Squamish Public Library is seeking $100,000 in the District’s 2027 budget for an electric cargo van to bring library services beyond its downtown branch.
The proposed capital funding would cover the vehicle, an interior retrofit, an exterior wrap and charging infrastructure, according to the library’s 2027–2036 financial plan memo before council on Tuesday, Sept. 29. The library says the vehicle would help staff service the holds pickup lockers at Brennan Park Recreation Centre and provide outreach and pop-up services across its service area.
Demand for the lockers has been strong, the library says. By mid-September, roughly two months after they opened, almost all the lockers were full on each delivery. Staff service the lockers three times a week, and the return bin is receiving more than 300 items a month.
The library also reported a record 17,302 visitors in August. It says foot traffic rose 30 percent after it expanded opening hours by 15 percent in June.
Other 2027 requests include $20,000 for Library Board laptops and a $4,500 increase to the software budget. The vehicle and other requests are proposals for the budget process; council has not approved them.
$100,000 for an electric van? What are we talking – an e-Sprinter cargo van? Why?? Charging station too – can’t the library use the one across the street?
Unless the library is planning on doing an “old school” bookmobile, they need to stop spending foolishly. If they can’t figure out how to pick up 300 books/month (working out to approximately 23 books per visit) without needing a $100,000 retro-fitted, wrapped van to do it, they all need to be replaced with people with brains.