OLLie Puts Osceola Library on the Move—Could it Be Coming to You?

By David Chivers

Originally published in Osceola News Gazette

Under bright skies and with a gathering of staff and supporters, the Osceola Library unveiled OLLie—the new Osceola Library Link van, fully equipped to serve as a Library on the Move, at a ribbon cutting held Tuesday at the Buenaventura Lakes Library.

“OLLie represents an exciting step forward in how we bring learning, technology, and library services directly into our neighborhoods,” said Osceola District 2 Commissioner Viviana Janer. “I’m very excited about this. This mobile unit is fully equipped to serve families wherever they are.”

The van offers a range of features, including a collection of books, games and toys, a TV display, as well as five Chromebook Laptops for tutoring, Wi-Fi hotspots capable of supporting 100 devices, and on-site printing services. OLLie is powered by a solar energy panel that powers an onboard generator. Total cost for the van was about $140,000.

“This idea originated from a longrange plan that was completed about two years ago,” said Camille Levee, President of the Osceola County Library Board, a group charge with bringing information from the community to the commissioners about the needs of the library system. “We said, ‘We need services that are mobile—people can’t always get to our libraries.’ It took us a while to get it equipped. It took us about seven months to get it tricked out with what it needs to be, including solar, so that we don’t have to plug in somewhere. It’s looking towards the future.”

OLLie will make regular bimonthly four to five-hour stops in areas not near present library branches, such as Holopaw and Oren Brown Park, with additional planned locations including Fire Station 75 and Sunbridge. It will also be available for community requested visits to parks, events and neighborhood gatherings.

“It’s important because we are going to be able to get resources out to the community where they live, where they work, and where they play,” said Amy Jones, Library Director for the Osceola Library System. “Our goal is to reach some of the underserved areas of the county, where a library may be too far away.”

“By bringing story time, tech help, wi-fi, materials for check out and library resources right to the residents’ doorsteps, we are ensuring everyone has access to learning and connection and that’s what it’s all about, said Janer. “We don’t want to leave anybody out in Osceola County.”