GULFPORT — A van filled with books, laptops, Wi-Fi and job tools is closing access gaps in south Mississippi — one parking lot at a time. 

For residents without reliable transportation, library services can be out of reach. But the Harrison County Library System’s mobile outreach van, Libraries Unbound, is helping bring essential services directly to area residents. Since launching in 2022, the van has visited underserved areas and turned everyday spaces — from daycare centers to senior facilities — into pop-up resource hubs. 

“They’re grateful that we’re there,” said Sean Green, mobile outreach librarian for the library system. “A lot of the folks that we run into either have a lot of transportation issues — they can’t get to these branches, or they don’t have enough time.” 

Reaching the community 

The van currently serves Biloxi, D’Iberville, Gulfport, Pass Christian and Saucier. According to Green, it is used by all age groups at no cost. Last year, more than 1,000 people utilized resources through the van, with more than 1,000 items checked out over a nine-month span. 

One regular stop is A Place to Grow daycare in Pass Christian. Pre-K3 teacher Melissa Plank said the van visits every two weeks — and her students look forward to it. 

“I let them pick out their book that they want to look at, and I write their names on it,” Plank said. “Then, at the end of each day, we draw a name out of a cup. And each day … I read one of the kids’ books that they chose.” 

Plank said they follow a weekly theme and rely on the van to help find materials. 

“Like right now, we’re doing cowboys and cowgirls,” Plank said. “I actually did just pick up some books today for like the luau tropical theme for next week.” 

The van also appears at public events like the Butterflies in the Pass Monarch Festival in Pass Christian, Cinema by the Shore in Gulfport and First Fridays in downtown Biloxi. Residents can schedule van stops online. 

How it started 

Harrison County Library System Director Sarah Ruskey said the project began when the system received federal CARES Act grant funding through the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The system was awarded one of 68 national grants, which provided $270,000 in funding to purchase the van, hire staff and partner with Coast Transit Authority to install onboard Wi-Fi. 

Out of Mississippi’s 52 library systems, Harrison County is one of the few that operates a bookmobile, according to the Mississippi Library Commission. 

“The amount of people that we served doubled from the first year to the second year, and it’s even grown since then,” Ruskey said. 

One condition of the grant was that the van be equipped for rapid emergency response — a requirement Ruskey said stemmed from the challenges of maintaining library services during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Technology on wheels 

The van is equipped with a computer lab and online classes. Green said residents use it for job searches, homework and telehealth. 

As digital access has become increasingly essential, the Libraries Unbound van reflects a broader trend: 90% of U.S. libraries now offer electronic materials such as e-books, audiobooks and digital literacy training, according to the American Library Association. 

Ruskey said staff do not fill out forms for people, but they do offer help understanding the process — including finding websites and emailing documents.

“If we were to get rid of the truck today, then a lot of those folks that don’t have that accessibility would just be left in the dust,” Green said. “They would either have to find that transportation to get to the library, find that time that they may not have … and we may just lose that engagement, period.” 

Green referred to the van as a “tech mobile” because of the range of technological services offered alongside educational materials.

Library usage and outcomes 

According to U.S. News & World Report, 58% of Harrison County School District students tested at or above proficient in reading for the 2023-2024 school year. At Harrison Central Elementary, that number was 67% — higher than both the district average and the state average of 39%. 

Ruskey said library usage has increased alongside reading scores. Over the past two years, the library system reported an 11% rise in visitors, reaching 275,000 readers. The system also offered more than 1,400 community programs. 

“I think we’ll continue to see growth in the outreach programs around the state,” Ruskey said. “It’s different, people are mobile, and we go find them and help serve them there.” 

Green said he enjoys making stops across different communities — and he hopes more residents will take advantage of the program. 

“We want to make sure that everybody knows that, hey, we’re out there,” Green said. “If you need us, we can come to you.”