Meet Evie, Colorado's first all-electric mobile library

Erin Udell, Fort Collins Coloradoan
Updated ·2 min read
The Poudre River Public Library District will unveil Evie, Colorado's first all-electric mobile library and bookmobile, on April 22 in Fort Collins.
The Poudre River Public Library District will unveil Evie, Colorado's first all-electric mobile library and bookmobile, on April 22 in Fort Collins.

After more than a year in the works, Poudre River Public Library District will unveil Colorado's first all-electric bookmobile later this month.

Appropriately named Evie, the electric van will make its first appearance at Fort Collins' Old Town Library April 22. Evie is designed to travel to specific Northern Colorado communities, distributing reading materials, resources and mobile library services.

More about Evie, Colorado's first all-electric bookmobile

Evie is a 20-foot long, high-roof transit van that can carry up to 1,000 pounds and travel up to 80 miles on a full charge. It is designed to deliver essential library services to more remote locations and people unable to access library buildings in Northern Colorado, according to the library district.

Evie will:

  • Carry roughly 1,500 books, DVDs and audiobooks

  • Serve as a library card sign-up location

  • Serve as a place to check out and return library materials

  • Offer printing and Wi-Fi hotspots

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How to find Evie

Evie's initial focus will be on serving residents of Stove Prairie, Livermore, Virginia Dale, Laporte and Timnath. It will also make scheduled stops at senior living apartments, mobile home parks and memory care facilities, according to the library district. The bookmobile's first stop will be at Fort Collins' Old Town library on April 22, followed by planned stops at Noches en Familia at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery May 5 and the Timnath Ranch Recreation Center May 19.

More scheduled stops will be posted on Poudre River Public Library District's online events calendar. If you'd like to request Evie at a certain community event, you can also fill out a request form at poudrelibraries.org/locations/mobile-library.

Who funded Colorado's first all-electric bookmobile

The total cost of purchasing and upfitting Evie was approximately $250,000. Evie was paid for by the Poudre River Public Library District, with a $50,000 grant from the Bohemian Foundation and a $53,958 grant from Larimer County through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 offsetting those costs, according to the library district.

More about Evie's unveiling

Evie will make her debut at Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., on April 22. A celebration for Evie will start with opening ceremonies at 10 a.m., followed by a tea reception inside the library at 11. Free activity booths will also be set up at the library from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with balloon twisting, STEM activities, 3D printing, button-making, a selfie station and popcorn machine available.

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This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Meet Evie, Colorado's first all-electric mobile library