Introduction

Hello, my name is Orty Ortwein and this is my bookmobile blog! I just find bookmobiles really fascinating, and if you’re here, then so do you. I hope to update every week, with a new factual tale every time. Of course, I’ll keep you posted. Look around and let me know what you think! (Many thanks to the Bethlehem Public Library of Delmar, NY, for letting me use their photo in the banner).

Delivering During a Pandemic: The Little Bookmobile that Could

A teacher turned a van into a bookmobile just so she could bring books to her students:
https://www.click2houston.com/features/2020/10/07/remember-the-bookmobile-this-student-teacher-created-one-for-kids-during-the-pandemic/

The Census Comes to Town

The bookmobile is being used to bring the Census and food to reservations. See below:

 

https://bismarcktribune.com/community/mandannews/morton-mandan-bookmobile-leading-mandan-area-census-efforts-cloverdale-foods/article_6ed1f69c-2580-557e-bc58-8f0325ab1fe1.html

One Bookmobile for an Entire Island: Guam

Ever since 1952, a bookmobile has been used to reach people living in the more remote reaches of Guam. The first bookmobile was a simple panel truck. Recently a brand new truck has been purchased. You can read more about it below:

 

https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/local/2019/11/26/guam-public-library-commemorates-70-years-announces-new-bookmobile/4304565002/

 

 

Save a bookmobile thru crowd-funding!

http://www.sonomawest.com/sonoma_west_times_and_news/news/bookmobile-needs-new-truck/article_8dace1f6-00c9-11ea-8f39-13b61c16a2ca.html

The 1924 Bookmobile that Keeps Rolling

Wild ride of bookmobile Pegasus could end in place of honor

The Queens Bookmobile for the Homeless

https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2019/1031/Books-on-wheels-When-the-library-comes-to-the-homeless-shelter

 

The Volunteer Bookmobile of Brant, Montana

Every summer, the all-volunteer staff of the bookmobile in Bryant, MT, takes to the road. Children are given books for free and get free ice cream if they bring them back.

https://ktvh.com/news/2019/06/28/bryant-bookmobile-ready-for-the-summer/

 

 

Registering Voters on the Bookmobile

Here’s a unique use of the Bookmobile: Registering voters. The Thompson Nicola Regional Library, the only bookmobile (or in Canadian, “mobile library”) in British Colombia, registers voters.

 

https://www.ashcroftcachecreekjournal.com/community/tnrl-mobile-library-receives-innovation-award/

 

 

Holy Rollers: The ABC Bookmobiles

This is one of the more unique bookmobiles I’ve stumbled across. The Adventist Book Center, or ABC, takes books (and groceries) to several outlying areas.

Electric bookmobiles in Sweden

Sweden has jumped on board the electric bookmobile craze.

https://www.themayor.eu/en/some-of-the-worlds-first-electric-mobile-libraries-will-enter-into-traffic-in-gothenburg