Holmes County library seeks county support for new $460K Bookmobile

Holmes County District Public Library Director Paula Cicconetti visited with the Holmes County Commissioners Monday, Nov. 17 to discuss the county’s willingness to invest in the purchase of a new Bookmobile.

Cicconetti had requested support from the commissioners in a letter several weeks prior, and in that letter, she noted the library has applied for state grant funding that would help cover the cost of a vehicle that a decade ago was nearly half the cost of what it is today.

“I haven’t heard back about that grant yet, and it will probably be early December that we hear back,” Cicconetti said. “It is through the State Library of Ohio. A lot of times they like to see new and innovative projects to dole out their grants. I don’t know if they will perceive this as routine operations in replacing a Bookmobile, but in any case, I thought it was worth pursuing. I’m trying not to leave any stone unturned.”

Because of the large Amish population that uses the Bookmobile heavily and the expansive coverage area, the Holmes County District Public Library utilizes two Bookmobiles in its everyday operation, presenting a vast number of stops on each of the vehicles’ daily routines.

Cicconetti said the last time the library invested in replacing a Bookmobile was a decade ago, and the cost of a new vehicle at that time cost approximately $230,000.

That number is far in the past.

“That same model today costs around $460,000,” Cicconetti said.

The Bookmobile currently operating is a 2016 model while the oldest one the library is seeking to replace is a 2006 model with major mileage and major mechanical issues. It is often having work done on it, and there have been times when they have had to have it towed back home during a stop.

“What we’re running into is finding replacement parts, and it’s 20 years old, and it’s time to stop pouring money into a sinking ship, so to speak,” Cicconetti said. “We’re tired of taking it to a stop and having to tow it back when it won’t start again.”

The purchase of the 2016 model saw the commissioners support the library by providing some of the funding to make the purchase. Cicconetti said while the library has done a good job of collecting funds in anticipation of the new vehicle, the severe rise in cost has been a major stumbling block.

“When we purchased our last Bookmobile, we did start a fund to start stockpiling money for the next time this came around,” she said. “We’ve accumulated about half the funds, but it doubled, so we weren’t really planning on $460,000. We were thinking $250,000.”

Cicconetti provided Bookmobile statistics from throughout Ohio to the commissioners, noting the circulation of books per capita.

She said that shows how many items per person are checked out on the Bookmobile in the service area.

“We are one of the top dogs, right up there with Wayne County and Geauga County,” Cicconetti said, noting that like Holmes County, those counties have large Amish populations. “That speaks to the need for the Bookmobile and how heavily used it is.”

She also presented the current Bookmobile schedule and said because they are down to operating just one vehicle and because they have so many stops, they have been forced into a six-week rotation rather than a four-week rotation.

Cicconetti said in terms of today’s instant gratification, waiting six weeks for the Bookmobile seems like a long time.

“It also puts a burden on the rest of the system when we have to wait six weeks to get a book back into circulation,” Cicconetti said.

Commissioner Joe Miller said the county would be willing to help pay for part of the Bookmobile, noting the important role it plays in the county. The last time the library purchased a Bookmobile, the county provided $100,000 in funding, which Cicconetti said was huge for the library.

She said should that same amount this year be presented by the commissioners, it would put their overall total thus far at around $350,000, and the library plans on doing some fundraising in communities that use the resources of the Bookmobile often.

“We’d like to get some buy-in from the folks that make heavy use of the service,” Cicconetti said.

“I like that you have a plan. That’s what we want,” Commissioner Dave Hall said.

Hall then said with budget season approaching, the commissioners would have to dive into what funding is available, but all three commissioners said they admire what the library staff and board have done with the library, and they fully support its efforts.

Cicconetti said while the library’s budget is in good shape, it appears as though the state will administer a 5% cut across the board to libraries in 2026.