BiebBus: Converted shipping container becomes mobile children’s library

Mobile libraries may not be new — the first bookmobile on record was in 1905 in Maryland — but a transformed shipping container is a new twist

The BiebBus travels from school to school in the Netherlands, offering students a selection of 7,000 books and access to four computers. Designer Jord den Hollander gave the mobile library two rooms, with one sliding over the other for easy transport.

The inner space is fixed to the trailer, has a transparent ceiling and is filled with books, referencing a traditional library space. A second, larger space — a repurposed shipping container — slides up to create a fantastical, sci-fi-inspired second-storey reading room with beanbag seating and a a bird's eye view.

Kids — up to 45 can enter at a time — can visit the BiebBus during school hours or during after-hour reading sessions.

The library isn't just a space-efficient solution to giving student access to books. It also makes reading cool.

Watch the construction of the BiebBus below.