USDA Announces Recovery Act Support for Mendocino County

Current bookmobile is pictured

DAVIS, July 2, 2010 – USDA Rural Development State Director Glenda Humiston today announced the County of Mendocino will receive a $134,000 grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) to purchase a new bookmobile. The project is funded through USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities Program.

“Through the Recovery Act, Mendocino County can not only expand their library services to rural residents, but with added broadband capacity in the bookmobile residents have the services they need to help with job searches and resume building,” said Humiston. “This project is a great example of the real difference the Recovery Act is making throughout rural California.”

The new bookmobile will replace the county’s existing 16 year-old vehicle which is not energy efficient and has become very expensive to maintain in recent years. The bookmobile will not only house the books, but also now offers broadband internet connections to residents of 18 rural communities throughout Mendocino County. The bookmobile travels an average of 1,500 miles per week and checks out approximately 4,000 items a month.

“I am very pleased Mendocino County received the grant funding to replace its aging bookmobile,” stated the County’s First District Supervisor Carre Brown. “When I learned about the opportunity to apply, staff immediately responded with an application. The bookmobile historically has provided education and entertainment to rural County residents who are not able to have access to our libraries like urban residents. With the addition of broadband capability this service becomes even more valuable. It is my hope other County services will be integrated with the bookmobile to further enhance services and for cost effective delivery to our rural constituents during these difficult fiscal times.”

USDA Rural Development's Community Facilities program helps finance essential community facilities for public use in rural areas. These facilities include child care centers, hospitals, medical clinics, assisted-living facilities, fire and rescue stations, police stations, community centers, public buildings and transportation. Through this program, USDA ensures that such facilities are available to all rural residents. These funds are available to public bodies, non-profit organizations and federally recognized Indian tribes.

More information about USDA's Recovery Act efforts is available at www.usda.gov/recovery. More information about USDA Rural Development is available at www.rurdev.usda.gov/ca or by visiting one of our 18 local offices.