2010

The Office of Literary and Outreach Services celebratef the first National Bookmobile Day in 2010. It is celebrated in conjunction with the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Service (ABOS), and the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL). National Bookmobile Day is an annual celebration of the contributions of our nation's bookmobiles and the dedicated professionals who make quality bookmobile outreach possible in their communities..

"National Bookmobile Day (Wednesday, April 17, 2013) celebrates our nation’s bookmobiles and the dedicated library professionals who provide this valuable and essential service to their communities every day.

National Bookmobile Day is an opportunity for bookmobiles fans to make their support known—through thanking bookmobile staff, writing a letter or e-mail to their libraries, or voicing their support to community leaders."  Read more and find additional resources for National Bookmobile Day here.

See images of bookmobiles from around the country on American Libraries's Pintrest board.

"There are few visions of library service that are more inspiring than that of  a bookmobile and its staff providing books to young children. The concept and reality of bookmobile service started in Hagerstown, Maryland in April, 1905 when Mary L. Titcomb, the Librarian of the Washington County Free Library, sent out the first book wagon in the United States from the library.  Titcomb had designed the book wagon which had space for 200 books on the outside of the wagon and storage space for more books on the inside.  The driver of the wagon which was pulled by two horses was the janitor for the library. This envelope was mailed from the Washington County Free Library just 10 months after the book wagon service was initiated. " Read more from the Library History Buff Bookmobile Tribute.