilities
  • Economic/Transportation Challenges
  • Limited Information & Technology Literacy & Access
  • Physical Distance – Research indicates that proximity to a library increases usage.

What Will Your Mobile Library Look Like?

Mobile libraries have come a long way from this! Watch the videos below for a peek into a modern mobile library.

Driven to Engage, Inspire, Equip!

  • Mobile CDL will bridge the digital divide by providing access to technology with Wi-Fi internet access and hands-on training to access the library’s digital tools and services.
  • People will gain access to CDL’s physical and digital collections.
  • Chelsea School District students will have the opportunity to improve literacy skills.
  • Office services like copying, scanning, and faxing will be available.
  • It will emulate the experience users get entering the doors of the library, including the personal engagement with friendly CDL staff.
  • It will be ADA compliant and environmentally friendly.

What Comes Next?

So what are the next steps? How do we make this happen? It started with a commitment from the Board of Trustees to acquire Mobile CDL. We have issued the purchase order and we are working on securing the additional funding we will need to make our vision a reality. If all goes according to plan, you will see Mobile CDL out and about within the next 9–12 months!  Would you like to donate to help bring Mobile CDL from concept to reality? Tell us your thoughts about where you would like to see Mobile CDL. And, the Gifts That Go Places campaign kicks off on June 10 with the goal to raise the last 10% of the project cost. Click here to donate!

The Bee a Part of It campaign was inspired by the generosity of the family of longtime library Friend, board member, and bookkeeper Mary Budzinski—affectionately known as Mary B.