LDV’s 10 Tips to Build the Best Bookmobile
Tips to Create the Right Outreach Vehicle for Your Organization
Bookmobiles and outreach vehicles provide wonderful services to their community through the many different services they offer. When designing your organization’s new outreach vehicle, it may seem like your choices are never-ending with so many options and features that can be included. LDV has compiled some of our favorite features to help get those creative ideas flowing!
Get Online: WiFi
Turn your truck into a WiFi hotspot! Patrons are able to come and use the vehicle’s WiFi while also checking out books or utilizing other services. Many areas these vehicles serve may not have internet access readily available to them, making this an important community service.
Music & Monitors: Audio/Visual
Use audio and video to your advantage in your outreach vehicle! We can install an exterior monitor and powerful audio system to create a fun environment outside the bookmobile. It can also be used to help promote upcoming events, especially with the use of a ducking mic that allows you to speak over any audio that is playing. Are you using your outreach vehicle as a mobile classroom? Think about including a MondoPad or other large interactive screen to capture kids’ attention during events in place of or addition to TV monitors. Monitors can also be used to display your route schedule, movies, or other media. Running out of space? A flip-down monitor compartment can be added to your bookmobile as well!
Cha-Cha Slide-Out
Slide-outs provide additional interior space in a vehicle when they are deployed. This is ideal for a mobile classroom setting as it provides more room for staff and patrons to move around. LDV fabricates these slide-outs in-house at our facility. Having one of our flat-floor slide-outs also means there is no lip for chairs or feet to get caught on.
Save Time Setting Up: Intel-I-Touch™
LDV’s exclusive vehicle automation system, Intel-I-Touch™! Use this simple touch screen system on your outreach vehicle and control systems such as HVAC, leveling, and lighting. Other features you may include on your vehicle such as an awning or generator can also be controlled from this touch panel. Mini Intel-I-Touch touchpads can also be integrated throughout the vehicle for staff to access, making controlling the vehicle a snap.
Your Truck is Your Canvas: Full Vehicle Wrap
Don’t underestimate the power of a colorful graphic wrap! An eye-catching full vehicle wrap or clever graphics can turn your bookmobile into a rolling billboard. Use them as an opportunity to tell your organization’s story or show off what it values most. Some of our past customers have even made it into a community project, enlisting artists and kids from around their area to help create the vehicle’s new look.
Swivel Front Bucket Seats
Your bookmobile pulls double duty while on its route, so its features should do the same! Upgrade your vehicle’s front bucket seats for seats that swivel. These allow staff to easily transition from driving the vehicle to assisting patrons, especially when the front desk area is right at the front.
Under The Seat: Storage
Storage is key, especially on a platform such as a bookmobile or mobile classroom. Adding underseat storage to your vehicle provides additional space for books, supplies, and other materials that you may need on a regular basis. Items like outlets, charging ports, and more can even be integrated into the base of the seats as well.
The Galley: Microwave & Fridge
Including a galley kitchen in your bookmobile is a huge convenience for staff on the road. A dedicated space while traveling to their next stop gives them a chance to relax and regroup if needed. It also provides a way to refrigerate important items needed throughout the day, such as medicine, while out on the route.
Creative Closets & Cabinets
Cabinets and closets help keep your bookmobile organized by providing additional storage space. Utilizing adjustable aluminum box pan shelves allows storage to evolve with changing equipment needs over time. They aren’t just functional either – they can also add pops of color to the bookmobile’s interior as well!
Front to Back: Dual Entry Doors
Dual entry doors create a great natural flow for your bookmobile! Patrons can enter through one door and exit out of the other at the opposing end. This helps prevent bottle-necking your patrons by giving them a logical way to enter and exit the vehicle.
Your outreach vehicle is a chance to enrich your community through literacy and educational equity. Make sure you conduct thorough research to ensure you are including the features that will serve your patrons best. Call LDV today to start planning and designing your outreach vehicle!