1. MODERN LIBRARY-SPONSORED BOOKMOBILES:
A CASE FOR LIBRARY OUTREACH
AND
COMMUNITY NETWORKING
IN THE 21ST
CENTURY
(Images received from google.images.com*)
Rusty Adams
ILS 225/ Introduction to Library Technology Final Paper
Dr. Tamara Blesh
December 15, 2014
*1st
row: B/W photos: Washington County, MD bookmobile, 1906 / Cincinnati Public Library first bookmobile, 1927
2nd
row: circa 1950s toy bookmobile on ebay 2008 / Black Rock bookmobile, Burning Man Festival, 2007
3rd
row: 1960s bookmobile / Owen County, IN bookmobile

2. 2
Table of Contents
Introduction Page 3
Background Information Page 3
History Pages 3-6
Logistics (Start Up, Operating Costs, Staff Training, Material Selection) Pages 6-7
Latest Technologies, Adaptive Strategies and Sustainability Pages 7-8
Pros and Cons Pages 8-9
Examples of State of the Art Bookmobile Technology Page 10
Images of United States Bookmobiles Pages 11-14
Bookmobiles Around the World Pages 15-22
Final Thoughts Pages 23-24
References Pages 25-27
Addendum A: Manufacturers Pages 28-32
Addendum B: Bookmobile Ephemera Pages 33-35
Addendum C: Bookmobiles by State Page 36

3. 3
Introduction
Long before there were mobile phones with literary apps or the Internet offering Amazon book
mailings to your front door, books were reaching far afield from their parent libraries, helping to fulfill
the public library mandate of education, accessibility and outreach to their patrons. What was once
originally accomplished in a bricks and mortar setting from the 1800s into the first half of the 20th
century, expanded with the introduction of mobile units bringing books and materials to patrons
outside the physical library, adding a much needed dimension to library services. This paper surveys
the history of bookmobiles, the resurgence of mobile options concurrent with the spread of modern
technology and the cultural impacts of these modern-day agents of information.
Background Information
Bookmobiles have a romantic place in the hearts of many a reader,having served patrons throughout
the world since the late 1800s. ILS 225/Introduction to Library Technology at the University of
Maine, Augusta has explored how current technology has impacted library services, including patron
accessibility to reading opportunities. This paper explores the physical outreach that bookmobiles
offer in support of the mission of public libraries.
History
In 1857 The British Workman broadsheet reported that a perambulating library was circulating among
8 villages in Cumbria County of Northwest England, courtesy of a merchant philanthropist, George
Moore (Warburton, 2013). The following year and 100 miles south, the Warrington Perambulating
Wagon began to tour the streets of Warrington and vicinity on November 15, 1858. The one-horse
wagon was the funded by Warrington Mechanical Institute in Cheshire, England together with the
local citizens, as a means to increase book circulation among the public (Orton, 1980).
In the United States,a section of Fairfax County, Virginia operated a traveling book service in the
1890s (it became county-wide with the loan of a truck from the Works Progress Administration in
1940). At the turn of the century, Mary Titcomb, librarian for the Washington County Free Library,
Hagerstown,MD began book deposit stations in 22 initial stores, post offices and churches in order to
better include rural patrons. The program grew to 66 stations before she upgraded her outreach project
to a traveling book wagon. In April 1905 a 2-horse wagon began to visit the citizens of Washington

4. 4
County, Maryland as a result of the Miss Titcomb’s vision and hard work. “As well try to resist the
pack of a peddler from the Orient as the shelf full of books when the doors of the wagon are opened
…at one's gateway” she wrote (whilbr.org, 2014). How right she was – the citizens took to mobile
delivery from the start. By 1912 she upgraded to an International Harvester Autowagon with its
adaptable chassis, thereby creating America’s first motorized bookmobile (Fain, 2007).
1905-06: Daniel Beard standing next to Washington County Library book wagon,
with daughter Lottie in wheelchair as a result of infantile paralysis;
near Beard's Church, on Beck Road near Smithsburg, MD
Photo courtesy of Western Maryland Historical Library
In February 1893, Melvil Dewey organized some of the first traveling libraries (Fain, 2007), a
precursor to bookmobiles, declaring “Libraries must be mobilized. Books must travel more”
(Weinburger, 2013). In 1906 he suggested ‘field libraries’ (Fain, 2007), apparently at a similar time
that Miss Titcomb’s book wagon was traveling the back roads of western Maryland. Plainfield, IL
Public Library organized the second US bookmobile, using a touring car for house-to-house
distribution (Fain, 2007).
At the 1909 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference,Mary Titcomb advocated for
ALA support of the mobile library concept. In response, the ALA created informational pamphlets and
how-to manuals for setting up book wagons and highlighted successfulcase histories. Within 20 years

