The Viking Library System was established in 1975, with bookmobile services set up even before the first full-time Director for the System had been hired. A Viking Library System Bookmobile has been on the road providing the six-county region with access to library materials for nearly 50 years. By our count, the current Bookmobile is the 7th vehicle to serve the region.
The bookmobile includes several features specifically designed for serving VLS patrons, including solar panels that generate electricity to power the vehicle's batteries, which in turn help run the lights, heating and ventilation system, and computers, increasing energy efficiency.
Perhaps the most notable features are its exterior murals, created and painted by local artist Scott Gunvaldson. The murals feature local landscapes with a nod to west central Minnesota’s four seasons. Bookmobiles of Viking Library System past are also a part of the artwork, traversing down our region’s rural roads. The mural on the back panel of the truck represents a view inside of the bookmobile. Drivers following the new bookmobile as it traverses those rural roads will get a sense of peering inside and perusing the stacks.
The Viking Library System bookmobile is made possible through funding provided by:
- Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens and Traverse counties;
- Northern Lights Library Network; and
- The Frank W. Veden Charitable Trust.
