News and Stories

Bookmobile service was part of Vancouver Island Regional Library since the very beginning. In 1936, we launched with seven combined bookmobile routes and branch visits, bringing books directly to communities across Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii long before many permanent branches existed.

The first library “bookmobile” was a converted half-ton pickup truck. Three people could squeeze into the front (two on seats and one on a box), while books were shelved along the outside of the vehicle. On rainy days, both the books and the librarians often got soaked.

The truck was famously top-heavy and had been rolled over at one point, leaving it to “sidle as well as lurch up the road like a drunken sailor,” according to The Key.

Life on the road

In those early years, librarians weren’t just librarians, they were also the drivers of bookmobiles.

Bookmobile trips often meant overnight stays in Courtenay, Port Alberni, and Duncan, and breakdowns were common. But the generosity of the communities librarians visited more than made up for it. Residents frequently offered meals, warm places to rest, and even Christmas celebrations.

One snowy day in December, librarians considered cancelling their route, but decided to make one final stop. Waiting for them was a surprise party, where neighbours had gathered to celebrate in honour of the visiting bookmobile staff.

Books flying off the shelves

As the service evolved, VIRL purchased its first walk-in bookmobile in 1953, followed by a second in 1959. While these vehicles were a major improvement, they came with their own challenges.

During an early test drive, books flew from the shelves and landed knee-deep around the librarian despite desperate attempts to hold them in place. Springs were later installed to keep books on the shelves, although they still tended to bounce loose on rough Island roads.

There were also some memorable visitors. One librarian recalled a patron arriving with a flock of goats, who proved to be particularly interested in the library’s collection, especially as something to eat!

The end of an era

By the late 1980s, growing communities and aging vehicles signalled the end of the bookmobile era. Increasing maintenance costs and frequent mechanical issues made the vehicles difficult to keep on the road, while expanding populations made permanent branches a better long-term solution.

In 1987, the VIRL Board made the decision to retire the bookmobiles. Rather than disappearing altogether, several found a new purpose, serving as temporary mini branches on Quadra, Hornby, and Gabriola Islands while permanent libraries were established.

For more than 50 years, VIRL’s bookmobiles connected people with stories, information, and one another, travelling to communities that otherwise had little or no access to library service. They represent an important part of our history and a reminder that wherever people lived, VIRL found a way to bring the library to them.

Have your own memories of VIRL’s bookmobiles? We’d love to hear them in our virtual guestbook here.