5. 5
there were more than 50 bookmobiles operating in the United States,using specifications written by
the ALA Committee on Library Extension, outlining what make of vehicle to use, bookshelf
installation and spare tire storage (Bertram,2014). The 1930s combustible engine and investment in
highway infrastructure via the New Dealof the 1940s created an opportunity for bookmobile services
to expand (Garber, 2014) fueled by an increasing awareness of 19th
and 20th
century theories of social
compacts.
The Works Progress Administration (WPA) created the Packhorses in Kentucky Project (1935/6-43)
to distribute books, magazines, religious pamphlets and sermons and Home Economics booklets.
Local women supplied their own horses, traveling rough terrain in 30 counties (Ortwein, 2013). The
immense popularity and success of the program gave rise to the anecdotal reason for Kentucky
currently having the highest number of bookmobiles in the country.
“Packhorse Library Carrier mounted and ready to leave mountain cabin after delivering books.”
(kywchr.org,, n.d.)
Post World War II, Americans became increasingly aware of domestic social problems, including the
inequality of opportunity for large segments of the population. Education and research publications
grew exponentially in the 1940 and ‘50s as a means to combat societal challenges, along with the need
to index and make them available. Libraries became a venue to fulfill that demand, bringing the need
for recognition and assistance to the profession. The 1940s revealed that less than half the country had
adequate access to public libraries. When Congress became the means to enact legislation to address
social programs, public libraries joined the effort and the concept of federalaid to libraries emerged.
After more than a decade of setbacks and appropriation challenges, the 1956 Library Services Act

6. 6
(LSA) was funded to provide improved library services for neglected populations (Fry, 1975).
Approximately 200 bookmobiles were LSA-funded for rural areas between 1956-61.
By the mid-20th
century, the United States public libraries had more than 2,000 bookmobiles on the
road, serving patrons from coast to coast. (Smithsonian, 2013). Over time, shrinking budgets and
rising costs reduced the prominence bookmobiles once held in the American landscape.
In the latter half of the 20th
century the advent of computer technology, Internet access and personal
devices created a major cultural shift that was initially thought would leave public libraries searching
for relevance. Instead,librarians embraced the new technology, became an educational source for
patrons, and did what libraries were created to do: connect fellow citizens with free access to unlimited
informational opportunities. The bookmobiles of the modern age have become another agent of that
cultural connection.
Logistics
Start Up / Operating Costs / Staff Training / Material Selection
The Association of Bookmobiles and Outreach Services (ABOS) offers detailed guidelines for
libraries considering the purchase of a bookmobile (ABOS,2013) as does the ALA Office for Literacy
and Outreach Services (ALA,2014). Prior to purchase, staff and library boards must exert their best
due diligence to research the needs of patrons and their community, funding options, budgetary
constraints, staff training, material selection and operating costs.
Prices for new bookmobiles average $200,000- $230,000 according to ABOS (2013 prices); the
average annual costs to keep a mobile library on the road can be similar, when including salaries.
Constructing a new library branch averages $1.6 million (ABOS.com,2013). The bookmobile
planning committee must establish program needs, look at intended customers, types of materials and
proposed numbers, access,collection, desired storage space,automation and the like while sticking to
the operating and maintenance budget that has been established. Costs will be either variable (gas,
WiFi, electricity, tires, tolls, damage, repairs, materials) or fixed (depreciation, insurance, labor, social
security, license) (Little, 1961) (ABOS,2013).
Major distributors & manufacturers of bookmobiles offer new and used options; the Internet allows for
online comparisons. Secondhand online purchases can begin at http://www.vehiclesuccess.com/used-
specialty-vehicles-for-sale.html . December 2014 prices on this site include a 2003 34-foot Thomas
built Bluebird for $54,900 and 1994 32 -foot Chevy P40 chassis step-van for $23,900.

7. 7
Funding bookmobiles must be creative. The Pikes Peak,Colorado Library District applied for and
received a $439,000 federal anti-pollution grant in 2005 by demonstrating that emissions from their
bookmobile were less than patrons’ vehicles driving to the library for their services (Meadows,2005).
Susan Brookney (2014) suggests crowdfunding through Kickstarter,Indiegogo, Rockethub or Fundley
as a means to fund library bookmobiles. She includes tips to help: do your homework, leverage
traditional and social media and extend donation campaign durations for optimal results.
The ABOS 2008 Guidelines note that staff training requirements for mobile libraries are comparable
to other library staff departments with similar duties. There must be an up-to-date job description, a
minimum staff of two during service hours, one graduate level and one with post high school
education and at least one year’s bookmobile experience if possible. Outreach personnel require
training in basic reference work,readers advisory and any needed clerical duties (ABOS,2008).
Material selection and collection development must reflect the needs determined by the outreach
committee and meet library guidelines, keeping patron interests in mind. High interest materials in a
variety of formats should cover informational and recreation needs. Original bookmobiles provided
books and over time expanded to include periodicals, LPs,CDs,DVDs,and any other multimedia
format that the central branch offered. Modern bookmobiles now provide patrons with the technology
itself (Freeman, 2008).
Latest Technologies, Adaptive Strategies and Sustainability
Today’s mobile libraries offer cutting edge technology, adaptive technology for people with
disabilities, educational software,subscription databases,video games, Internet & WiFi access and e-
readers.
Free Library of Philadelphia Techmobile
(googleimages.com, 2014)

