History records that many of the early bookmobiles left the customer walking around the outside to find a book and then progressed to motorized bookmobiles with only a narrow one way aisle with one or two stacks of books along the side. Some served as the entire library, or as simple bookmovers between library locations, and in Johnston County to supplement school libraries and deliver books to day cares and residents' homes.

• Bookmobile Cost Comparison - Mobile Container Base vs. Bus Base
• Bookmobile Staff Perceptions on Bookmobile Service: A National Survey
• 40' Bookmobile Story - What a new bookmobile looks like, does, and costs
• Retired Bookmobile Story - What an underfunded library's bookmobile looks like

Cleveland Township residents need more books, Cleveland Library needs additional book display space, so its working to develop an on-site bookmobile, which will actually be 3 times larger than the existing Princeton library. It doesn't have the $300,000-400,000 for a new truck or bus based bookmobile, but it has a sturdier and more roomy 40' shipping container. When renovated, it could hold more than 10,000 1" books (at least twice the capacity of commercial units that cost 100 times more). The busiest bookmobile in Minnesota only carries 4,500 items, while Johnston County's bookmobile carries 2,000. If there is demand for a small satellite library in the future, Cleveland Library can buy and renovate another container and park 10,000 books where needed. The idea was born in early 2008 and was on its way by August, when Cleveland Library took sole possession of the container that Basic Needs rented for may years.

Working with Division of Pollution Prevention Environmental Engineers' the renovation plans developed:

• Add 3” foam board (R-15) on the inside walls and 6” (R-30) on the ceiling
• cover with the required .5" sheetrock (instead of plastic sheeting for a vapor barrier due to the tighter seal and reduced air flow)
• add shelving for both side walls, with its backing of thin plywood running 30-36’ down both side walls, it can hold up the foam board
• may have to add studs for the last 4-6’,  where it will not have shelving and where the airconditioner is anchored, electrical outlets installed, and replacement exit door
• add back to back shelves 30’ down the middle
• add 2 tube fluorescents down both aisles
• get a heating and air unit in (by now, less than an open 320 sq. ft. or 2,600 cubic feet), with a wiring hookup
• stay with the hard wood deck, later put an easy to clean floor over it
• remove one of the two large steel doors and install a solid commercial front door and lock set
• install a fire exit lighted sign and a fire extinguisher,
• alarm and camera installation,
• add parking lot light for safety near the unit,
• add computer and Internet hookup

Question: How do you move a container loaded with books?

Answer: Carefully. A steady crane operator can make the transfer from parking lot to flatbed container truck using the container's built-in four corner lift hooks. A slow and steady drive down the road and into the new site and a steady crane unload should complete the move. Many bookmobile staff members use rubber straps to lash the books to the shelves during moves and they drive over much rougher terrain.

Will we finish it? Only you know, because you are the community.