Williamsburg Regional Library to celebrate new bookmobile with ribbon cutting on October 24
Williamsburg Regional Library (WRL) will celebrate the arrival of its newest bookmobile with a ribbon- cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Abram Frink Jr. Community Center located at 8901 Pocahontas Trail in Williamsburg. The 38-foot vehicle — one of two walk-on bookmobiles in the library’s fleet of five outreach vehicles— will expand the library’s ability to bring programs, technology, and opportunities for community connection directly into neighborhoods throughout the region.
Designed as a mobile community hub, the new bookmobile will allow WRL to offer programs and activities in neighborhoods without convenient access to public gathering spaces. The vehicle was purchased with the assistance of federal funding requested by James City County through the Fiscal Year 2026 Congressionally Directed Spending process, with support from U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine. Additional support was provided by the Friends of Williamsburg Regional Library Foundation.
“Our new, larger bookmobile is so much more than a library on wheels, ” said Eletha Davis, WRL’s director of outreach services. “It is a doorway to discovery, imagination, and lifelong learning. With its increased space and capacity, we can expand our reach and further fulfill Williamsburg Regional Library’s mission of inspiring and nurturing a vibrant community through exceptional library services. From introducing our youngest learners to the magic of books and supporting preschool learning and family literacy to placing books and resources into the hands of people of all ages, our bookmobile brings the joy of reading directly into the heart of our communities.”
Built on a 2026 Freightliner chassis, the new bookmobile features a 5,000 – volume circulating collection, public Wi- Fi, two large monitors for gaming and other activities, comfortable seating wheelchair accessibility. Its spacious interior is designed to accommodate a variety of programs, giving WRL greater flexibility to bring library experiences directly to the communities it serves.
The new vehicle builds on WRL’s longstanding commitment to reaching residents beyond its library buildings. Davis, who has served WRL since 1984, has spent more than four decades bringing library resources to schools, preschools, adult care facilities, correctional institutions, and neighborhoods. In the most recently completed fiscal year, her team reached over 42,000 people.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at the Abram Frink Jr. Community Center, where WRL’s popular Mondays at Frink and Saturdays at Frink programs have become a regular part of the community. The location is a fitting setting for the celebration, reflecting the library’s commitment to bringing programs and services directly into neighborhoods. The ceremony is open to the public and will feature remarks from special guests, followed by an opportunity to tour the new bookmobile. The celebration will coincide with WRL’s Bookmobile FunFest , featuring pumpkin carving from 10 a.m.— 1 p.m.
“This is an unprecedented time of growth and expansion for Williamsburg Regional Library, with an updated regional agreement under consideration and new library buildings on the horizon,” said WRL Director Sandy Towers. “But our work extends far beyond the walls of our buildings. Outreach services are a vital part of how we serve our community, and we’re grateful to James City County, the Friends of WRL Foundation, and Senators Warner and Kaine for their support in making this new bookmobile possible. It will help ensure that as our library system grows, our outreach services grow right along with it.”
For more information about WRL’s outreach services and bookmobile schedule, visit wrl.org/ outreach.
Author
