Director of Siouxland Libraries Jodi Fick says their library system has a long history of bookmobiles serving the community. In the 1950s, as schools were growing rapidly, the first bookmobile was purchased and traveled from school to school.
“Sioux Falls soon expanded the fleet to four bookmobiles,” said Fick. “In 1960, Minnehaha County purchased its first bookmobile to serve town and country schools.”
Historically and presently, the bookmobiles bring library materials of high interest to people who may lack physical access to libraries or to under-served communities including public schools, childcare centers, and senior living facilities, Fick adds.
Bookmobile coordinator and branch librarian Stephanie Bents says the five bookmobile drivers help people find and check out books and other materials at each stop.
With a daily schedule, the bookmobile travels from place to place encouraging children to read and be curious about the world around them, she adds.
Oh, the Places the Bookmobile Will Go!
On Tuesdays from 5 to 6 p.m. through April and May, the bookmobile will be at Laura B. Anderson Elementary in Sioux Falls.
“The bookmobile can be found throughout the summer at community parades, hydrant parties around Sioux Falls, and numerous neighborhood events and festivals,” said Bents.
Organizations and schools are able to make requests for the bookmobile to come to them.
Siouxland Libraries not only provides physical books, but also educational resources including special collections, science discovery kits, historical archives, board games, e-books, DVDs, streamed media, and interlibrary-loaned media.
“Reading helps people learn and understand the world better, making them more well-rounded individuals by exposing them to new ideas and perspectives,” added Fick.
Fick says the benefits of reading are vital to cognitive and emotional development, playing a major role in evolving the ability to empathize with other people
“Reading enriches people’s lives.” – Jodi Fick
“We try to go to communities and neighborhoods that are underserved, or where people have difficulty making a visit to a branch library.” – Stephanie Bents
The bookmobile has always
gone forward with the goal of spreading the joy and knowledge that comes with reading, Fick further elaborates.
“Reading improves concentration and memory, as readers must actively engage with text,” she said. “It hastens knowledge acquisition and has been shown to improve mental well-being.”
Bents hopes the bookmobile has a sustainable future for spreading accessibility to libraries by bringing people together to share a common love for books. Fick and her both take pride in being a part of history and helping people create lasting memories.
“Many people have talked about when the bookmobile visited their school as children or when they would excitedly wait for the bookmobile to visit their neighborhoods,” said Bents. “It has been a fixture to the area for many years.”
With a positive reputation, the bookmobile has made a beneficial impact on the community and is a well-loved staple to the residents of Sioux Falls and Minnehaha County, Bents adds.
Back in 1998, the bookmobile service was in danger of ending due to budget shortfalls.
“We often meet people who fondly recall visiting the bookmobile during their childhood.” – Stephanie Bents
“Residents organized and raised donations so the bookmobile could continue the following year,” added Bents. “Local officials adjusted funding to make bookmobile service a priority going forward.”
Since the eighties, two bookmobiles have been purchased, the latest being a modern SWAT truck that is customized to serve as a library on wheels.
The overall mission of Siouxland Libraries is “connecting you to a world of ideas and information to enrich your life.”
Popular non-fiction books among children distributed by the bookmobile range from topics including sports to animals.
“Preschool children like the Llama Llama series by Anna Dewdney,” said Bents. “They love humor and love it when the book makes them laugh.”
Graphic novels are frequently checked out by school-aged children, and the bookmobile makes it a priority to offer well- liked materials.
Check it Out
In 2024, a total of 54,461 items were checked out from the bookmobile, marking a 25% increase from the previous year at 43,577 items.
“The Dav Pilkey Dog Man series is a favorite,” added Bents. “For chapter books, The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney remains popular.”
With over 500 stops, the bookmobile saw over 10,000 people in 2024.
“Serving people is definitely the best part of the job,” continued Bents. “We love meeting new people and seeing familiar faces. It is a pleasure to serve our communities.”
For more information, visit Siouxlandlib.org+
