PORT HADLOCK — The Jefferson County Library found a new home for its old bookmobile at a library in Skagit County.
The old bookmobile that served Jefferson County since 2003 has been donated to the Central Skagit Library District, a library that has served the Sedro-Woolley area since 2012.
According to Meredith Wagner, Jefferson County Library director, the decision was made to donate the van to another library in the state of Washington after efforts to sell it through consignment and auction services were unsuccessful.
The Jefferson County Library has had no need for the old bookmobile after it unveiled a new bookmobile in December.
Library staff asked for proposals from Washington libraries to apply for the retired bookmobile and received six — four from public libraries and two from tribal libraries. The board decided to give the van to the Central Skagit Library District based on the need described in its proposal.
“I think the main thing was that they’re operating out of this tiny office space,” Wagner said.
“This is a way for them to get services out into their community while they’re getting started.”
Wagner said Skagit library officials also had funds in place to run the bookmobile while they construct a new location for the new library.
“We’re just really excited for them,” Wagner said.
The Jefferson County Library has operated a bookmobile since 1980. The Skagit-bound bookmobile served Jefferson County from 2003 until 2015, when the library bought a more spacious and fuel-efficient vehicle.
Wagner said that for rural communities such as Skagit and Jefferson counties, bookmobiles are an important part of library services.
“For us, it’s really how we extend our reach,” Wagner said. “It’s a cost-effective way for us to reach these outlying communities. I think a lot of libraries use it that way.”
In Skagit County, the old bookmobile will serve an area of roughly 400 square miles, much of it rural.
In Jefferson County, the new bookmobile will continue to serve communities in the east county from Coyle Peninsula to Quilcene, five days a week.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