8. 8
The Free Library Techmobile of Philadelphia (FTP),a 25-foot van, provides broadband access and
digital literacy classes to neighborhoods with the highest need. Training may be computer and email
basics, job search and resume writing, social networking, or parenting and small business resources.
Funding was supplied through the Federal Broadband Technologies Opportunities grant
(libwww.freelibrary.org/techmobile 2014).
The Genesee District Library of Flint, MI purchased a 74-foot 18-wheel tractor trailer bookmobile in
2008 with five interactive stations, offering broadband Internet-connected PCs,premium sound
systems, high-definition monitors and portable media players where patrons can enjoy eBooks,
audiobooks, music and video digital checkouts (library.public-libraries.org/Michigan, 2014).
Not all modern bookmobiles cater to modern technology. In a well thought out case of ‘know your
patrons’, the Norristown, PA Public Library services an older demographic with its Words on Wheels
bookmobile. The bookmobile has accommodated senior citizens for three decades,regularly visiting
more than 50 retirement communities, assisted living complexes and senior housing neighborhoods.
Residents borrow large-print books, DVDs and audiobooks, and can order materials ahead to pick up
at their local bookmobile stop (Warburton, 2013).
Philadelphia’s Temple University’s Institute of Disabilities coordinates the Get REAL program
(Regional Education Assisting Life Long Learning) with select libraries and bookmobiles within their
sphere. They supply video magnifiers, high contrast keyboards and text-to-speech reading programs
for libraries and portable video magnifiers for bookmobiles. Their website currently lists 17
participating bookmobiles (disabilities.temple.edu, 2014).
In addition to technology, bookmobiles are now focusing on sustainability. Libraries from coast to
coast now promote ecofriendly electric or hybrid vehicles that mirror stationary buildings with
skylights and solar panels (Warburton, 2013).

9. 9
Pros and Cons
From the start there have been challenges of finances, culture and even taste regarding mobile
libraries. Mary Titcomb worried about the color of the paint for their wagon and local funding in the
early 1900s (Fain, 2007). The Warrington Perambulating Library was partially funded by a craft sale
in 1857-58 (Orton, 1980).
Culturally, according to Derek Attig, PhD, bookmobiles have been caught up in racial challenges in
our country and have reflected community conflict, “who can share what kind of culture and with
whom and where”. In the 1950s and ‘60s, as the suburbs grew faster than the government could
provide library branches, bookmobiles offered a way for citizens to access more information, though
Dr. Attig suggests that information was promoting a homogenized culture that was not reflected in
reality. Bookmobiles were used to reinforce standardized culture, as seen in Clinton, LA where the
parishes purchased two bookmobiles, painting one red for whites and one blue for blacks. By bringing
bookmobiles to segregated neighborhoods, the library bookmobiles provided a way to keep the black
population out of the library, “a way to share culture, without sharing space” (Garber,2014).
In the 1970s, the largely Hispanic patrons of El Paso,TX chose to paint their bookmobile to reflect
their culture until the librarians at the central library objected and had it repainted to match the
standard vehicle colors. The library was seen to be trying to promote the appearance of the
predominantly white culture over the Hispanic one (Garber, 2014).
From the point of view of the providers, challenges and rewards of bookmobile administration are
multi-faceted. According to a survey of library staff by Fain (2007), the benefits of bookmobile
service include appreciative and eager patrons, personal relationships, making a difference, variety,
positive response from kids, and dedicated staff. Difficulties consist of vehicle maintenance & repair,
time management, environmental conditions, issues with technology, commercial drivers license,
budget, administration, publicity, collection development and isolation. Liswiki.org (2014) lists other
concerns as risks of operator error,public liability issues, the need for external power sources, dealing
with emergencies and getting assistance for injuries.

