The Nampa Public Library Bookmobile enriches and educates our residents by bringing Library services to those who cannot access the main Library because of physical, social, geographic, economic or other barriers.
The mobile library is a 24-foot-long Sprinter van that will make scheduled stops at schools, underserved neighborhoods, senior centers, parks, and other locations, making it easy for residents to access the library’s resources and participate in library programs. The bookmobile holds up to 3,000 items, is a Wi-Fi hotspot, and has laptops available for on-site checkout and use. It also has the ability to bring maker and STEM technology (i.e. 3D printers and robots) to remote locations, and support job seekers with resources, connectivity, and training programs.
In July 2021, the Nampa Public Library was awarded a grant of $208,800 to purchase Nampa’s first bookmobile, dedicated bookmobile collection and technology. Funds for this project were provide by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through the America Rescue Plan Act and were administered by the Idaho Commission for Libraries. Funding for additional needs were provided by the Nampa Public Library Foundation.
Cassie Mitchell (Anderson) is a freelance comic artist who loves telling stories and drawing pictures. She is the illustrator behind the Lifeformed series as well as the creator of Extraordinary: A Story of an Ordinary Princess. When she’s not drawing comics, you can find her reading a good book, baking some tasty treats, or exploring the outdoors with her adventure-loving husband and daughter.
Artist Statement
When asked to create a design for the Nampa Public Library’s Bookmobile, I was honored and excited. Then I was overwhelmed. I’m an artist by trade, but I had never designed anything like this before. Where to start? How do you create a design that represents a library and its community? I did know a couple things: It needed to include books, and I wanted it to be whimsical. From there, I came up with the idea of a semi-magical forest scene where the animals can be found reading and sharing their favorite books. I included different animals to help represent the variety and diversity in our community and show how books can be our common ground. As I continued to refine my design, I decided to add local flora to the picture. Throughout the whole illustration, you can find bundles of Arrowleaf Balsamroot, Silvery Lupine, sagebrush, and more. It was important to me to ground the image in Idaho-based realism while inspiring the imagination. I can’t wait to see the Nampa Library Bookmobile rolling around town and sharing books and resources with our community.
