On Tuesday, January 8, the Bookmobile rolled into the parking lot at Hills Elementary School for the first time. 

"We were swamped," Paul Bethke remembers. "We opened the doors and the sound of all those feet, it was like an earthquake."

But in a good way.

The Tuesday stop at Hills Elementary marks the first time the Bookmobile has traveled to the City of Hills. Currently, most of the stop's visitors are Hills students attending the after school program.

"I like that I can read a lot of new book," one student said as she waiting in line to check out her selection.

Another student said visiting the Bookmobile allows him to discover new books not available in the school library. "I like checking out new things and seeing if I like them." 

While the Bookmobile stop is at Hills Elementary School, visits are open to the public, not just students.

"It's a great opportunity for the community," Bethke says. "I hope more of the community learns about the Bookmobile and takes full advantage of what we have to offer."

The Bookmobile can be found at Hills Elementary School every Tuesday during the Winter/Spring Bookmobile Schedule from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. 

In order to assure safe Bookmobile services for community members and staff, the Library established severe weather guidelines to guide decisions in case of severe weather.

The Bookmobile may be off the road for part or all of the day when there are hazardous driving conditions such as low visibility, heavy rains, excessive wind gusts, and high wind warnings.

The Bookmobile will not operate on days when inclement weather would result in hazardous driving or service conditions, including any day the Iowa City Community School District cancels classes due to weather.

In the event of a Severe Weather Warning when the Bookmobile is on the road, Bookmobile operations cease and all patrons must exit the vehicle. The Bookmobile will either return to the Downtown parking facility or staff will secure the Bookmobile and seek shelter.

When severe weather happens, schedule updates are posted on the Library’s website. We also share updates on the Library's social media platforms. If you have question, please call the Library at 319-356-5200.

We love stories about Bookmobiles. When our Bookmobile was in the planning process, we spent a lot of time researching how other library mobile libraries operate.

Now that we have a Bookmobile of our own, we continue to read stories about Bookmobiles around the globe in celebration of the lengths book lovers will travel to spread the joy of reading.

One of our staff members recently shared this feature about an Italian Bookmobile operated by a retired schoolteacher. Enjoy!