10. 10
Examples of State of the Art Bookmobile Technology
Stanford University d.school’s Sparktruck: a traveling bookmobile for makers that brings rapid
prototyping to school kids. This mobile makerspace carries both high and low tech tools: two 3-d
printers, laser cutter, sewing machines and a clay oven along with hammers, scissors, hot glue guns,
tape and craft supplies.
(www.sparktruckorg, 2014)
Overdrive Digital Bookmobile: 74 foot long traveling exhibit that promotes
digital reading, showcases ebooks, audiobooks, gadgets.
(www.digitalbookmobile.com, 2014)

11. 11
Images of United States Bookmobiles
1928 Los Angeles Public Library bookmobile that served patients at local hospitals
(googleimages.com, 2014)
Visiting boxcar reading room, 1925, Greenough logging camp, Montana
(Missoulian.com, Aug 2013)

12. 12
Central Rappahannock Regional Library Bookmobile, Virignia 1960s
(googleimages.com, 2014)
Lucy the Bookmobile, Kent County Public Library, Delaware
Since 1988, the Kent County Bookmobile has offered free library service to residents (originally as a
book trailer pulled by a Suburban). Lucy went into service in April 2004 as a result of a bequest by a
longtime patron, Lucy Urban. Lucy makes weekly stops throughout the county to senior facilities, fire
stations, daycares, schools and Amish communities. Using one’s Kent County library card, patrons
can access free programs, materials, e & audiobooks, databases, and Internet/WiFi access.
(www.co.kent.de.us, 2014)

13. 13
Lewis & Clark Library Bookmobile, Helena, MT
Since November 2012, the Lewis & Clark bookmobile has provided 3500 books, DVDs and
audiobooks at many stops throughout the greater Helena, MT area. Patrons may find the bookmobile
stopped at a number of eclectic spots: elementary schools, senior centers, a general store, the Milford
Hutterite Colony, the State Capitol, churches, St. Peter’s Hospital and O’Malley’s Tavern.
http://www.lclibrary.org/188/Bookmobile
Free Bookmobile of Sonoma County, CA, 2011
Associated with the Sonoma County Public Library Foundation, supplying free books through
donations from private collections, publishers and bookstore overstock and library extras.
http://freebookmobile.org/

14. 14
Portland Public Library, Maine Bookmobile serves local neighborhoods at over 20 locations.
Launched in April 2013, it holds 1,700 items for all ages, is wheelchair accessible with WiFi
capabilities and solar panels.
(http://www.portlandlibrary.com/locations/portable-library) (googleimages, 2014)

15. 15
Bookmobiles Round the World
Creativity, love of reading and a worldwide belief in education fuel inspiring mobile ideas. Libraries
large and small find any manner of distribution to meet the needs of patrons on the outer reaches of
their sphere. Some examples included are private citizens promoting literacy.
Louis Sorriano, a teacher from LaGloria, Columbia travels through fields with his donkeys to nearby
villages where children wait impatiently for his next visit. Senor Sorriano believes that bringing books
to those without access can and will improve his country, opening possibilities to the next generation.
(facebook/themiraclebookmobile, 2014)
Antonio La Cava, a retired Italian teacher travels around the country in his 3-wheeled
"bibliomotocarro" or "librarymotorcar" to get children excited about books.
((facebook/themiraclebookmobile, 2014)

16. 16
Mehdi Yazdany and Sarvenaz Heraner, husband and wife, Tehran, Iran offer “a mobile
reading room and taxi service, complete with chauffeur-librarian”. For five years their venture,
Ketabraneh or ‘Books on Wheels’, has sold 30 books/day on average and are known to
give books for free to passengers of lesser means.
(Beattie, 2014)
The Camel Bookmobile, Kenya. Three dromedaries travel to
remote villages in northeast Kenya near the Somalia border.
(www.marshahamilton.com, 2014)

17. 17
Japan’s decommissioned O series bullet train offers children’s books near the Akishima, Tokyo train
station, in a neighborhood full of children. An example of creative re-use of a previously mobile
vehicle turned into a well-loved and attended library; not mobile but somehow still in the genre.
(cnet.com, 2011)
Columbia has 100 portable mini libraries in public parks in Bogata and throughout the country. They
are staffed for 12 hours/week, usually weekends, by volunteer librarians who stock the kiosks, run
activities and help children with their homework. Each mini library holds approximately 350
volumes. This is a joint venture between a nonprofit literacy group, Fundalectura and the park system.
(Roth, 2012)

18. 18
Bokbåten Epos, Norwegian Library ship: active since 1959, operating between 3 counties, 126
days/year, offering books & cultural activities for children in remote villages; funded by 3 country
libraries (bokbaten.no, 2014) (googleimages.com, 2014)
Weapons of Mass Instruction distributes free books on the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The
metal skeleton serves as a bookcase; private donations supply the mobile library.
(ebookfriendly.com, 2014)

