Dave Mellor NJ Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 No details but this would be a good picture to put with the library's bookmobile 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
31Buick96S Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Our county library used to operate a bookmobile in the ‘70s. They would come around to the local schools and let students browse and check out books. I used to look forward to their visits. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littlestown Mike Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Growing up in the mid 50's the weekly visits by the bookmobile were a high point of the week. Yes, there was plenty of outdoor activities to do and i spent most of my time outside, but--I missed the school library where i could check out books to learn about all kinds of stuff. The school libraries were closed during summer vacation. The Bookmobile served that function. Ours was a long wheelbase step van with books crammed in from floor to ceiling, and all, of course, located by the Dewey Decimal System. I paid my share of two cent fines for books that I failed to return on time. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 We had a fully stocked library in our elementary but the monthly visit by the 'bookmobile' was always a highlight. When our county built a new library they had a special garage bay just for the then current bookmobile to park in. The opening was TOO SMALL for it to fit!! Caused quite a controversy at the time. The single use bathrooms also did not have locks on the door. To say the arch. was out to lunch was an understatement. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moskowitz Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
31Buick96S Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 As much as I use and appreciate the information available on the internet, there is nothing more satisfying than a good book, a good chair, and a fire with my dogs stretched out in front of it. 5 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Bookmobiles were a way of life for rural folk and everybody waited for it to come around. Unfortunately library budget cuts doomed ours when it needed major engine work in the 90s. Far as I'm concerned bookmobiles are still viable in spite of the internet. Amazingly there are STILL rural areas who don't have even rudimentary internet, much less high speed. I know. I live in one. My only access is thru my phone. Some folks who still have landlines have Verizon Jet-Packs, otherwise satellite is the only other option. County's been promising it for 20 years... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarNucopia Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 I’m lucky the bookmobile stop in my neighborhood is about 150 feet from my back door. I noticed yesterday they had this book sitting on the shelf. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bamford Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 (edited) We had Bookmobile service in the early '60s, despite living in a city of 360,000 and having a bricks-and-mortar branch library just three miles away. Our bookmobile was in a converted city transit bus. Prior to the converted bus(s?), the City of Edmonton operated an eight-wheeled "Library Car", converted in 1941 from a circa-1909 streetcar. It served the NW suburb of Calder from 1941 to 1947 when that line was abandoned and the car subsequently scrapped. Here is that unusual streetcar in the late '40s, parked at the north terminus of the northern-most streetcar track in the Western Hemisphere: Edited January 25 by Chris Bamford (see edit history) 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 (edited) 3 hours ago, 31Buick96S said: As much as I use and appreciate the information available on the internet, there is nothing more satisfying than a good book, a good chair, and a fire with my dogs stretched out in front of it. I completely agree with this. The internet is great but I get weary of looking at a screen. I also look at books for their art - how the photos or images are worked, what the font size is of the headings, type face. all that other stuff that most take for granted but some artistic type notice and never talk about. I study/take extra time to look at how period sales material was created, done, the level of and size of the color images if used - are there tipped in plates? how many, what is the binding like. Yes "still crazy after all these years"............. Edited January 25 by Walt G (see edit history) 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Yep, the bookmobile came to our grade school on some regular schedule that I do not recall. I would check out the "Hot Rod" magazine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8E45E Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 (edited) 3 hours ago, Chris Bamford said: We had Bookmobile service in the early '60s, despite living in a city of 360,000 and having a bricks-and-mortar brand library just three miles away. Our bookmobile was in a converted city transit bus. Prior to the converted bus(s?), the City of Edmonton operated an eight-wheeled "Library Car", converted in 1941 from a circa-1909 streetcar. It served the NW suburb of Calder from 1941 to 1947 when that line was abandoned and the car subsequently scrapped. Here is that unusual streetcar in the late '40s, parked at the north terminus of the northern-most streetcar track in the Western Hemisphere: The city of Edmonton also repurposed an ex-Edmonton Transit Leyland bus into a Bookmobile: Group Photos (barp.ca) I believe there is a photo of it in Edmonton Transit's 100th Anniversary commemorative book, Ride of the Century: The story of The Edmonton Transit System. A later postwar Ford Bookmobile here: 50 vintage bookmobiles from around the world – Ebook Friendly Craig Edited January 25 by 8E45E (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodge28 Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 For school children in the country and farming community it was a way of life, they look forward to it. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
