Natick bookmobile hits the road

By Megan McKee, Globe Correspondent

Natick is one of only four Massachusetts communities that has a bookmobile, according to Morse Institute librarian Dale Smith, and starting July 19, the traveling library has a new schedule for neighborhood stops.

On July 19 and continuing every two weeks, the bookmobile stops at Buckingham Road from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.; Columbia Avenue from 6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.; 7 Silver Hill Lane from 7:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.; and 20 Woodbine Road from 8:05 p.m. to 8:35 p.m.

Starting July 26 and continuing every other week, the bookmobile stops at MacArthur Road from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.; Euclid Circle from 6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.; and Fiske Street from 7:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.

‘‘You can see where people would say this is a place where you can cut and save some money,’’ said Smith. But, he said, the library sees the bookmobile as essential to reaching populations who either can’t or won’t go to the library.

‘‘We’re using this sort of as our outreach program,’’ said Smith.

To check out materials, patrons present their library cards, and the bookmobile has a portable system that’s linked into the library’s circulation network. The bookmobile also makes stops at the town’s senior housing developments on Thursdays and makes Tuesday preschool visits during the school year.