Newspaper Keeps Home-bound Reading ... Books

By: Jim Rosenberg In Dalton, Ga., Daily Citizen carriers will begin delivering library books to homebound residents in July, restarting a Northwest Regional Library System service provided by a library van. Covering three counties, the deliveries will be made every other week. The Daily Citizen reported library staffers will place requested books in containers for carrier pick-up. Publisher William Bronson considered the possibility of taking on book deliveries when the library announced it would end its van service, which replaced a more costly bookmobile several years ago. Daily Citizen carriers already deliver to most of two of the counties. Bronson explained to E&P that the independent-contractor carriers are paid on a per-piece basis, and that they will deliver books in the afternoon, not with the morning Daily Citizen. Only some carriers will deliver books (and return them to the library), and only for about 20 to 25 families at this point, according to Bronson. "We are also hoping this will grow the program," Bronson said, pointing out that supporting literacy is good for the community and the newspaper, and that the current economic conditions make it a good time to help where needed. In partnership with grocers and other local businesses, for example, the Daily Citizen has helped supply about 200 area families with food. Book deliveries by the newspaper will cost far less than the former program cost the library, according to Bronson.