Cook Memorial Public Library bookmobile gets new look

The Cook Memorial Public Library's popular bookmobile will sport a new look as it cruises through central Lake County on Saturday.

A fresh set of colorful decals were added to the sides and rear of the book-filled vehicle Friday in the garage at the Aspen Drive Library in Vernon Hills.

Jay Cash and Chris Olenick, of the Signs-A-Rama shop in Libertyville, spent hours applying the large stickers. The primary images on the bookmobile's sides depict the pages of books being peeled back to reveal people standing at well-stocked library shelves.

The visuals were created by Andy Traynor, the Libertyville-based library's graphic artist.

"In my opinion it's a 'wow' design," Cook Memorial Director Stephen Kershner said. "It will turn heads."

Other stickers show off the library's name, phone number and website.

The digitally printed images are laminated to prevent sun and weather damage, Cash said.

They should last five or 10 years, Kershner said.

The cost of the work, estimated to be $7,500, was covered by a donation from the Friends of Cook Memorial Public Library group.

The work wasn't complicated, Cash said.

"On a scale of 1 to 10, it's a 5," he said.

Cook Memorial's bookmobile has been on the road since October 2003. In the ensuing decade, it's put on roughly 64,000 miles and made about 12,000 stops for patrons, Kershner said.

Customers check out more than 100,000 items on the bookmobile annually.

After a day out of service, the bookmobile will resume its travels Saturday. Here's the planned route:

• The Poet's Corner neighborhood in Mundelein, at 12:30 p.m.

• The Diamond Lake neighborhood in Mundelein, at 1:20 p.m.

• The Deepwoods Apartments in Mundelein, at 2:05 p.m.

• The corner of Orchard Street and Shaddle Avenue in Mundelein, at 3:15 p.m.