19. 19
Biebbus, children’s mobile library, the Netherlands.
Narrow Dutch streets were the inspiration for a trolley/bookmobile
that expands vertically; the bottom room holds 7,000 books, the top is
a reading and play room; the bookmobile offers space for up to 45 children.
(ebook.com, 2014) (googleimages.com, 2014)
Elephant Bookmobile, Laos
(googleimages.com, 2014)

20. 20
Library Tram, Jiří Mahen Library, Brno, Czech Republic travels throughout the city, serving
approximately 1000 riders/readers daily. Patrons can scan QR codes with their mobile phones to
access the library’s website, search the catalog and download ebooks.
(Awarded 1st
place in 12th
IFLA International Marketing Award 2014).
(ifla.org, 2014) (googleimages.com, 2014)
Bactrian Camel Library, Mongolia
(googleimages.com, 2014)

21. 21
Tell A Story, Lisbon, Portugal
A project of Lisbon’s Francisco Antolin and friends that offers Portuguese classics translated into
Spanish, French, Italian, German and English.
(Kowalyczyk, 2014)
Donkey bookmobile, Ethiopia
Ato Yohannes Gebregeorgis returned to Ethiopia to address illiteracy in his native land after earning
his MLS in the U.S. and working as a children’s librarian at San Francisco Public Library.
www.ethiopiareads.org has grown since 1998 to include over 60 libraries throughout Ethiopia,
working to supply in-language books for Ethiopian children.

22. 22
American Embassy Bookmobile, an American Corner Bookmobile
Conversation Club, Tserovani, Georgia Refuge Camp, November 2014
Peace Corps volunteer Kate Moses on Georgia’s traveling bookmobile, January 2014
American Corners are small,American-style libraries located within a local partner organization to
provide services to vulnerable, underserved Internally Displaced Person (IDP) communities that
continue to be impacted by war in the region. Access to American Corners and their collections is free
and open to all interested citizens of Georgia. The bookmobile has already reached more than 6,000
people across three settlements that are home to families displaced from South Ossetia following
conflict in the region in 2008.
The bookmobile spends five days in each community, focusing on youth engagement. The interior of
the donated 2nd
-hand school bus was gutted and outfitted with bookshelves, beanbag chairs and folding
tables to create the feelof a real library. Inside, the bus features books in English for all reading levels,
DVDs,laptops with wireless Internet access,and a projector and screen.
http://georgia.usembassy.gov/programs-and-events/bookmobile.html
US Embassy Bookmobile

23. 23
Final Thoughts
Bookmobiles hold a fascination for booklovers worldwide. They extend and promote many of the
core tenets of libraries: intellectual freedom, access, the public good, diversity, lifelong learning,
service and social responsibility (ALA.org,2014). Do they hold economic as well as social value? Is
that the best means to establish their relevancy and viability?
The term bookmobile has become more flexible in our modern culture. One can see it used on
Facebook as a community book club that chooses a new book very 4-6 weeks and holds discussions
online “at your convenience” (https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Book-Mobile/). A participant of
the Burning Man Festival may come upon the Black Rock Bookmobile in the desert
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUypbs5diFs). In 2011, Tom Corbin created an homage to
bookmobiles by refitting a de-commissioned hand-built 240B Maroney mobile unit, filling it with
books, enlisting authors to drive and read in a cross-country journey from San Francisco to the East
Coast while creating a documentary Behind the Wheel of the Bookmobile (bookmobiletravels.com,
2012). These examples show the impact and the positive deep-rooted cultural identity Americans
have with the concept.
The flexibility of a mobile unit allows the parent library to adjust its uses over time. As population
trends shift, so can the bookmobile route. A bookmobile that once focused on senior needs may be
altered to meet low-income, underserved neighborhoods. The bookmobile that meets local patron
needs can be a catalyst for funding a local branch once patron usage numbers are revealed. Modern
bookmobiles offer job search and resume writing, English as a second language, preschool skills,
technology experience; all in service to their communities while living the basic values of
librarianship.
The expense of purchasing and maintaining a mobile unit can seem like an extravagance to an
institution that is often struggling to do more with less. Numbers vary, showing that mobile unit
budgets tend to run 2-15% of budget (Freeman,2008). Martha Buckner, President of ABOS,reminds
us that bookmobiles create an important community connection to the diversity of the American
experience and as such add intrinsic value by offering attention to those “who are vulnerable, on the
fringes of society and may have few places to turn.” (Buckner, 2013).
The anecdotal evidence for continued use of bookmobiles appears to be split. A 2007 Boston Globe
article about the death of the bookmobile led to many a blog post debate, including Jessamyn West’s
librarian.net. Professional librarians posted their disgust with the original article’s premise (Badkhen,

