Visiting schools, senior citizen centers, and neighborhoods, our four bookmobiles deliver library services to our rural patrons in Garfield, Kane, Piute, Iron, Sanpete, Sevier, Wayne, and Utah counties. Our bookmobile headquarters offer free Wi-Fi, computers, study spaces, and host story times and fun children’s activities.
The bookmobile program at the Utah State Library has been improving the quality of life for rural Utahns for 66 years. For Library Lovers Month this February, we are sharing how our bookmobile program impacts patrons, their communities, and our bookmobile staff.
Jakob Thygerson has been a bookmobile librarian for the MultiCounty Bookmobile for less than a year, but he’s greatly impacted his community. He especially enjoys encouraging young readers. “Kids walk in, plop down a tattered, overworked bag bursting at the seams with last week’s books, and speed off to collect their new treasure,” he says. “For these kids, the bookmobile is a kind of shrine to reading, learning, and stories.”
“Once, after delivering a hefty stack of new books to a homeschool kid who is one of my biggest readers, his mom told me, ‘The bookmobile has literally changed his life. I’m really not sure what we did before we started coming.’” he shares.
It’s not only children who value the bookmobile, adults in the community use the bookmobile as a place to gather. “People use the time on the bookmobile to catch up, to plan play dates, to share book recommendations (or critiques), and sometimes to meet new people,” he says.
“The value of the bookmobile can’t be measured. I feel grateful to play a small part in this amazing service!” – Jakob Thygerson, Multicounty Bookmobile librarian
River Meadows Senior Living in Alpine is one of Chris Baxter’s, the bookmobile librarian for Utah County, favorite stops. “Most of my visitors at that stop are elderly residents of the senior center, often only making it to the bookmobile with the help of canes and walkers or family and friends,” he explains. “Some know they can knock on my window at any time, and I’ll come get their returns and fetch new books for them.”
The elderly patrons love to visit with Chris and share stories of visiting a bookmobile in their youth. One couple checks out a new set of picture books for storytime with their visiting grandchildren. “Others visit with their children and grandchildren in tow, often bringing in children who have never seen a bookmobile and are aglow with delight to explore it.” he says.
Laurie Rigby, the Iron County bookmobile librarian, makes personal connections with her patrons. “My farthest stop in Iron County is at the train tracks in Modena, an almost ghost town 9 miles from the Nevada Border,” she says. “It is also the perfect stop to have a little afternoon snack. Two stops in a row, I was discovered eating freshly popped microwave popcorn by patron Jon. Now every time he or his wife come on the Bookmobile, they bring me a new bag of microwave popcorn and he calls me “Popcorn Laurie”.”
It’s not only the bookmobile librarians that impact patron’s lives. Our headquarters librarians are hard at work, creating a library experience for patrons of all ages.
Amber Fullerton, Tri-County’s headquarters librarian, is grateful for her “intern”. Della is a home-schooled ten-year-old who helps Amber in the library once a week.
Helping Amber plan story time is one of Della’s main responsibilities. “We brainstorm themes, choose books together, and even practice reading aloud,” says Amber. “She has great instincts for what kids will enjoy, often suggesting titles I wouldn’t have considered. It’s a true collaboration, and I love seeing her creative ideas come to life.”
Della has gained confidence through her “internship” and even leads a song or two during story time. “Seeing her come out of her shell and discover her own abilities has been truly remarkable,” says Amber. “It’s a privilege to be a part of her journey and to watch her flourish in the library environment.”
Across rural Utah, our bookmobile staff touch the lives of their patrons. Our Utah County Bookmobile Headquarter Librarian Camille Campbell, shared this bittersweet story.
“We had a regular patron here at headquarters who would come in almost weekly and chat about life and borrow movies and books. We got to know one another pretty well and bonded,” she says. “One day he came in to share the sad news of a terminal diagnosis. He said he wanted to come by one last time to say goodbye. He thanked us for being friendly and listening to him when he needed a friend. There were many, many tears as we gave heartfelt goodbyes. I will never forget the love he shared with me. I will never forget him.”
“The most meaningful part of what I do is the relationships I get to make with the people I serve. I love my bookmobile patrons and community!” – Camille Campbell, Utah County Bookmobile headquarter librarian
These stories are a small example of how much our Bookmobile Program means to our rural patrons who do not have access to a brick-and-mortar library. Visit our website to learn more about the Utah State Library Bookmobile Program.