Botetourt County is some 547 square miles in size. The library system has a Bookmobile that covers the more rural and not so rural areas of the county!

Dorothy McCusker of The Glebe and Paige Ware discuss books as Ware checks out the reading materials presented. Note the the cell phone hanging on the board that is used for a wireless connection by the Bookmobile!

Dorothy McCusker of The Glebe placed a stack of books on the desk of the Botetourt County Library Bookmobile and waited for driver and librarian Paige Ware to check out her books over a laptop computer that gets wireless access from a cell phone connection. “The cost for a month on the cell wireless is only $49,” said Ware.

Ware has been driving the Bookmobile around the county for years. She is looking for more patrons.

B.V. How often do you go out?
Ware: I go out three days per week. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Every Monday and every other Tuesday night I go in the evenings so parents, students and working people can use our service.
BV: So what is your territory?
Ware: The Bookmobile travels from Hollins to Arcadia, Oriskany, places all over Botetourt and all the way to Iron Gate and the Alleghany County line.
BV: How long has the Bookmobile been part of the Botetourt scene?
Ware: Twenty- eight years– since 1980. This particular Bookmobile arrived in 2004.
BV: How many books are on the Bookmobile?
Ware: Three thousand but I can get just about any book a patron requests and bring it to them on the Bookmobile. They can tell me or go through the library website, RVL.
BV: How many people patronize the Bookmobile?
Ware: In a two week period 140 or more.
BV: How long are the stops?
Ware: About an hour some a little less others a little more.
BV: How far does the Bookmobile drive in a given week?
Ware: This is a big county, about 150 miles per week on average.

Bookmobile Schedule:
1st and 3rd Mondays
1:30-2:15 Tinkerview Townhomes
2:30-3:30 Hunter’s Glen
3:45-4:45 Runaway Village
5:00-6:15 Hollins Mobile Home Park
6:45-8:00 Green Acres
1st and 3rd Tuesday
12:-1:00 Iron gate
1:15-1:45 Kelly’s Market
2:00-3:00 Roaring Run Grocery
3:30-4:15 Oriskany

Buchanan Area 1st and 3rd Thursday

11:00-12 Cedar Bluff Baptist Church, Lee Highway
12:30-2:00 Arcadia Store
3:-4:15 Lithia Methodist Church

Glen Wilton 2nd and 4th Monday
4:00-5:30 Glen Wilton
6:00-8:00 Eagle Rock Community Center

2nd and 4th Tuesday
12:30-1:30 The Glebe
1:45-2:15 Cave Creek Assisted Living
2:30-4:00 Ridgeway Acres
4:30- 5:30 Troutville at Bank of Botetourt
6:00-8:15 Tinkerview Gardens
County Loop

2nd and 4th Thursdays
10:30- 11:00 Mountain View home for Adults Blue Ridge Turnpike
11:30-12:00 Bethel Ridge Home for Adults
12:30-1:30 Nace old Crowder store
2:00-3:00 Springwood Grocery Store
3:30-4:30 old Ma and Pa grocery on Route 43