Point Reyes Light- November 5, 1998

Rusty Bookmobile needs to be replaced

By Marian Schinske

After 16 years of delivering books to remote corners of Marin County, the Bookmobile is wearing out and needs to be replaced.

"It's worn out over this period of time, and it's not in good maintenance," said Inverness resident Bob Harris, a director of the Marin County Library Foundation. "It's got rust."

And no wonder. The Bookmobile, the county's only library-on-wheels, makes up to 60 stops each month from Marinwood to mobilehome parks in Novato.

In West Marin, the Bookmobile serves readers in Marshall, Tomales, Dillon Beach, and Muir Beach. It also stops regularly at Johnson Oyster Company in the Point Reyes National Seashore and at five dairy ranches.

Visits to schools

In addition, the Bookmobile makes weekly visits to West Marin's one-room schools - Union, Lincoln, and Laguna - and it stops every fortnight at Nicasio and Tomales elementary schools.

"In many cases, the Bookmobile is the first contact kids have with books. And for senior citizens, it may serve as the best way to continue a lifelong interest in the library," said Inverness Park resident Rishi Schweig, also a county-library-foundation director.

Driven by librarian Jacky Ford, the humble-looking vehicle carries a wealth of reading material, including picture books for younger children, books for teens, books-on-tape, a small Spanish-language collection, fiction and non-fiction for adults - and large-type books for those with vision problems.

Many folks who live in remote, rural areas have come to rely on the Bookmobile, Ford said. "They think it's a wonderful service. I always get compliments and thanks for coming," Ford said. In order to keep this valuable service rolling, the Marin County Free Library is working to get a new vehicle, she said.

Bookmobiles expensive

But a new Bookmobile is pricey - costing about the same as Mercedes Benz' top-of-the-line CL600 coup - i.e. about $160,000.

Why the hefty price tag? "The Bookmobile has to be strong enough to carry wooden shelving and 3,000 books, and it has to be wheelchair accessible," Schweig explained.

And, for the first time ever, the Bookmobile's laptop computer will be linked online to libraries all over the North Bay, including Marin, Sonoma, Napa, San Francisco, Solano, Mendocino, and Lake counties, Schweig said.

"This will make it easy for people to order any book they want. They can also access their personal library record, so they can find out when books they have are due, as well as where they stand with previous book requests," Schweig said.

Fundraising drive

Schweig and Harris have teamed up to start a fundraising drive in West Marin for the new Bookmobile. They hope to raise $20,000 by next September.

"Every dollar people give can make a difference," Harris said, noting that much of the funding already pledged is in the form of matching gifts.

Although the county already has $80,000 in hand for the project, it has offered an additional $40,000 in matching funds, Harris said. In addition, he said, the Marin Community Foundation and library aficionados Larry and Diane Rosenberger of San Rafael have each pledged $5,000 in matching funds.

As members of the Marin County Library Foundation work to keep books "on the road," other people interested in donating funds can call Harris at 669-7193 or Schweig at 663-8226; or they can write to the foundation at Box 202, Corte Madera 94925.

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