Even in these days of eBooks and audiobooks, a bookmobile is an important community resource. It travels more than 2,600 square miles around Yellowstone County, serving over 170,000 residents.
Billings Library Director Kelsie Rubich says the bookmobile checks out some 40,000 print items every month. She says that double the library’s digital use.
And it’s a vital lifeline for many small, rural county schools.
“So many of these small schools don’t have access to the resources to maintain large library collections,” says Rubich. “So the bookmobile brings fresh books, early literacy materials and curriculum support directly to those students and teachers.”
The bookmobile is more than just books. It provides Wi-Fi, tech help and off-site programming to 7 schools, 7 senior meal centers, 4 city parks, 11 neighborhoods, 21 senior living facilities and 15 homebound patrons.
Billings Public Library’s first bookmobile hit the road on December 10, 1950, a time when there were only 300 other bookmobiles around the country says Bookmobile Librarian Mary Leichner.
To celebrate 75 years of the local bookmobiles, there is a photo exhibit throughout December of the various vehicles on the First Five Years wall inside the library. And there’s a place where patrons can share their bookmobile memories.
A monthly bookmobile schedule is available at the library’s website at billingslibrary.org and on Facebook at Billings Public Library Bookmobile.
