Are Bookmobiles Profitable?

Introduction to Bookmobile Business

A bookmobile business can be profitable for you and beneficial to your community. By bringing books to the local community, you can expand the market and size of your business. These traveling storehouses of books visit various neighborhoods and other locations within their district and loan books to library patrons.

Benefits of Bookmobiles

Bookmobiles offer a unique opportunity for the public to access reading materials. Since librarian Mary Titcomb launched the first bookmobile at the turn of the 20th century, these small businesses have served the reading needs of the public in both rural and urban areas. BookMobile outreach services are an extremely effective marketing strategy for libraries.

Starting a Bookmobile Business

The costs for starting a bookmobile business can vary considerably, depending on your requirements. On the low end, you could purchase a used vehicle for less than $5,000, do the renovations yourself, and begin with a stock of used books. In this case, you could potentially get started for $10,000 or less. Buying a new vehicle, equipping it for business with shelves, and purchasing an inventory of new books could cost more than $100,000.

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