The Windsor Public Library's new bookmobile should be on the road by the summer of 2024.
According to a report going to Tuesday's board meeting, delivery of the bookmobile from Overland Custom Coach was originally estimated at 18-24 months from the time of purchase but due to supply chain issues with the Freightliner chassis, it was reported that there might be adjustments to that timeframe.
Overland now indicates the completion of the Bookmobile to be summer 2024 dependant on all parts and chassis arriving on time.
In March 2022, City Council approved $600,000 for the purchase of a new bookmobile with a contract awarded to Overland in September of that same year.
Library board chair, Ward 4 councillor Mark McKenzie, says this is a custom made vehicle.
"You got to image when you have hundreds of books with that weight in there, we have to make sure it can hold out and be accessible for everybody," he says. "We're going to be using this at different events all around the city. It's really custom made and that's why it's taking so long to get this."
The previous bookmobile, a second hand vehicle known as FRED, is no longer in service due to repair issues.
The bookmobile is designed to provide year-round library services to under served populations and areas of the city, including neighbourhoods in Wards 1 and 9, the two wards without an existing library branch.
It is also able to stop at places such as parks, long-term care facilities and retirement homes, community centres, farmers’ markets, grocery stores and other busy commercial sites.
With files from Rob Hindi