Community Outreach

Bookmobiles

At Summit Bodyworks, we can assist you in a custom bookmobile build. We are the leading manufacturer of bookmobiles, offering long-lasting builds.

See our customer builds

At Summit Bodyworks, we have over 30 years of experience in customizing vehicle builds. We are a trusted choice for bookmobiles and other community outreach vehicles. We will work with you to customize your bookmobile from the chassis up. Our entire team of project managers, engineers, and designers will all work with you to create the ideal bookmobile for your needs.

When it comes to customizing a bookmobile, our focus is on innovative design and quality craftsmanship. We are equipped to handle every step of your build in our 163,000 square foot state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.

Creating your bookmobile will begin with your choice of chassis. We can customize anything from a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter to a 28-foot cab-chassis. Whatever your community and team need, we will work to build.

Additionally, when we work with you to design your bookmobiles layout, we will take into consideration the flow of patrons, as well as any accessibility needs you want to consider. A wheelchair lift and ramp can be added onto the build, ensuring equal access for all.

When it comes to the interior design of your bookmobile, we will make certain every detail is covered. From a check-out area to custom shelving, our designers will help create a space that offers an efficient workflow. We can also create the bookmobile to include amenities for your staff, such as restrooms, microwaves, refrigerators, and more. We look forward to helping you design and build your custom bookmobile.

Customized / adjustable shelving units

A large focus of any bookmobile is the transportation of books. We will work with you to design customized and adjustable shelving units. This will ensure that both the transportation and browsing of your library’s books are easy and convenient.
Wheelchair lift installation

Libraries are a place for communities to come together. A bookmobile brings the same access to learning for all on the road. We will work with you to customize wheelchair lifts and other accessibility features to ensure your bookmobile is equipped for everyone.
Seating options and benches

Hopping onto a bookmobile is about more than just quickly grabbing a library book and checking out. We will offer you the option of adding seating, including benches and other cozy areas for your patrons to browse their chosen reads.
Workstations

One of the many benefits of a custom bookmobile is the ability to design the space for optimal workflow. We can assist you in designing workstations equipped with all the necessary technology for checking out books and helping patrons find what they need.
Variety of truck sizes accommodated

No matter how big or small you need your bookmobile to be, we have you covered. Because we design your vehicle from the chassis up, we can accommodate any type of layout you need. We offer a variety of truck sizes to choose from as you customize your build.

Featured Builds

We’ve built 100’s of amazing bookmobiles. Check out some of our recent favorite builds from some of our valued and satisfied customers.

patterson exterior — Patterson Library - The Wizard Bookmobile

Jefferson County Public Library Bookmobile

Fountaindale Public Library District Bookmobile

Forsyth County Public Library Bookmobile

tippecanoe public library — Tippecanoe Public Library

South Brunswick Public Library Bookmobile

Warren Trumbull County Public Library Bookmobile

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are bookmobiles necessary?

For many communities, access to a library is not a guarantee. From small rural towns that have limited public service budgets to urban areas where transportation is limited, it can be difficult for a myriad of reasons for people to reach a library location. In these situations, a bookmobile is a highly beneficial community asset. A bookmobile can quite literally bring library services to any location.

Beyond just acting as a library of books on wheels, a bookmobile also can offer other community services in a mobile fashion. From children’s storytimes to computer classes, a bookmobile offers community members the chance to utilize important public services that have made libraries a backbone of society. Both children and adults benefit from the addition of a bookmobile to any community outreach fleet.

What accessibility options are available when specifying a bookmobile?

The spirit of libraries has always been equal access to knowledge and resources for all. In this vein, customizing accessibility options for a bookmobile is a popular ask for bookmobile builds. These mobile community outreach vehicles can be outfitted with any accessibility option desired. Common accessibility choices for bookmobiles include all of the following:

Wheelchair ramp: These ramps make it easy for those in wheelchairs or those with limited mobility to enter and exit a bookmobile.
Wheelchair lift: Similar to shuttle buses and other accessibility focused vehicles, a bookmobile can be customized to feature a motorized wheelchair lift.
ADA compliant features: From restrooms to the height of the checkout area desk, bookmobiles can be customized with every ADA compliant feature needed.

No matter what size bookmobile you plan to have customized, be sure to discuss all accessibility options desired during the planning stage to ensure easy access for all patrons.

How many people can be in a bookmobile at one time?

The number of people who can be in a bookmobile at once varies depending on the size of the vehicle. There are two different considerations to factor in during your build. First, how many people will you need to transport in the bookmobile from location to location? For safety reasons, the number of staff that need seating when the bookmobile is in motion should be planned into the layout.

The second consideration is how many patrons you want the bookmobile to be able to host for browsing and other activities. Keep in mind that if your community plans to utilize the bookmobile for classes, storytimes, or other activities, you will want to plan this into the layout. Desks, benches, and workstations can be added into the space to ensure the best amount of room for your community’s particular needs.

Can bookmobiles be used to also offer classes or education?

Bookmobiles are a versatile community outreach vehicle. While, traditionally, a bookmobile is utilized for transporting books to different locations, these vehicles can also become a center for other community-focused activities.

In many cases, bookmobiles host classes, ongoing educational opportunities, storytimes, and other events. A bookmobile might be driven to a school where it is utilized for special classroom activities. In other cases, it might be driven to a rural area to host computer classes or other adult continuing education opportunities.

The options for using a bookmobile in your community are endless. The key is to properly customize the vehicle with an array of features that make it versatile in use. From workstations to extra monitors to custom storage, a bookmobile can be designed for many purposes.

Is there WiFi on a bookmobile to make it easy to sign books out?

Gone are the days of checking out books by simply stamping a card and filing that card away. Instead, modern libraries utilize interconnected systems that electronically check out books, track inventory, and make it easy for patrons to locate the books they need.

In a similar vein, bookmobiles can also be equipped with the latest technology to ensure that they are connected to the rest of the local library system. Onboard WiFi and other custom features will be added to your bookmobile build, ensuring that the bookmobile operates within the existing community system.

Additionally, if desired, computers can be added to the bookmobile for patron use. These too can utilize onboard WiFi to allow for connectivity on the go. With a myriad of remote WiFi options available, bookmobiles can easily be customized to meet all internet needs.

We enjoyed every minute of our experience building a bookmobile with Summit Bodyworks. We requested a special type of vehicle, something they had only built once before, and not only did they jump into the process with us, but they continually worked along the way to make sure they were making the best vehicle they could. That meant they worked to improve modifications on the body of the vehicle to function better without us even asking. We are thrilled with our pop-up library, and we can't wait to serve our community with her.

- Kelli McDaniel, Piedmont Regional Library System
Summit was very responsive to our requests and provided the vehicle exactly as we specified. The graphics were beautifully done and the vehicle is easy to operate and use. The Sprinter model suits our needs perfectly for service within our city. They accommodated our request for a virtual visit instead of an onsite visit during covid travel restrictions. We appreciated their flexibility and willingness to meet our staff needs. They even suggested the installation of a germ guard due to covid which we had installed. Great, friendly and helpful employees made the experience top notch!

- Mary Housel, City of Santa Maria Public Library