LAYTONVILLE, 11/29/16 — Ever wanted your very own bookmobile? Or maybe just a bus where you can read a book, or write a book, or offer visitors a place to stay? There might be a 1995 Hawkins Motor Coach in Laytonville that’s just perfect for you — and will also help establish a new public library in the Long Valley.
The 1995 Hunstman Motor Coach, formerly the county bookmobile, now for sale to raise funds for a public library in Laytonville.
To raise funds to build a Laytonville branch of the Mendocino County Public Library, Friends of the Long Valley Public Library (FOLVPL) and Laytonville Healthy Start are offering the county’s old bookmobile for sale in an online auction.
The bookmobile was originally sold to FOLVPL by the county for $1 and towed to Laytonville on December 22, 2015. Like community groups in Round Valley and Point Arena have done, FOLVPL members are raising money towards building a county library branch in town. This bookmobile was considered as a possible temporary branch, but FOLVPL members are now auctioning it off to raise funds towards a more permanent location.
Bids for the bookmobile — minimum bid $1,000.00 — may be submitted from now until 5pm on December 9 on the laytonville.org website. The highest bid for the bookmobile will be posted each morning.
The auction announcement, from Susan Bradley of FOLVPL, reminds us that there’s many possible ways to use a bookmobile: “Consider the bookmobile as an extra room. It has great oak bookshelves for a library or office. There is also a great space for a bed for extra guest room. Kids will love the interior for hours of play or reading. Use your imagination for different uses of this unique vehicle.”
The Motor Coach has a Caterpillar V* diesel engine, with these approximate dimensions: 33’ long by 8’ 6” wide by 10’ 4” high, and an interior height of 6’5”. More information is available on the website. For those interested in taking a closer look, there will be scheduled times to check out the bookmobile posted on the website. Interested parties can also make an appointment with Shawn at 707-354-3080.
You can also support the effort towards a Laytonville library by visiting FOLVPL’s “almost free” Book Room, open every Friday from 12pm – 5pm in the old Laytonville High School (200 Branscomb Road, west entrance). After raising funds from several successful book selling events, FOLVPL has set up the Book Room to both brings books to the community and raise funds for the future library. Bradley said of the Book Room in an email: “We must have between 3 and 4 thousand books which we sell for between $.25 and .50 for children’s paperbacks to $3.00 for coffee-table books. We call this “almost free.”
Bradley said FOLVPL is also planning to write grants to help establish children reading programs and literacy programs in Laytonville, which could eventually be held at a permanent library branch in town.
To make a bid for the bookmobile, please go online to www.laytonville.org/bookmobile-auction/ or visit or phone Healthy Start –707-984-8089– during their business hours for more detailed information about the Bookmobile and bidding. Please read all the materials on the website before bidding. Healthy Start is located at 44400 Willis Ave. in Laytonville.
The press release states: “Towing cost – estimate from All in One Towing, Ukiah: $225/hr (from their location in Willits, to Laytonville, to your location, back to Willits) This is a discount from their regular rate of $275-$300/hr.”
