Input on Shelving Color Choices for the New Bookmobile

[Susan Parkins]

Hello everyone,

As we move forward with selecting interior details for our new bookmobile, I wanted to reach out regarding shelving color choices. We’ll be using Acore’s excellent shelving system, but I’m curious to know what colors others have chosen for their vehicles.

I had initially assumed we’d go with white to help keep the space feeling bright. However, someone recently raised a good point about how easily white might show dirt and wear over time. I’ll be checking in with Don and the team (in case he doesn’t see this email), but I’d also really appreciate hearing from those of you in the field.

What factors influenced your shelving color decision? Was it aesthetics, maintenance, lighting, or something else?

Thanks in advance for your input! Our deadline for finalizing this decision is quickly approaching, so I’m hoping to gather your feedback soon.

Best regards,

	Susan Parkins
	Laramie County Library System  Bookmobile & Homebound Coordinator
	Email: spar...@lclsonline.org Phone: 307-773-7228 Website: lclsonline.org

[Rebekah Wilce]

Hi, Susan et al!

We haven't made shelf color decisions about our new bookmobile yet, but I've definitely observed the white shelves of our current bookmobile being covered in black marks from the items on them that are impossible to clean off with anything I've tried (including Magic Eraser). I opted to re-paint them all at the beginning of this year, but the marks came right back again shockingly fast.

Some of the shelves that I painted in rainbow colors to help show where the kids' materials are show these marks less, especially the bright red, eggshell blue, and jade green shelves. The yellow shelves show them almost as much as the white, and the orange somewhere in the middle. It definitely seems like the darker, more intense colors do better in terms of maintaining a cleaner look, although I can also see them making a small space seem smaller or too overwhelming very quickly!

Bekah

Rebekah Wilce

Bookmobile Librarian

Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library

(928) 213-2359

Book time to meet with me

The City of Flagstaff humbly acknowledges the ancestral homelands of this area’s Indigenous nations and original stewards. These lands, still inhabited by Native descendants, border mountains sacred to Indigenous peoples. We honor them, their legacies, their traditions, and their continued contributions. We celebrate their past, present, and future generations who will forever know this place as home.

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From: abos-o...@googlegroups.com <abos-o...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Susan Parkins <SPar...@lclsonline.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2025 2:39 PM
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Subject: [ABOS-Outreach] Input on Shelving Color Choices for the New Bookmobile

 

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[Tameka Roby]

I love shelves of different colors.  Our official "library colors are blue and white".  The actual color is a cross between royal blue and patriot blue, but all shades work.  We typicallly have blue shelves, although DigiBlu, the adult Tech bus has red shelves and zebra print floors....very sexy.  

I prefer colored shelves as they give a more finished look and a little razzle dazzle.  I also think they are easier to clean as they have some sort of coating on them.   I've attached some pics of the shelves. 

Thanks, 

Tameka 

Tameka Roby

East Baton Rouge Parish Library

Bookmobile and Outreach Services 

3434 North Boulevard

Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Bookm...@ebrpl.com

Office: (225) 302-5515 

Cell: (225) 939-3155

http://www.ebrpl.com/

 

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From: abos-o...@googlegroups.com <abos-o...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Rebekah Wilce <rwi...@flagstaffpubliclibrary.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2025 4:50 PM
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Subject: [ABOS-Outreach] Re: Input on Shelving Color Choices for the New Bookmobile

 

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[lawrencec]

Hi Susan!

We ended up picking purple for our shelves because the admin left me in charge and let me pick lol! Our vendor had initially digitally rendered different greens (our library logo is green, so I think they were going off of that), and I asked to see what it looked like with purple just for the sake of seeing. I can say I'm so glad we stuck with it, because they are so pretty! 

We went to an event that had other Michigan bookmobiles on display, and so many had white shelves. I did get the feeling that the white shelves made the space seem nice and clean, but the white also seemed plain or sterile maybe. There were lots of compliments on our purple that day. 

Cheryl Lawrence

Outreach Manager

Branch District Library

10 E. Chicago St

Coldwater, MI 49036

517-278-2341  Ext. 120

Currently read/listen:  The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart

[Marcia Siehr]

Hi Susan 

We have white Acore shelves and carts (from 2019) and they show wear marks that can't be wiped clean.  We also have navy blue carts (2020)  that have maintained a better looking apprearance.  If you keep the shelves mostly full, which helps when driving, the wear marks aren't that noticible but definitely much more visible than our blue carts. -Marcia

[Sally Robertson]

Purple sounds fun! I love purple. 

Different is good. 

Sally Robertson
The Mt Juliet Biking Librarian

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