Welcome back to Lynchburg Field Notes, a series that arrives in your inbox on Wednesdays with news updates from the past week and previews of what’s coming up next in the Hill City.
As the summer season begins, Lynchburg organizations are delivering resources right to your neighborhood, as the Lynchburg Public Library brings books across town with its new bookmobile and Lynchburg City Schools provides free meals at community centers with its summer food service. If getting out of your neighborhood is the goal of your summer itinerary, Lynchburg Regional Airport has new flights to connect you with airline hubs.
Read the roundup below, and reach me at emma@cardinalnews.org if there are any Lynchburg stories you want to see in Cardinal News this summer.
Lynchburg’s first bookmobile starts routes this week
The Lynchburg Public Library’s new bookmobile is taking its inaugural rides this week, stopping at Riverfront Park and Jefferson House Apartments Wednesday and Armstrong Place Thursday. You can view the full pilot schedule on the library’s website.
The bookmobile serves as a library branch on wheels, providing residents free access to a collection of books available for check out, public Wi-Fi and educational programs. The two staff members who manage the bookmobile can issue library cards right from the van for those who have never interacted with the Lynchburg Public Library before.
“This bookmobile is more than a vehicle. It is a promise — a promise that the library belongs to everyone, everywhere,” said Beverly Blair, the library director, in her remarks during last week’s ceremony to unveil the bookmobile.
The $300,000 van comes at no cost to the city. Friends of the Lynchburg Public Library, a nonprofit that supports the public resource, raised the funds through grants and donors.
The expanded services come at a critical time, Blair said, because the main library on Memorial Avenue is closed for renovations and won’t reopen until summer 2027. The bookmobile arrives at a symbolic time, too, as the Lynchburg Public Library celebrates its 60th year in the Hill City.
This summer, residents can find library services at the downtown branch, in the new bookmobile and at temporary library hubs in the Miller Center.
New flights at Lynchburg Regional Airport
For the first time since 2001, Lynchburg Regional Airport is connecting travelers to three destinations via direct flights.
United Express’ trips to Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport were added to the airport’s existing American Airlines service to Charlotte, North Carolina, in March.
Beginning in September, the flight schedule will be updated to include a new early-morning departure from Lynchburg to Washington Dulles that will provide expanded access to morning connections through United’s global network.
Under the updated schedule, flights from Lynchburg to Dulles are expected to leave at about 6:30 a.m. Return service to Lynchburg is expected later that same morning, and then the aircraft will continue service between Lynchburg and O’Hare, with departures at about 10:30 a.m. and return service at about 4:30 p.m.
Final schedules remain subject to airline confirmation and operational adjustments.
Airport officials said in a press release that these changes reflect positive growth for the regional airport.
“We are very encouraged by the strong early response to United service in Lynchburg,” said airport director Cedric Simon. “The addition of early morning service and overnight aircraft positioning demonstrates confidence in this market and provides greater convenience and connectivity for travelers throughout Central Virginia.”
Free meals to be delivered to children across Lynchburg’s neighborhoods
Lynchburg City Schools is participating in the USDA Summer Food Service Program this year, allowing the school system to provide meals to all children without charge, according to a press release.
Breakfast and lunch will be offered, on a first-come, first-served basis, at sites across Lynchburg. Children must remain on-site while eating.
The meals will be distributed at a mix of schools and community centers, reaching more than 25 locations in all. Most locations open Monday and are scheduled to remain open until early August.
Find the location closest to you and its meal schedule on Lynchburg City Schools’ website.
