Surrey\u2019s library on wheels brings books to the community<\/p>\n
Published 10:00 am Tuesday, September 1, 2026<\/p>\n
Residents in Surrey looking for their next book, may have a location closer than they think \u2014 and it\u2019s on wheels. <\/p>\n
Surrey Libraries\u2019 Mobile Library travels throughout the community, bringing more than 1,000 items and a range of library services directly to residents. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe always describe the mobile library as a small library on wheels, sort of like another branch of Surrey Libraries,\u201d said Jillian Wertzberger, the recently appointed co-ordinator of the Mobile Library.<\/p>\n
Wertzberger says the Mobile Library makes regular stops at recreation centres and other community locations throughout Surrey. Residents will have the ability to browse and borrow books, make a free Surrey Libraries card, return materials and receive some technology help. <\/p>\n
Wertzberger explained that most of the Mobile Library\u2019s public stops take place monthly, meaning residents can expect the van to return to the same location the following month. <\/p>\n
She also shared that books borrowed from the Mobile Library can be returned at other Surrey Libraries branches, where staff will make sure they get back to the van. <\/p>\n
The Mobile Library is said to be on the road five to six days a week and the schedule is posted on Surrey Libraries\u2019 website. <\/p>\n
Wertzberger notes, however, that not every visit is listed on the events calendar. She explained that the van also makes visits to shelters, food banks and other locations that may not be publicly advertised, allowing library staff to reach people who may face barriers accessing traditional library branches. <\/p>\n
David Kerr, manager of Community Connections for Surrey Libraries shared with Peace Arch News that the Mobile Library service launched in April 2024. The goal was to make library services more accessible to residents who may have difficulty reaching Surrey\u2019s traditional brick-and-mortar branches. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe really hope that having the mobile library allows us to connect people who wouldn\u2019t otherwise be able to access the library,\u201d Kerr said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe connect with people who are in neighbourhoods that are underserved and we work really hard to be welcoming and, hopefully, they will be more willing to come into our other branches such as the brick-and-mortar ones,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
The service operates out of a Ford Transit van, sometimes referred to by staff as a \u2018bookmobile\u2019. <\/p>\n
Kerr shared the van was originally gasoline-powered but has since been converted to run on biofuels made from organic waste. <\/p>\n
For Wertzberger, one of the best parts of the job is introducing residents to a service they may not realize is available to them. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s free! So many people come up to us and they ask if they can buy these books or how much our mobile libraries cost,\u201d she said. \u201cThe best part of my job is saying, \u2018It\u2019s free.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
The Mobile Library will make several stops throughout Surrey in September:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Sept. 1: South Surrey Recreation and Arts Centre, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
\u2022 Sept. 2: Bridgeview Community Centre, 10 a.m. to noon
\u2022 Sept. 5: Surrey Sport & Leisure Complex, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
\u2022 Sept. 9: North Surrey Sport & Ice Complex, 6 to 7 p.m.
\u2022 Sept. 12: Cloverdale Recreation Centre, 1 to 3 p.m.
\u2022 Sept. 15: Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
\u2022 Sept. 18: Fraser Heights Recreation Centre, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
\u2022 Sept. 26: Tong Louie Family YMCA, 10 a.m. to noon.<\/p>\n