Book Burro hits the road
Maria's vintage Airstream-turned-bookmobile aims to deliver free books across region

On a quiet stretch of road somewhere in the Four Corners, it won’t be long before a colorful vintage trailer rolls into view, its curved aluminum sides catching the sun and a vibrant mural announcing its arrival. But this isn’t just any Airstream – it’s a traveling library, pop-up bookstore and community hub on wheels. It’s the Book Burro.

The Book Burro is the newest initiative from Maria’s Literary Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Maria’s Bookshop, designed to expand access to books across Southwest Colorado and beyond. Housed in a 25-foot Airstream trailer from 1980, the mobile unit has been transformed into a fully functioning bookmobile that will bring free books and literary programming to rural and underserved communities.

“We’ll use it to host pop-up events near and around Durango, but also all over the Southwest and Four Corners region,” Nina Lundstrom, executive director of the foundation, said. “The goal is to distribute books for free and host literary events, especially in communities that are book deserts or don’t have the same access to resources that we do in Durango.”

The idea of a bookmobile had been circulating between Lundstrom and Maria’s Bookshop owner, Evan Shertz, for a while. When the foundation launched in the fall of 2024, expanding access to literature became central to its mission. For Lundstrom, that meant more than just delivering books – it meant offering choice.

“We want to not just give them books, but offer freedom of choice by bringing enough of a selection of books to a school or to a community event that folks can actually choose the books that they want to read,” said Lundstrom.

The right vehicle for the mission, however, proved elusive. Lundstrom and Shertz scoured Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace and even visited an existing bookmobile in Ignacio, trying to determine what would work best. Then, in what Lundstrom describes as a moment of pure serendipity, the solution found them.

“A community member reached out and said, ‘I have this trailer that I’m hoping to get rid of. Would it be useful to you?’” Lundstrom recalled. “And I said, ‘Absolutely.’ We lucked out.”

The donated Airstream became the foundation for the Book Burro, but transforming it into a functional and inviting space required a community-wide effort. For starters, students from Animas High School’s shop class spent the spring semester building custom bookshelves.

“They did an incredible job,” Lundstrom said. “It’s been such a cool collaborative project.”

In addition, local artist Jenn Rawlins has been tasked with gussying up the trailer with her artwork – a Southwestern-y desert scene featuring a girl with her donkey. And in keeping with the burro theme, the Book Burro will debut at Mancos’ Burro Fest, next Sat., June 20. (Interesting fact: the model for the donkey on the mural was a fine, uh, jack named DonKee, who belongs to one of the Burro Fest’s founders, Veryl Goodnight.)

The trailer itself has become something of a gathering point. Parked, perhaps fittingly, in a barn at Lundstrom’s home during the build-out, it has seen a steady stream of volunteers stopping by to lend a hand – from upholstering to installing shelving.

In a fitting twist, the trailer itself becomes a kind of portrait – a tribute not only to the animal but to the region’s quirky Western spirit.

“We wanted it to be something recognizable,” Lundstrom said. “Something where people see it coming and know free books are on the way.”

Both Rawling’s work as well as the trailer’s build out were supported through a grant from the City of Durango’s lodger’s tax. “It’s really been a community effort from the beginning,” Lundstrom said.

Once completed, the Book Burro will operate throughout the year as a mobile literacy hub. In December, however, it will take on a different role – transforming into a gift-wrapping station outside Maria’s as part of a fundraiser for the foundation.

Like many nonprofits, Maria’s Literary Foundation relies on a combination of grants and community donations to sustain its programs. Its annual Read-a-Thon fundraiser, held each spring, invites participants to read for pledges in the front window of Maria’s Bookshop. Looking ahead, Lundstrom is planning a new fall event designed to tap into a sense of nostalgia.

“I’m hoping to do something like a book fair for adults,” she said. “Like, don’t you miss your Scholastic Book Fair? Something fun and community-oriented, with all proceeds supporting the foundation.”

For now, though, the focus is on getting the Book Burro on the road. Lundstrom and Shertz will handle driving duties, towing the 25-foot trailer with the Maria’s Bookshop’s truck, though Lundstrom admits it’s a learning curve.

“This is definitely the biggest trailer I’ve ever hauled,” she said with a laugh. “I’m learning as I go.”

After its debut at Burro Fest, the Book Burro will begin making appearances across the region, with plans to refine and adapt the program along the way.

“I’m sure there will be things we discover we need to add or change,” Lundstrom said. “That’s part of the process.”

What remains constant is the mission: to connect people with books, wherever they are.