Harris County ends library's popular bookmobile program

д t It о Ч «I or ЛУ е t Шэе искр: До Л -Aasg Рие ? os/e с У s&d е juapih Рэ/ег: '.г pf Homestead. “We just want to make sure chil¬ dren aren’t at immediate risk at the facility,” said Sul Ross, program ad¬ ministrator for the child-care licens¬ ing division of the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Ser¬ vices. .“This is just until we can investi¬ gate and see what direction we need to go with them.” ■ Miss Lucy’s Academy previously has been cited for minor license vio¬ lations, none involving the safety or treatment of children. The center was cited last month for rnicide detectives determine the facil¬ ity was negligent or acted recklessly. Victoria, who suffered from spina bifida, was picked up at her resi¬ dence by a day-care van Friday morning and taken to the preschool with other children. The child, who used a wheelchair, was strapped into a seat in the van. Somehow she was forgotten until found late that afternoon. She was pronounced dead at LBJ Hospital. Results of an autopsy are pending completion of a toxicology analysis that could take several more days. Harris County ends library’s popular bookmobile program By JOE STINEBAKER Houston Chronicle Without a word of discussion, Harris County Commissioners Court banished bookmobiles Tuesday to the Harris County Li¬ brary’s history section. Court members voted unani¬ mously to accept Library Director Cathy Ensign’s recommendation that the county scrap the popular program after more than 60 years and use the staff and money at the county’s branch offices. Ensign said that despite the popularity of the program among its users, the number of patrons had been declining over the years as the library increased the num¬ ber of its branches. In addition, the 25-year-old tractor-trailer and 21-year-old rec¬ reational vehicle used for the pro¬ gram are in such poor condition that both have been off the road since January. Although the county could have repaired or replaced the trucks, Ensign said the approximate cost of $200,000 would be too high for the limited use the trucks receive. In addition, she said, the coun¬ ty’s expanding branch system means that 13 of the 20 stops made by the bookmobiles are now within she miles of a branch li¬ brary. Only three - Ranch Coun¬ try, Fairfield and Mission Bend - are more than 10 miles from a branch. County Judge Robert Eckels said after Tuesday’s vote that with the increased number of branch libraries, the bookmobiles were no longer the most cost-effective way to serve patrons. An earlier attempt to replace the bookmobile program with a “Books By Mail” program in 1996 was thwarted after a series of pub¬ lic hearings produced a strong wave of support for the bookmo¬ biles. Although the bookmobile pro¬ gram was “quaint,” Eckels said, the cost of continuing the service was just too high. The trucks will now be auc¬ tioned off, Ensign said, and their books and staff transferred to various branches. In addition, Commissioners Court also approved adding 10 more employees to the depart¬ ment to increase staffing at the branches. The Harris County Library sys¬ tem has 25 branches and operates on an annual budget of nearly $11 million. Help us save our local kids. (713)225-4226 HOUSTON CAN ! ACADEMY Giving young Texans a second chance! TAX PEPUCTIOK & FREE; TOWING!