24. 24
2007) and wrote with high praise and conviction of the need for public library bookmobiles,
advocating for their continued presence,despite budgetary constraints and citing the need for more
creative budgeting.
For this report, it was effortless to find articles that doomed the bookmobile for economic reasons
(“Bookmobiles fall victim to budget cuts” (wired.com, 2009)). In the fall of 2012, the Piece County
Public Library discontinued its mobile units in the Tacoma, WA area after 65 years,saying they could
no longer afford it (piececountylibrary.org, 2012). In Everett, WA, a $200,000 city budget cut forced
the public city library, dependent on those funds, to reduce hours in the branch and main libraries and
pull both bookmobiles after 90 years on the road, effective September 2nd
of this year (king5.com,
2014). The bookmobile librarian, who saw an average of 700 children each month at Head Starts,
daycares and preschools (herald.net, 2014), blogged about the heartbreak of the demise and asked
patrons to come visit her in the main branch.
The Georgia Public Library Service, on the other hand, has a thriving mobile library system of 17
units (2013 count). The state promotes bookmobiles of every type throughout the state and has
budgeted for more to come (georgiapubliclibaries.org, 2013). They have found funding through the
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and insurance giant, AFLAC. The Bartram Trail Regional
Library in Washington, GA replaced their 30-year old unit in 2013 with a new Ford Transit Connect.
The Athens Regional Library System (ARLS) recently sold its mobile unit to the Georgia Natural
History Museum; it has been re-purposed as a Natural History Museum Mobile. In order to continue
its outreach services the ARLS has teamed with a regional commission to create a mobile computer
lab. The library doesn’t own it, but uses it daily in response to patron interests.
Libraries are adjusting their costs, promoting their mobile units more effectively, broadening their
usage and working on the forefront of technology and education, all in their professional capacity and
to support their core tenets. Though the future of public library mobile units no doubt will continue to
have challenges, strong positive feelings of staff and patrons may well help offset the inherent
complications.

25. 25
References
ABOS. (2008). Guidelines of bookmobilesand outreach services. Received from http://abos-
outreach.org/uploads/2008-BookmobileGuidelines.pdf
ALA.org. (2014). Core values of librianship. Received from
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/statementspols/corevalues
ALA.org. (2013) National bookmobile day 2013 bookmobiles at a glance. Received from
http://www.ala.org/offices/sites/ala.org.offices/files/content/olos/bookmobiles/NBD2013_boo
kmobilesataglance.pdf
ALA. Handbook for Mobile Services Staff. (2008). Received from
http://www.ala.org/offices/sites/ala.org.offices/files/content/olos/bookmobiles/Mobile_Service
s_Handbook.pdf
Badkhen, Anna. (Oct 2, 2007). Bookmobiles final chapter? Received from
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/10/02/bookmobiles_final_chapter/?page=full
Beattie, Graham. (Aug 15, 2014). The bookmobile taxi of Tehran.Received from
http://beattiesbookblog.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-bookmobile-taxi-of-tehran.html
Bertram,Carey. (2014). Books on Wheels. Received from
http://archives.library.illinois.edu/ala/books-wheels/
Bookmobile. (Jun 10, 2011). Received from http://liswiki.org/wiki/Bookmobile.
Bookmobiles. (2012). Received from
http://www.piercecountylibrary.org/services/outreach/bookmobiles/
Brackney, Susan. (Sept 10, 2014). Consider crowdfunding yourlibrary’sdreamprojects. Received
from http://evancedsolutions.com/crowdfunding/.
Buckner, Martha A. (Mar 15, 2013). Affiliate notes: ABOS president reflects on value of library outreach.
Received from http://olos.ala.org/columns/?p=509
Budget cuts cost Everett libraries hours, service. (Aug 9, 2014). Received from
http://www.king5.com/story/news/local/everett/2014/08/24/everett-libraries-cutting-hours-
services/14547015/
Carmichael, Jan. (Oct 14, 2014). The AmericandDreamsStarts @ your library: bookmobiles bring
language and job resourcesinto the community. Received from
http://www.atyourlibrary.org/bookmobiles-bring-language-and-job-resources-out-
community
Clark, Benjamin. (n.d.). Bookmobiles. Received from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/benjclark/sets/72157602094543461
Corbin, Tom, (2012). Behind the wheel of the bookmobile. Received from
http://bookmobiletravels.com/Home.html
Doctorow, Corey. (Apr 17, 2012). Bookmobile, 1928. Received from
http://boingboing.net/2012/04/17/bookmobile-

