Forsyth County Public Library Bookmobile Arrives Next Week

It’s big, it’s blue, and it’s coming to a neighborhood near you! Forsyth County Public Library announced today that its Bookmobile, a rolling library measuring over 33 feet long, is expected to arrive on Thursday, October 29. 

Forsyth County Public Library’s Bookmobile is prepared for a 1,400-mile journey from Colorado to Cumming. (Image courtesy of Summit Bodyworks)

Residents on the west side of the county may catch a glimpse of the Bookmobile as it completes the final leg of its 1,400 mile journey from Fort Lupton, Colorado where it was custom-built to meet the literary needs of Forsyth County’s readers. The Bookmobile will stop at Forsyth County’s Fleet Maintenance garage for a final inspection, training, and installation of license plates and decals required for local operation. 

Then, the Bookmobile will move to its designated parking area at the library’s administrative offices adjacent to the Cumming Library to be outfitted for its first tour of Forsyth County. The library’s Information Technology staff will install equipment for the Bookmobile’s Wi-Fi, computers, and printers while staff from the Outreach department shelves a wide selection of books and materials for readers of all ages.

The launch of the Bookmobile is a result of the Library’s strategic plan, especially the goal of serving the entire Forsyth County community.

“The idea of adding bookmobile services came out of our strategic planning retreat, which included patrons, elected officials, community leaders, and other stakeholders. Participants identified the need for delivery of library services beyond the boundaries of our buildings,” says Library Director Anna Lyle.

“Impact fees collected by Forsyth County made the goal into a reality,” adds Lyle.

Approximately $400,000 in impact fees funded the custom vehicle and its contents, including on board computer equipment and books.

The Bookmobile is expected to be fully outfitted and ready to begin building routes around Forsyth County in late November. 

Upon arrival, the Bookmobile will be outfitted with computers, equipment, and thousands of books before it begins regular routes around Forsyth County. (Image courtesy of Summit Bodyworks)

“We’re so excited to get behind the wheel and meet readers in the more remote areas of our county,” says Outreach Manager Sarah Reynolds, who leads the library’s Outreach team and is one of three library staff members who will operate the Bookmobile. 

The Bookmobile will lower barriers to using public libraries by bringing books, technology, and resources to areas that are further away from the library’s physical locations. With nearly 250 square miles to cover in Forsyth County and over 236,000 residents, demand for the Bookmobile’s services is expected to be high.

“We’ve been working with local organizations to identify areas where travel to existing library branches is difficult or inconvenient because of limited transportation options. Those locations will be among the Bookmobile’s first routes,” adds Reynolds.

The Bookmobile is expected to begin visiting housing authority locations, parks, food banks, and other stops, primarily in the northern part of Forsyth County. Additional locations, such as schools and community gathering places in the southern part of the county, are expected to be included in the Bookmobile’s routes in 2021. 

With bright blue paint, a collection of 3,500 books, modular furniture, hydraulic wheelchair lift, and a 22-foot awning sheltering a 72-inch television screen, the Bookmobile will serve as a rolling ambassador to expand awareness about all the materials and resources Forsyth County Public Library offers Forsyth residents. 

“An important part of bringing the Bookmobile to these remote areas will be to talk with families and individuals who may not have visited our libraries and introduce them to the free services public libraries provide,” says Reynolds.

Students enrolled in Forsyth County Schools who visit the Bookmobile can learn how to access their free virtual Forsyth County Public Library card. Other students, children, adults, and seniors visting Bookmobile stops will be encouraged to apply for a free library card, if they do not already have one.

Information about the Bookmobile, including routes, stops, or other special appearances, will be posted as details become available on the library’s website at https://www.forsythpl.org/Bookmobile.