Beaumont Library District Bookmobile

This vehicle will be staffed during all official exhibit hours.

Beaumont Library’s brand new, full-size Bookmobile arrived in California on July 24.  It replaced the much smaller Sprinter van, purchased used, that had been in operation since 2012.

The new vehicle was manufactured by Matthews Specialty Vehicles in Greensboro, NC.  Most of the cost was funded through a $224,152 grant from the California State Library through their “Shared Vision: Bringing the Library to You” program. 

Our proposal was entitled “Growing with you. . .by going to you!” because the goal is to reach out to BLD’s fast-growing community. 

Supervising Librarian for Outreach & Youth Services Julia Schumacher and Director Luren Dickinson got a sneak preview of the Bookmobile on June 17, when Matthews Specialty Vehicles flew them out to their plant in North Carolina.  The vehicle was inspected on June 25 by Michael Swendrowski, a nationally known Bookmobile consultant, who gave it a clean bill of health!

The new, step van style Bookmobile has a 2022 Ford F59 chassis with a 26' Ford Route Star Walk-In Morgan Olson body and a wheelchair lift, powered awning, small seating area and lots of shelf space!  It will service in-home childcare and day care facilities, preschools, and Veteran's and low-income housing.  There are also regular stops at local community centers.

Beaumont Library, a California Special District independent of both city and county government, has an elected, 5-member Board of Trustees and provides library services to the more than 65,000 residents of Beaumont and Cherry Valley.  Call 951-845-1357 or visit bld.lib.ca.us for more information.