Very Merry Bookmobile Brings Books and the Holiday Spirit to Small Towns

Adrianne Quiros, librarian and bookmobile driver. “It is cetainly the best job in the county,” she tells us. [Photos, from 2016, all provided by Rita Carl] 

Adrianne Quiros said she can get you almost anything you want–“Well, except something illegal” at the Humboldt County Bookmobile. The moving library pulls up to rural communities throughout a large area–bringing books, of course, but also movies, books-on-cds, music cds, and almost anything else that can be checked out from a library.

“We can even help you get interlibrary loans,” she said. “It is the library coming to your door in essence. If you want anything from the library, you can get it.”

For example, she said, “It is a great resource for the teachers. I fill a list of whatever subject they are studying…It is a wonderful resource and it is free.”

Right now, it is also decorated for Christmas. Quiros adds holiday decorations every year.

The bookmobile decorated for Christmas 2016.

Quiros said she loves her work. “It is cetainly the best job in the county,” she raved. “I get to see the county. It is remarkable to see the different communities….The people are just remarkable.”

She loves bringing joy to bookish folk. “People come in and take out 60 books for their kids,” she explained. Right now, holiday books are popular with everything from Christmas cookbooks to children’s holiday favorites.

“Libraries are so important,” Quiros pointed out. “They are a mark of culture.”

Her moving library helps bring culture and community to remote areas. “The bookmobile is sort of an event,” she said. “It becomes a meeting place…Sometimes friends see each other only when they come to check out books…because they are living sort of isolated.”

It’s the Bookmobile!

Recently, she said, Honeydew residents made sure that their farmers market was planned around the arrival of their moving library. “They want to make sure it is on at same time as the bookmobile,” she said.

Quiros has been driving the bookmobile for seven years. “The woman before me did it for four years and the man before her did it for 20 years,” she explained. “You establish great relationships with the people…I begin to know the patrons and what they might like. They ask me to bring books. Or I think this person would like the book and so I bring it for them.”

Today, the bookmobile opens its doors at four different tiny towns along the Avenue of the Giants.

Below is a list of where and when the Bookmobile opens its doors. Look for a stop near you and take advantage of a library on wheels.

Bookmobile Stops:

Please note:  there is no Bookmobile service on County Holidays.

Orleans

First & Third Tuesday of every month.

Orleans stops.
Location Time
Karuk Tribe Community Center, 459 Asip Road 10:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Orleans School 12:20 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Panamnik Building  1:35 p.m.  –  3:15 p.m.

 

Van Duzen

Second Tuesday of every month.

Van Duzen stops.
Location Time
Bridgeville School 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Dinsmore
(near the Laundromat)
12:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Carlotta (Martin & Shirley’s)   3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

 

Mattole

First and third Wednesday of every month.

Mattole stops.
Location Time
Petrolia Post Office  10:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Petrolia School  11:35 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Honeydew School    1:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

 

Avenue of the Giants

Second Wednesday of every month.

Avenue of the Giants stops.
Location Time
Miranda Post Office 10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Myers Flat Post Office 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Weott Post Office    2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Redcrest Post Office    3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

 

Loleta

First Thursday of every month.

Loleta stops.
Location Time
Loleta School 12:45 p.m. –  2:30 p.m.
Table Bluff Reservation  2:45 p.m.  –  4:30 p.m.

 

Orick

Second Thursday of every month.

Orick stops.
Location Time
Big Lagoon School 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Orick Elementary School  1:00 p.m.  –  2:00  p.m.
Downtown Orick
(by the Flagpole)
  2:05 p.m. –  4:00 p.m.
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7 Comments
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unbridled phillistine
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unbridled phillistine
6 years ago

This is a very noble cause how ever obsolete books are. Interweb should be free! The people who need these books are poor and would benefit greatly from free web. Lots to read for free.

Lost Coast and Found
Guest
Lost Coast and Found
6 years ago

Mmmm brain food , don’t forget to feed your brains books 📚 it’s much better than t.v.

Hick
Guest
Hick
6 years ago

Bookmobile is 😎 cool!

Veterans Friend
Guest
Veterans Friend
6 years ago

I had to drive a friend to Eureka today and missed the BOOKMOBILE. I saw it heading south as I drove north. It almost made me cry😊. I love the BOOKMOBILE and have become friends with Adrienne. She is a lovely person & I look forward to seeing her each month. “See you in January Adrienne😊”

Milton Phegley
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Milton Phegley
6 years ago

Adrianne is, indeed, “The Girl on the Bookmobile”….which is the title of a 1964 young adult novel written by local author Natalie King. The story is that of a young librarian who takes on bookmobile duty and learns so much about her patrons and herself. The story is set in Humboldt County and readers will recognize local settings and circumstances. Just ask Adrianne about the book….she’ll make sure you get it!!

Kasey
Guest
Kasey
6 years ago

They tell me we entered the Dark Ages in part because the library at Alexandria in ancient Greece burned, leaving waste to our last repository of knowledge.

I always used to think that if an apocalypse happens, save the bookstores. The information contained within is invaluable for the future ages. Let’s throw the nostalgic and archaic bookmobile into the mix. Save the bookmobiles, too!

Gregory Blaska
Guest
Gregory Blaska
1 year ago

Hello Adrianne! You have been on my mind all day and here you are!
What a wonderful photo of you; it has been too long.
Great to see you doing such good work in such a beautiful place.
Please tell the administrators here they have my permission to pass my email to you in case you’d like to connect.
Take care and, of course, Much Love <3 <3 <3