To revitalize arts and culture in Laval, the The Libraries of Laval are bringing the Bibliomobile back again this summer! Thanks to this concept of a library on wheels, Laval citizens can now borrow, read, and return books right in their municipal parks for free.

The Libraries of Laval hold over 1,000 activities for adults and children of all ages every year. The mission of these mobile libraries is to bring reading closer to citizens of all ages; children, adults, and seniors. The concept began with a pilot project in 2014 and is now growing due to its great success. In fact, when the Bibliomobile started in 2015, a more spacious and environmentally friendly truck, the Mercedes Sprinter, was introduced. This truck will now accommodate the Bibliomobile users indoors and outdoors.

“The Libraries of Laval have found an ingenious way to break out of their walls to directly meet the citizens. What a beautiful way to reach a larger population, notably people who, for diverse reasons, are less inclined to frequent the traditional libraries,” says Mayor of Laval, Marc Demers.

Those who took part in the unveiling of this unique library on wheels had the pleasure of discovering the playful artwork of illustrator Benoit Tardif who designed the exterior of the Bibliomobile vehicle.

Not only can citizens borrow books for free, but organizers have found a fun way to keep babies, toddlers, and older children involved and interested as well. Activities and entertainment based on the books are offered for children of 0 to 12 years of age. These activities are organized in the respective parks during the summer months and in schools and other organizations during the spring, fall, and winter.

Each week, the Bibliomobile truck visits various Laval parks based on a pre-planned schedule, available on the City of Laval website, making it simple for citizens to plan their visit. In the past, the Bibliomobile travelled 6,100 km, visited 26 schools and organizations, lent out 13 500 books, presented more than 100 animations for children and met the needs of 9,570 citizens from 0 to 95 years old in one year alone!

For children aged 6 to 12, the Libraries of Laval also offer another outdoor event called Lis avec moi dans la rue, in which children can come together to read selected books from the Laval library’s youth collection on blankets in their parks. Like the Bibliomobile, this event takes place in different Laval parks throughout the summer months. To stay up-to-date with the Bibliomobile and Lis avec moi dans la rue schedules, as well as other exciting events offered by the Libraries of Laval, visit the City of Laval website at laval.ca.