Chief and Jester retire...

Chief the bookmobile and Jester the storymobile are retiring after a long and loyal service to the citizens of Reykjavík. The retirement is the result of severe cutbacks on the library's budget, due to the municipal's poor financial standing.

Both cars are grey-headed and it's been clear for a while that if the service was to continue, the cars needed to be replaced. Chief, the bookmobile, will continue in service until the end of the year, but Jester has already retired.

Jester, the storymobile has toured the city's kindergardens and after school centers for the past fourteen years, as well as stopping by at various local festivals. The storymobile was inaugurated by Tjarnarborg kindergarten, the 22nd of February 2008 and has always been run by the Reykjavík City Library. Ólöf Sverrisdóttir, actress and project manager, has sat at the wheel from 2008, putting on different roles and costumes, while telling children stories. Her most known role is probably Sóla the storyteller. 

Chief, the bookmobile's history is quite longer, it goes back to the year 1969. Undoubtedly many citizens, both young ones and the elderly, have warm memories of the bookmobile. Concomitant with the increasing number of libraries in the city, the need for the bookmobile's service has decreased. Its main purpose has become serving those who don't live near to one of the city's 7 libraries. 

With warm appreciation for the good and cozy times, in Jester and Chief, through the past years, we bid farewell to the pair.