The Sampson County Board of Commissioners’ request for department heads to look for one percent or more in budget reductions has led to a rumor that the county’s bookmobile may be in danger of having its brakes locked.

However, Sampson County Library System director Heather Bonney says its absolutely not true. In fact, Bonney said the she has not even heard the rumor about the bookmobile’s service been cut or eliminated altogether.

The bookmobile, which travels to nursing homes, daycares and other locations to help bring literature to many residents, has the second highest circulation number behind Clinton’s J.C. Holliday location.

Bonney pointed out that taking the bookmobile away has never been an idea of hers due to her belief that it is necessity to some residents who are unable to leave their homes.

“To some, this is their lifeline to the outside world ... Those books are touching countless lives,” said Bonney. As for how many people are served by the bookmobile, Bonney said that it has, in fact, made as many as 64 stops in one week. She added that residents who utilize the bookmobile are “the most committed residents.” In fact, if someone were to be out of town on a week that he or she is being visited by the bookmobile, that person will call to let the library employees know to skip that stop.

She also stated that unlike in other areas where a bookmobile may make community stops, the one in Sampson County actually goes to residents’ homes to bring a long-awaited book. She also commented that the bookmobile is instrumental in helping provide literature to the many home-schooled families in the area.

However, while Bonney has no plans to permanently put the brakes on the bookmobile, she has had to park it for nine weeks out of the year, time in which she was able to save about $850 on fuel and allow the bus time for maintenance and cleaning.

Cuts in her budget, Bonney said, came from the elmination of her Blackberry and the cutting of $2,000 from the magazine budget.

As to whether any other areas of the library system may be reduced this year, Bonney stated that she has no plans for deeper cuts.

Commissioners chairman Jarvis McLamb said he also has no plans for cutting out the bookmobile.

“I have not heard anything of that nature lately... it must be a rumor,” said McLamb.

As for commissioner John Blanton, who made the case to open the Garland Library location up more hours in 2007, he, too, said he is unaware of any plans to reduce the library system by cutting the bookmobile.

“I don’t think that lthe brary is an area that we should cut. We don’t need to do that,” said Blanton.

Katie Holland can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 136, or by email at silife@intrstar.net.