April 2021
First visit to the upfitters
Abrahamson Body and Equipment Service is a family-owned and operated business here in Wisconsin.
Future RedLou driver
The vehicle is a Ford Transit van featuring a high roof and extended length.
Library area
Are you picturing
book-filled shelves?
May 2021
Checking In
Ms. Mary checking out the new swivel seat. The driver's seat spins around to the circulation desk. Sounds fun!
Dave explains how the desk will work.
Dave had the floor and walls taped to show Ms. Mary where shelves and cupboards will go.
Dave had lots of useful questions!
"Wait, are you sure? Let me look at the drawing."
"Ok, so this where the cabinet will be?"
June 2021
PROGRESS!
Metal shelf near ceiling of driver's side will hold audiobooks.
The hole in the ceiling is for a fan to help circulate air.
Angled, adjustable shelves keep books in place when RedLou Library is on the move.
Early August 2021
EXCITING!
Late August 2021
ALMOST THERE!
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The vehicle is equipped with an electric lift. In the first picture the lift is in the up and closed position. In the second, the lift is ready to receive carts loaded with books. The picture on the right shows the lift in the lowered position ready to receive carts to get back into the mobile library.
Circulation desk (left photo). Right photo shows view from desk, including main entry & tan storage cabinet.
Black retention straps secure carts in place when the library is moving.
September 2021
Ready!!
Dave explains how the tracks in the floor were installed. Extra book carts can be anchored to these tracks.
Mary learning how to lock carts in place to prevent movement while the van is in motion.
Learing to use the remote to operate the lift.
Dave explains the battery pack and fuse system.
Co-owners of ABES: Dave and Mary.
ABES employees who upfitted the RedLou Library van.
Mary shows Matt and Randy the designs for the library wrap.
Mary with Duane, the founder of ABES
Ready to hit the road to Viroqua and become a mobile library!
October 2021
Wrapped
We are nearly ready to hit the road. Watch for the library to be cruising the streets of Viroqua soon.
Currently the library has two logos on the back doors. These represent those organizations that have sponsored the library in a big way. If your business would like to become a sponsor contact Mary Mulvaney-Kemp at redlouinc@gmail.com
August 2021
Purchasing Books
Interstate Books4School is a family-run business in Madison, Wisconsin. It is a nationwide supplier of Valu-Books and Special Order Tradebooks for infants through 12th grade. They are dedicated to budget-stretching prices, responsive service and speedy delivery of all orders. They have access to more than 10,000,000 titles.
More than 1,000 books were purchased from Books4School. Most books were hard cover; the average price was $3.60!
Fitting all the books in Mary's car was a project!
Thanks for all your assistance, Books4School staff!
September 2021 Book Donation
Half Price Books
Half Price Books donated books to RedLou Library. On the trip home from picking up the upfitted van from ABES, we stopped in Madison to receive the donation. Here a Half Price Books employee is loading the donation. Several employees wanted tours. Half Price Books motto is, “Be fair to customers and our employees, promote literacy, be kind to the environment…” Half Price Books started in a laundromat in Dallas, Texas in 1972. Now they have 120 stores across the country plus a website with customers and sellers around the globe. They have become America’s largest family-owned retailer of new and used books.
Loading the donation into the library.
Mary looking through all the great book donations.
The Lisa Libraries was started by author Ann M. Martin and friends to honor and memorialize children’s book editor Lisa Novak. Some of the libraries established have been at day-care centers, prison visiting areas for children of incarcerated parents, and after-school programs. The Lisa Libraries supplements under-filled shelves as well as providing books to many children who may never have owned a book before. Since its founding in 1990, the Lisa Libraries has contributed more than 500,000 books to nonprofit organizations across the country.
RedLou Library received 230 NEW books from The Lisa Libraries. They even donated some audiobooks. Amazing! Dog Man series, Elephant and Piggie series, Illustrated Harry Potter, kids are going to love these books.
Here I am sorting the books into each collection for the van.
Already the illustrated Harry Potter is getting read.