The Arlington Heights Memorial Library’s bookmobile has been rolling around town for more than 50 years. In all, six different bookmobiles have served the community, drawing more than 400,000 residents to climb aboard and check out 1.2 million items from the library’s collection.
Amy Somary, AHML board president, cuts the ribbon.
On Monday, the newest bookmobile rolled up and parked in front of the library, in time for a ribbon cutting ceremony. Its debut drew not only members of the library board, Friends of the Library and staff members, but many elected officials as well as members of the community.
“The bookmobile’s mission has been the same for five decades,” said the library’s Executive Director Mike Driskell, “expanding access to the library — beyond its walls — and into the heart of the community.
“It’s more than a vehicle filled with books,” he added, “it’s a mobile extension of the library, able to change with the times.”
The new bookmobile is navy blue, reflecting the color scheme of the library’s 100th anniversary branding, and officials describe it as “state of the art.”
Its features include modular shelving that allows staff to reconfigure the bookmobile for different collections, programs and community needs; an exterior video board, an electric awning, more space inside, and an improved, fully accessible lift, making the bookmobile more welcoming and accessible to all members of the community.
One of the people recognized at the ceremony was Lauree Harp, founder and chairperson of the Arlington Heights Memorial Library Foundation. For more than a year, Harp and her foundation members have been fundraising to purchase the new bookmobile. Their goal was to raise $150,000 of the projected $600,000 cost.
In the end, with the help of some major donors — Glueckert Funeral Home, Village Bank and Trust, and the Chicago Bears — as well as premium donors who wished to stay anonymous, two raffle sales, an ornament sale and cash donations at the Arlington Heights Farmer’s Market, the foundation exceeded its goal and raised $160,000.
Harp and her team found the campaign to be rewarding since so many people shared stories of their experience at the library and the bookmobile. The larger donors, she said, wanted to be good neighbors and show their continued community support.
“For me, it was a very gratifying 18 months of working with so many people to plan and execute the campaign,” Harp said, “and then be successful in providing financial assistance for a community resource that offers library accessibility to our entire community.”
The word, accessibility, kept coming up during remarks at the ceremony, from the bookmobile’s 27 stops around the village, to its new lift and high visibility in the community, leaders prioritized giving residents easy access to library services.
The former Arlington Heights Memorial Library bookmobile
“Our library is the crown jewel of our community,” said Amy Somary, library board president, “but sometimes the best way to connect with people is to bring library services right to them.
“This bookmobile offers access to information, learning, entertainment and community,” she added. “Your generosity allowed us to dream bigger and benefit residents throughout the community for years to come.”
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