Find out if you’re eligible for Mobile Library Services
Our Mobile Library Services can make regular visits within the City of Seattle to bring the Library to you! But first, review the criteria below to see if you fit our eligibility criteria.
Adult Services
Individuals: Books by Mail and Home Service
Individual service is available to Seattle residents who are unable to travel to the library. This may include individuals who have an illness of a six month duration or longer or are living with a disability. Materials are delivered once a month, either through Books by Mail or Home Service delivery.
Residential Facilities and Day Centers
Mobile Services provides monthly library service to retirement homes, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult family homes, and senior centers when a significant number of residents or clients are unable to visit the library due to age or physical or intellectual disability. Facilities must demonstrate interest in participation in the program on the part of residents and complete an application form.
All new lobby stop sites added to the service must primarily serve low-income seniors and/or low-income people with disabilities or be a program whose primary audience is people of color. This includes buildings managed by public housing programs as well as ones that accept Medicaid or vouchers for low-income residents. Any site that requests service will be given an opportunity to demonstrate that they serve a significant number of adults with limited resources.
We offer two types of monthly service:
- Library staff bring carts of materials into the facility, including materials for browsing and items individuals have requested. Library staff check out materials to individuals during the visit.
- We deliver a deposit collection of materials we select based on the facility's requests and preferences.
Children's services
Mobile Services visits preschools and childcare centers that meet all of the following criteria:
- Are within the Seattle city limits
- Have at least 20 children enrolled
- Are not within easy walking distance to a public library branch (5 blocks, no major obstacles)
And meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Are a free or low-cost early learning program for low income families, including the following:
- Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP)
- Head Start
- Seattle Step Ahead
- Seattle Preschool Program
- Are a full or extended day program that accepts at least one of the following subsidies and has at least 25% of students currently using these subsidies:
- City of Seattle Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)
- Working Connections Child Care (DSHS)
- Serve primarily students with disabilities.
Priority will be given to programs that serve primarily families at or below 300% of Federal Poverty Guidelines.
We would love to visit your school at the time that works best for your daily routine, but because of finite resources and the need to plan routes geographically, we have limited scheduling flexibility.
If you would like to sign up for one of these services or have a question, Ask Us or call 206-386-4636.