The Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) is retiring its 1994 Toyota Previa for an all-new 2021 Toyota Sienna. The vehicle, donated by the Southern California Toyota Dealers Association (TDA) through the Library Foundation of Los Angeles, will be used to support community outreach, outdoor programming and delivery of materials to and from its 73 libraries throughout Los Angeles.
Toyota donated the 1994 Previa to the library more than 26 years ago and after nearly three decades of service, it was time for an upgrade. The library retired their ride in 2020 and contacted the Southern California TDA in hopes of obtaining a new Toyota.
“Toyota is dedicated to driving mobility for all and by making the library accessible to more neighborhoods throughout LA, we’re helping to enrich young lives and foster a sense of imagination,” said Shawn Domeracki, general manager, Toyota Los Angeles Region. “We’re proud to support the Los Angeles Public Library and look forward to seeing how many more communities they’ll be able to impact behind the wheel of their new Sienna.”
The library depends on a reliable source of transportation to implement youth literacy programs, such as its Read Baby Read initiative that delivers reading kits to new parents at participating hospitals and health clinics. Later this year, library staff also plan on traveling to different neighborhoods in Los Angeles to host fun, interactive outdoor programs for children and teens.
The Sienna is a hybrid with a class-leading EPA-estimated 36 combined mpg, helping the library reach communities more efficiently. And with features such as Toyota Kick Sensor for hand-free door opening and closing and a 60/40 One-Motion-Stow Split & Stow 3rd Row seat, loading and transporting books will be more convenient than ever.
“Our 1994 Previa served our community well and we logged thousands of miles traveling to and from our neighborhood libraries over the past 26 years,” said Madeline J. Bryant, principal librarian of the Youth Services Department, Engagement and Learning Division. “The new Sienna represents an exciting next chapter for the library and we’re grateful to have a safe, fuel-efficient vehicle that will help us expand our services to reach even more Angelenos.”
The LAPL serves the nation’s second-largest and most diverse population of people through programming, resources and services that help ensure all Angelenos have free, easy access to information. While the library’s doors remained closed much of last year to reduce the spread of COVID-19, they continued to serve the community through their ‘Library to Go’ curbside program. LAPL re-opened its main library doors on May 3 as part of a phased re-opening along with 38 other branches.
For more information on the library’s locations and hours, visit lapl.org/reopening.
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