Orange City, Iowa (KTIV) – Orange City’s new book bike is bringing library services directly to residents.
The mobile library features bookshelves, a fold-down counter, and umbrella holsters.
Victoria Brander, the education and literacy service librarian for Orange City, says the bike stems from wanting to reach more people in their community.
The local Kiwanis Foundation donated $1,300 for safety equipment and accessories. The library raised the remaining funds through book sales.
Staff plan to use the bike to expand access to educational resources, promote reading motivation, and engage underserved learners.
“We have homebound delivery to the retirement communities in town. And we, in our strategic plan, have been talking about wanting to do more to reach underserved people in our community,” said Brander. “We’re hoping to find where the people are, so that way we can meet them there rather than having them have to come here. We’re going to be at the playgrounds, at parks, around town looking for families. We’re kind of trying to find people. We estimate that we’ll have a larger footprint.”
The bike was made by a company out of Colorado, and they frequently build bikes for libraries all the time.
“We were able to fully customize the design. So we had our graphic designer, Amy Nonhoff, design the wrap, says Brander. “What’s more Orange City than having tulips and the Dutch front on the top of the design?”
The bike will make its debut ride at this year’s Tulip Festival Parade during Orange City’s 85th Tulip Festival. The festival is held May 14th through 16th, and it showcases Orange City’s Dutch heritage with parades, street scrubbing, trolley tours, antique tractor shows, a carnival, and wooden shoe displays.
A more in-depth schedule for the book bike is expected to be released soon.
KIWA Staff Photo
