New Bookmobiles Drive Community Access
The Indianapolis Public Library
Innovation Synopsis
The Indianapolis Public Library is making it easier than ever for our communities to access library services! We launched a new generation of bookmobiles designed with accessibility, inclusion, and community connection in mind. The new vehicles feature an Extremely Low Floor (ELF) design, curb-height entrance, accessible ramp, and flat interior floor, making it easier for patrons of all ages and abilities to access Library services. We used the launch of the new vehicles to raise awareness of our outreach services. The new bookmobiles participated in the 500 Festival Parade, which more than 250,000 people lined the streets of downtown Indianapolis to watch, while one million more watched the broadcast.
Challenge/Opportunity
Outreach services bring resources directly to people who may have the greatest difficulty accessing them, including adults in retirement communities and children in day care centers. We want to raise awareness of these services and ensure we can meet the needs of those who aim to use them.
Challenges observed included:
• Community members who use wheelchairs had difficulty boarding due to ramp issues and the small entrance door.
• Difficulty moving throughout the space and accessing the collection due to a fixed interior layout.
• Larger vehicles made it difficult to navigate some communities, limiting access.
• Limited awareness of bookmobile services, which restricted our reach.
“The old vehicles had a lack of accessible space,” said Maggie Ward, outreach manager. “A wheelchair could not easily move onto the bookmobile. With the new bookmobiles, we no longer have the aisle issue or the bench seats. This freed up space for more shelves and created an area for movement.”
Key Elements of Innovation
We addressed challenges including difficulty boarding the vehicle, a fixed interior layout, and reaching all our community members in the city. The new vehicles feature:
• Extremely Low Floor (ELF) design
• ADA-compliant manual ramp
• A wider, curb-height entrance
• Open, navigable space
• Modular shelving that can be rearranged to meet different needs and moved outside, extending service beyond the vehicle
“With the new layout, we have the ability to more easily rotate items on and off the bookmobiles with carts,” said Ward. “We can curate a collection based on the stop.”
Alongside the launch of our two new bookmobiles, we started an awareness campaign. Our Bookmobile services earned 12 media mentions including an in-depth feature in The Indianapolis Star. The bookmobiles also participated in the Indy 500 Festival Parade (250,000 attendees / 1 million watching the broadcast). Increased awareness has led to strong demand, with waitlists now in place for new recurring Bookmobile stops.
Achieved Outcomes
The new bookmobiles have supported 3,662 visits and the circulation of 4,527 items since launch in May 2026. We've added new stops since getting the new bookmobiles and currently visit 71 stops biweekly.
“We've made a lot of new connections in the community,” said Ward. “It has allowed us to create more community engagement with partners such as Christel House schools, Spark on the Circle, the Indy 500 Parade, and the Marion County Department of Family & Child Services. Many patrons commented that they love the additional book selections available and the openness of the design.”
CEO Gregory Hill shared, “At the core of this initiative is accessibility and equity. Access to information and opportunity should not depend on where you live or whether you can physically get to a Library branch. These bookmobiles help us meet people where they are and create welcoming spaces throughout our city where people feel connected to resources, to learning, and to each other.”
