Phoenix will spend up to $400,000 to buy a bookmobile.
The City Council approved using federal COVID-19 stimulus funds from the American Rescue Plan Act on Wednesday.
The 38-foot-long coach-style bus will serve as a temporary library on city-owned land at 67th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road. It’s expected to house more than 3,000 books and audio-visual items and provide access to public computers.
Weekly programs will be offered when the bookmobile arrives next spring. The bus will also be available to visit underserved areas around the city like assisted-living centers.
Ongoing operating costs are $494,000 annually. If the council approves a general obligation bond program to include a new library at 67th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road, the bookmobile would then be exclusively mobile and serve different areas of Phoenix.
