A new chapter in health education access begins in East County on April 7 as the Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) unveils its new Mobile Outreach Library (MOL). The launch coincides with the beginning of National Library Week and celebrates the District’s continued commitment to bridging healthcare and information gaps for all its residents.

Affectionately referred to as Molly, the MOL is the latest innovation from the GHD Health & Wellness Library, designed to bring authoritative, reliable health resources directly to underserved and remote communities across the District’s 750-square-mile region. The initiative reflects a growing awareness that many residents — especially seniors, students, and low-income families — face barriers to physically visiting the Library in La Mesa.

“Health literacy is an essential foundation of community wellness,” said Chief Community Health Officer for Grossmont Healthcare District Amy Abrams. “With Molly, we are literally meeting people where they are, ensuring that reliable health information is within reach — whether they live in Campo, Santee, or anywhere in between.”

The concept for the mobile library began in the spring of 2023 and gained traction through the Library Operations Committee. Following unanimous approval by the GHD Board of Directors in December 2023, a library outreach assistant was hired, and an outreach van was purchased in late 2024.

Designed to be more than just a library on wheels, the MOL will provide a range of community-tailored library services including library card registration, digital literacy training, and facilitate research requests to individuals looking for more in-depth health information on certain conditions. Additionally, residents will be able to receive other resources that are currently available at the physical library, including information about services available through other non-profit health and community partners working in East County.

“Libraries have always found ways to get information and resources to the people — in the past sometimes even by horse, mule, or bicycle,” said Holland Kessinger, head librarian for the GHD Health & Wellness Library. “Molly carries forward that proud tradition by serving as a beacon of health information. Health literacy is so important and this van is not just transportation; it’s transformation.”

The MOL will serve locations on a rotating schedule, including senior housing communities, schools, community centers, health fairs, and rural towns such as Tecate, Descanso, and Pine Valley. Residents can sign up for a free library card and gain access to more than 300 ebooks, databases such as Gale Health & Wellness and Natural Medicines, and curated resources in both English and Spanish.

The mobile library’s operating budget for 2025 is projected at $25,000 and is expected to decrease as the program stabilizes. The GHD team plans to evaluate the effectiveness of routes and services quarterly, ensuring responsiveness to community needs and optimizing reach.

Board members say the Mobile Outreach Library is emblematic of the District’s broader goal: using innovation to increase access, equity, and community wellness.

“This initiative shows that we are not waiting for people to come to us — we’re going to them,” added Randy Lenac, a member of the publicly elected Grossmont Healthcare District Board of Directors who represents many of the District’s most rural communities. “As stewards of taxpayer resources, it’s our duty to ensure every resident, regardless of where they live, has the opportunity to make informed choices about their health.”

For more information about the MOL, including upcoming stops and how to request a visit, go to:grossmonthealthcare.org/mobile-outreach-library/.