Eagle Valley Library District debuts new bookmobile
Mobile library will make accessing district's resources easier for rural community members
Eagle Valley Library District/Courtesy photo
The Eagle Valley Library District unveiled its state-of-the-art bookmobile on Monday, April 7.
The expansion to the district’s services will bring library collections, resources and programs beyond its existing three branches and into the community, from Dotsero to Minturn, McCoy to Red Cliff and everywhere in between.
“We’re thrilled to provide inclusive services and resources to communities where residents have told us they have difficulty finding the time or transportation to get to a library branch,” said Tegan Davis, director of Eagle Valley Library District. “The new bookmobile is the next chapter in the library’s vision in helping bridge the gap for those who lack access to the internet, library and literacy resources.”
The district’s service area includes approximately 81% of Eagle County, a population of over 45,000 people across nearly 1,700 square miles. Community surveys over the past decade have highlighted the need for library services in more rural mountain areas. The district began the process of procuring a custom bookmobile in 2022 that could handle the terrain in Eagle County, weather conditions and priority library services.
Library staff will be able to flip the bookmobile space to curate specific library material for each service location based on community need and interest.
Support Local Journalism
The bookmobile’s built-in features include: A wheelchair lift; Wi-Fi; Chromebooks; a printer; a retractable awning; windows for natural lighting and ventilation; collections of books, DVDs and other English and Spanish materials and interchangeable shelving to allow the interior to transform into classroom with seating options.
Additionally, the Bookmobile’s removable carts can be rolled outside, accommodating groups of any size accessing library resources.
Eagle Valley Library District will celebrate the Bookmobile’s debut with a series of special open houses in the second week of April. The open house schedule is as follows:
- Gypsum Public Library: Monday, April 7, noon-6 p.m.
- Eagle Public Library: Wednesday, April 9, noon-6 p.m.
- Avon Public Library: Thursday, April 10, noon-6 p.m.
Visit EVLD.org for upcoming routes and schedule announcements.
