Services to Bookmobile Communities
Parade of Bookmobiles
A Celebration of Bookmobile Services
These links to bookmobile sites were supplied by subscribers of the BKMOB-L electronic discussion list of Clarion (PA) University's Department of Library Science. The sites offer photographs of off-site vehicles and historical perspectives, policies, schedules, and varying degrees of service delivery.
We hope you use the contact information to get in touch with bookmobile staff in other libraries and share information on supporting bookmobile service in your community. Your communication will ensure the continuation of fifty-plus years of service.
Adams County Library System, Gettysburg, PA
Akron-Summit County Public Library, OH
Alameda County Library, Fremont, CA
Alaska Libraries Floating Bookmobile, AK
Albany Public Library, NY
Allegheny County Library Association, PA
Anaheim Public Library, CA
Anderson Public Library, IN
Arapahoe Library District, Centennial, CO
Arlington Heights Memorial Library IL
Arrowhead Library System, MN
Ashland Public Library Ashland, OH
- Web site and photos of the bookmobile. Scroll down for the photos. Home page has a photo gallery which includes photos from the Touch-A-Truck program. Article in the Ashland Times Gazette.
Aurora Public Libraries, IL
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Bell County Public Libraries, KY
Berks County Public Libraries, Reading, PA
Bloomington Public Library, IL
Bradford County Public Library, Starke, FL
Burlington County Library System, NJ
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California Library Literacy Services
Cambria County Library, Johnstown, PA
Centre County Library & Historical Museum, Bellefonte, PA
Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System, Jamestown, NY
Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, OR
Coshocton Public Library, OH
Crook County Library, Prineville, OR
Cullman County Public Library System, AL
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Dallas Public Library, TX
Deschutes Public Library, Bend, OR
Des Plaines Public Library, IL
Dubuque County Library, IA
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Eastern Shores Library System, Sheboygan, WI
Elyria Public Library System OH
Click on Outreach and then Bookmobile.
Everett Public Library, Everett, WA
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Photos of Pegasus, the first "bookwagon" in Washington State. Some were taken when it was relatively new, with kids clustered around, and later in its service career. There are two stories that document the end of its bookmobile career in the 40s. One of the former drivers said that they were heading out to the south end of town and saw a billboard reading "prepare to meet your maker" and they took it as an omen and refused to drive it anymore. The other story is that when the city librarian took it on a check ride with the state patrol, the officer told her "madam, you are a menace on the roads, and so is this vehicle." and denied it a license. It was sold and the back was taken off to make it a pickup truck. It was discovered rusting in a garage, rescued and restored.
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Frankfort Public Library District, IL
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Grayson County Public Library, KY
Greenburgh Public Library, Elmsford, NY
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Hamilton Public Library, Ontario, Canada
Hennepin County Library, MN
Holmes County District Public Library, Millersburg, OH
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Indian Trails Public Library District, Wheeling, IL
Indianapolis Marion County Public Library, IN
Irving Public Library, Irving, TX
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Jackson Parish Library, Jonesboro, LA
Jefferson-Madison Regional Library, Charlottesville, VA
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Kentucky Libraries
- On February 11, Kentucky celebrated its 50 years of the modern bookmobile services. More than 70 bookmobiles paraded from the State Library to the State Capital, and then circled the State Capitol three times (honking) while some 300 library supporters and legislators gathered to watch and cheer them on. This link takes you to a brief slide show.
King County Library System, WA
Kokomo-Howard County Public Library, IN
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Lackawanna County Library System, Scranton, PA
Lancaster County Library System, PA
Lane Public Library, Butler County, OH
Laramie County Library System, Cheyenne, WY
Lawrenceburg Public Library District, IN
Lima Public Library, OH
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Massillon Public Library, OH
Meade County Public Library, Brandenburg, KY
Medina County District Library, OH
Miami-Dade Public Library System, FL
Monroe County Public Library, Bloomington, IN
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New Albany-Floyd County Public Library, IN
Newark Public Library System, OH
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Palm Beach County Library System, FL
Pawtucket Public Library, RI
Pierce County Library System, Tacoma, WA
- A very beautiful and unique bookmobile that we call the Explorer. It was custom built by Moroney Body Works in 2003, and designed especially for kids. It has seating for 18 children with a slide-out for additional space. It was created to bring library service to youth in low-income neighborhoods who can’t get to a branch library. Our kids love it!
Pikes Peak Library District, Colorado Springs, CO
Prince Rupert Library Bookboat, FL
- Also see information on other unusual types of mobile libraries such as camel-drawn.
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Rancho Cucamonga Public Library, CA
Rochester Hills Public Library, Rochester, MI
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Salem Public Library, OR
Santa Clara County Library, Los Gatos CA
St. Louis County Library, MO
Sterling Municipal Library, Baytown, TX
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Tippecanoe County Public Library, Lafayette, IN
Toledo Lucas County Public Library, OH
Troy-Miami County Public Library, OH
Tulsa City-County Public Library, OK
Tuolumne County Library, Sonora, CA
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Upper Murray Regional Library, Wodonga Victoria, Australia
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Virginia Beach Public Library, VA
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Wadsworth Public Library, Wadsworth, OH
Wake County Libraries, NC
Warren County Library, Belvidere, NJ
Washoe County Library System, NV
Waukegan Public Library, IL
Weld Library District, Greeley, CO
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OLOS Parade of Bookmobiles
