While in elementary school, one thing that I looked forward to most was leaving class to go check-out a book from the Bookmobile. Yes, it meant we received a break from our work for twenty minutes. However, as an avid reader, it was choosing a new book every few weeks that brought me the most excitement. I was always grateful for the Bookmobile and the opportunities it gave to each of us students.
Though it may seem that the idea of the bookmobile is relatively modern — it’s actually not!
According to an article by the Chemung County Library District, Mary Titcomb launched the very first bookmobile in 1905 — a horse-drawn wagon. The first motorized bookmobiles made their debut in 1912! Since then we have seen a two-wheeled book cart in India, a Kenyan-launched camel library, Zimbabwe adapting donkey-drawn bookmobiles, Elephant-drawn libraries in Thailand, the Epos book boat in Norway, and even book bikes. They have provided new books and reading opportunities to rural areas, schools and even senior centers.
Likewise, our Tri-County Bookmobile provides these same benefits by being “open to anyone residing in Sevier, Piute, and Wayne Counties, as well as Antimony (Garfield County). The Bookmobile provides on-site library service as well as mobile library service to outlying communities without immediate access to city libraries.”
It makes 38 stops, serves 27 communities, and reaches 10 schools! With over 5,000 items on the bookmobile and access to interlibrary loans for those hard-to-find books, the opportunities are endless!
We live in an ever-changing world that is growing increasingly reliant on electronics and technology. For this reason, I am grateful that public access to paperback books is still an option. By taking on the same pledge of the Tri-County Bookmobile, we too can help the coming generations be “Driven to Read”!
– by Hailee Eyre
Feature image courtesy Tri-County Bookmobile/Facebook.
Hailee Eyre – Panguitch
Hailee Eyre is a journalist at The Byway. She attended Southern Utah University in the fall and is pursuing a career in the medical field. Her favorite topics to write about are those that intend to inspire others, providing motivation as means to better yourself or the world around you. In her free time, Hailee loves to be outdoors, whether it be hunting, fishing, boating or hiking.
Hailee is currently serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Pennsylvania and New York Church History Sites Mission.