26. 26
1928.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+boingboi
ng%2FiBag+%28Boing+Boing%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
Fain, Mary K. (2007). Bookmobile Staff Perceptions on Bookmobile Service: A National Survey.
Received from http://ils.unc.edu/MSpapers/3327.pdf
Farewell to the bookmobile. (Sept 5, 2014). Received by
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20140905/BLOG5201/140828961
Flint Public Library Bookmobile. (2014). Received from http://library.public-
libraries.org/Michigan/Flint/FlintPublicLibraryBookmobile.html
Free Bookmobile of Sonoma County. (2014). Received from http://freebookmobile.org/
Free Library Techmobile. (2014). Received from http://libwww.freelibrary.org/techmobile/
Freeman, Daniel. (Aug 7, 2008). Can bookmobiles help close the digital divide? Received from
http://www.alatechsource.org/blog/2008/08/can-bookmobiles-help-close-the-digital-
divide.html
Fry, James. (Jul 1975). LSA and LSCA, 1956-1973:A Legislative History. Received from
https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/6824/librarytrendsv24i1c_opt.pdf?sequence=1
Garber, Cecily. (2014). American bookmobiles; connectionsand conflict an interviewwith Derek
Attig. Received from http://www.ultimatehistoryproject.com/bookmobiles-racial-and-cultural-
battlegrounds.html
GPLS news. (Feb 2013). Georgia bookmobiles merge old, new. Received from
http://www.georgialibraries.org/news/articles.php?searchid=133
Greenwald, Jeff. (Feb 23, 2011). Long overdue, the bookmobile is back. Received from
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/long-overdue-the-bookmobile-is-back-
353143/?all
Hornyak, Tim. (Jul 7, 2010). Like bookmobiles? Try japan’s bullet train library. Received from
http://www.cnet.com/news/like-bookmobiles-try-japans-bullet-train-library/
How the bookmobile became “Lucy”. (2014). Received from
http://www.co.kent.de.us/media/803935/2014-fall-bookmobile-schedule.pdf
ILFA. (2010). Mobile Library Guidelines.Received from
http://www.ifla.org/files/assets/hq/publications/professional-report/123.pdf
IFLA.org. (2014) Press release:12th IFLA international marketing award winners announced.
Received from http://www.ifla.org/files/assets/management-and-marketing/marketing-
award/ifla_-_2014_press_release_draft_nm_edits_21_march_2014_2.pdf
Kowalczyk, Pietr. (Oct 3, 2014). 10 most extraordinary mobile libraries. Received from
http://ebookfriendly.com/extraordinary-mobile-libraries/
Little, Minnie J. (1961). Budgeting the operating costs of bookmobiles. Received from
https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/5954/librarytrendsv9i3h_opt.pdf?seque
nce=1

27. 27
Meadows,Jan. (2005). Money forbookmobile services:a creative grant story. Received from
http://olos.ala.org/columns/?p=83
Messynessy. (Oct 10. 2013). To the bookmobile!the library on wheelsof yesteryear. Received from
http://www.messynessychic.com/2013/10/08/to-the-bookmobile-the-library-on-wheels-of-
yesteryear/
The Miracle Bookmobile. (2014). Received from
https://www.facebook.com/therandomactsofkindnessfoundation/photos/a.423886290772.2065
08.304282730772/10151992919405773/?type=1&theater
National Bookmobile Day 2013. (2014). Received from
http://www.ala.org/offices/sites/ala.org.offices/files/content/olos/bookmobiles/NBD2013_boo
kmobilesataglance.pdf
Nix, Larry. (Apr 11, 2012). Best bookmobile websites.Received from
http://libraryhistorybuff.blogspot.com/2012/04/best-bookmobile-websites.html
Orton, Ian. (1980). Orton, Ian (1980), An Illustrated History of Mobile Library Servicesin the UK,
Branch and Mobile Libraries Group.
Ortwein, Orty. (Mar 18, 2013). The Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky. Received from
https://bookmobiles.wordpress.com/page/8/
Pulley, Angelia. Packhorse librarians in Kentucky WPA project 1936-43 Goodman-Paxton
Photographic Collection University of Kentucky. Received from http://www.kywcrh.org/wp-
content/uploads/2012/07/WPA-Project-pack-horse-librarians-in-kentucky-1936-43.pdf
Roth, Sammy. ( June 28, 2012). Columbia has 100 tiny librariesin public parks. Received from
http://magazine.good.is/articles/colombia-has-100-tiny-libraries-in-public-parks
Technology Focused Programs: Institute on Disabilities Temple University. Get REAL (2014).
Received from http://disabilities.temple.edu/programs/assistive/real/#b
Used specialty vehicles for sale. (2014). Received from http://www.vehiclesuccess.com/used-
specialty-vehicles-for-sale.html
Warburton, Bob. (Sep 26, 2013). Delivering the Library. Received from
http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/09/library-services/delivering-the-library/
Weinburger, David. (Oct 9, 2013). Derek Attig on the history of bookmobiles. Received from
http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger/2013/10/09/derek-attig-on-the-history-of-bookmobiles/
West,Jessamyn. (Oct 2, 2007)Bookmobiles – dying out? Received from
http://www.librarian.net/stax/2158/bookmobiles-dying-out/
Western Maryland’s Historical Library. (2014). The first bookmobile – Washington County Free
Library. Received from http://www.whilbr.org/bookmobile/index.aspx