31Buick96S Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 3 hours ago, Walt G said: I completely agree with this. The internet is great but I get weary of looking at a screen. I also look at books for their art - how the photos or images are worked, what the font size is of the headings, type face. all that other stuff that most take for granted but some artistic type notice and never talk about. I study/take extra time to look at how period sales material was created, done, the level of and size of the color images if used - are there tipped in plates? how many, what is the binding like. Yes "still crazy after all these years"............. All of the details you’ve described are the reasons I enjoy a book rather than an online experience. I used to thoroughly enjoy reading “Coachwork Lines” in the CCCA publication. The research and period materials shone through and made each article a treasure. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 I really enjoyed writing the Coachworklines column for the CCCA magazine, did so for decades , starting when Bev Kimes was Editor, and was a member for over 40 years- I got along well with all of the Editors after her as well . That all ended due to the attitude and lack of respect of the then President of that club . 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Lemist_Titcomb Does the AACA Library have any material on Mary Titcomb? Would seem fitting to have something about her displayed with our Bookmobile, since she started the concept. ### I guess I'm strange, but books have always been near sacred to me. Don't like seeing them mistreated or worse thrown in the trash or destroyed. Now, wear on a well-loved 🥰 book is acceptable. That quirk may go back to when I read Fahrenheit 451 in 6th grade. The idea of book burning horrified me then and still does now. If you haven't read it lately I recommend it along with watching The Twilight Zone episodes "The Obsolete Man" and "Time Enough at Last". As you might guess I often stand, sometimes loudly, against modern efforts by uninformed, unread, and ignorants to censor and remove books from library shelves, even bookmobiles. I simply don't buy into anyone telling me what I can or cannot read. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
31Buick96S Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 1 hour ago, Walt G said: I really enjoyed writing the Coachworklines column for the CCCA magazine, did so for decades , starting when Bev Kimes was Editor, and was a member for over 40 years- I got along well with all of the Editors after her as well . That all ended due to the attitude and lack of respect of the then President of that club . I’ve been a member since the mid nineties. I’m not sure why I keep renewing my membership, other than force of habit. The majority of the club’s activities are not within my means to participate. A lot of my friends that were active in the club when I joined have either passed on, their age and health limit their participation or they’ve moved on. It’s a shame, the club is slowly dying. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30DodgePanel Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 I was encouraged to read that our city has a new Bookmobile coming soon. I just hope it isn't filled with warped thinking propoganda that's so prevalent today. My hope is the families and kids that experience it have an equal variety of genres and fine literature to choose from (including vintage or antique automobiles so the boys can be boys). Phoenix Public Library to Host Bookmobile Ribbon Cutting 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 That's the magic of a rig like that built on motorhome chassis. Well suited for bookmobile duty. As beloved as bookmobiles are, for decades they were an afterthought design based on panel trucks, utility bodies like the AACA's unit, and box vans. I think I've just realized where some of my estate needs to go. Endowment for a Bookmobile for this county. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Dobbin Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 8E4SE posted this link: 50 vintage bookmobiles from around the world – Ebook Friendly Be sure to look at it! What a great International collection of Bookmobile pictures. Thanks 8E4SE 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3macboys Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 This one was just sold by the City of Windsor, Ontario. Interesting Marmon Herrington Book Upfit turning it into Front Wheel Drive. Low entry for the patrons and trust me books are heavy so a heavy chassis is a must as well. Check out the driver's door about tool lending. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30DodgePanel Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 I love this spring or summer time photo. Note the boys are barefoot scrappers and the girls are dressed smart while everyone is respectfully interested and patiently waiting their turn. 1930 Dodge Brothers panel converted with oval windows by the way (probably the 1 ton version) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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