Friends of Salinas Public Library
110 W. San Luis St., Salinas
(831) 758-7311 www.montereycountygives.com/education-youth/friends-of-the-salinas-public-library
The winner of the 2014 Monterey County Gives! Ingenuity Award – which includes $2,500 award from the Community Foundation for Monterey County – was PALETERO Push Carts. The program mission doubles as the acronym: Providing, Access, Literacy, and Education Through Engaging Residents Outside Library Walls. It takes the model of the paletero, aka the ice cream man, to bring literature, children’s books, film, music and library marketing via push carts to the community in East Salinas. With the purchase of two carts the library will walk in the neighborhoods and use an Apple iPad linked to a Verizon Wireless WiFi unit to circulate materials. Children and adults can choose items and check them out that day. Those without a library card can apply that day through the program. The paletero cart will also be a mobile hot-spot. Staff members will walk the same route weekly, with additional neighborhood visits quarterly.