28. 28
Addendum A
Bookmobile Manufacturers and Vendors
 Farber Specialty Vehicles 1-800-331-3188; Americana Parkway,Columbus OH 43068
www.farberspecialty.com
Columbus, OH Metropolitan Public Library Bookmobile
by Farber Specialty Vehicles, Columbus, OH
 Mathews Specialty Vehicles 101 South Wing Road, Greensboro, NC 27409
http://www.msvehicles.com/vehicle-type/bookmobiles
Georgetown County, SC Bookmobile custom built
by Mathews Specialty Vehicles, Greensboro, NC

29. 29
 Moroney Bookmobiles 1-888-MORONEY; 20 Eskow Rd, Worcester MA 01604.
http://www.moroneybookmobiles.com
Tacoma, WA Pierce County Library Bookmobile by Moroney Bookmobiles
(decommissioned September 2014)
 OBS Specialty Vehicles, Inc.1-800.362.9592 /PO Box 6210, Canton, OH 44702
http://www.obsinc.net/bookmobiles.php
Polk County Florida Public Library Bookmobile
by OBS Specialty Vehicles, Canton, OH.
 Summit Bodyworks 866.514.81814/ 6691 Colorado Blvd, Commerce City, CO 80022
http://www.transwest.com/summit-bodyworks
Pikes Peak, Colorado Library District Bookmobile by Summit Bodyworks

30. 30
 Quality Vans & Specialty Vehicles 480.464.7007/ 1865 S. Indian Bend, Tempe, AZ 85281
http://www.qualityvans.com/category/vehicle-categories/municipal/bookmobile/
Apache Junction, AZ Public Library Bookmobile
By Quality Vans
 Meridian Specialty Vehicles (702) 997-1668 / 6275 South PearlSt., Las Vegas,NV 89120
Owen County Library Bookmobile, Spencer, IN
by Meridian Specialty Vehicles

31. 31
 Bluebird Corporation,(478) 825-202 Fort Valley, GA 31030
Durham County Library Bookmobile, Durham, NC by Bluebird Corporation
 Gerstenslager Division of Worthington Industries, Clyde, OH 43410
http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/g/gerstenslager/gerstenslager.htm
“Gertie” 1962 Gerstenslager, Waukegan Public Library (WPL), IL
In 2005, Gertie had been in service for 42 years and was retired, only to be resurrected and transported
to New Orleans, LA after Hurricane Katrina left the region without library service. In March 2006 the
bookmobile carried 300 boxes of books donated by WPL and served as the sole library to a devastated
Jefferson County.

32. 32
 LDV,Inc. 800-558-5986 / 180 Industrial Drive, Burlington, WI
https://www.ldvusa.com/vehicles/specialty-vehicles/bookmobiles/
Fairbanks, AK North Star Borough Library Bookmobile by LDV, Inc.

33. 33
ADDENDUM B
BOOKMOBILE EPHEMERA & ADVERTISING
Mini Bookmobiles – Build Your Own
ABOS.com
http://abos-outreach.org/resources/mini-bookmobiles/
The Association of Bookmobiles and Outreach Services (ABOS) offers 29 public library models that
can be printed on heavy card stock. The example shown is the Everett Public Library, Washington.

34. 34
Bookwagon pamphlet by ALA, 1921.
(http://www.pinterest.com/amlibraries/bookmobiles/2014)
1970s Gerstenslager Company brochure
Interior copy reads: “…to help the professional library and library board member plan and develop
a highly effective bookmobile…one that completely fills the need, both of basic of body style, size and
bookcarrying capacity”.
(libraryhistorybuff.blogspot, 2012)

35. 35
poster for Harvard University Library Test Kitchen lecture by Derek Attig
(bookmobility.org Oct 7, 2013)
http://bookmobility.org/post/63411925243/in-the-boston-area-this-week-then-you-should-stop
Bookmobile Business Cards by
http://www.cafepress.com/+bookmobile+business-cards-cases

36. 36
Messner 1956, 189 pages, ‘a romance for young moderns”
http://www.amazon.com/Nancy-bookmobile-Romance-young-moderns/dp/B0007DYETI
(googleimages.com, 2014)

37. 37
ADDENDUM C
Bookmobiles by State, 2010
862 Total (does not include Portland, ME Public Library Bookmobile; established 2012)
American Library Association. (2010). State of America’s Libraries