We celebrate National Bookmobile Day on the Wednesday during National Library Week in April every year. This year, it takes place on April 10. Bookmobiles are mobile libraries that help transport books from one local community to another. These are traveling vehicles that have books inside. They look like a little traveling library. Bookmobiles help make reading more accessible to people who usually don’t get access to the bigger public libraries. It also encourages people to donate their own books to the cause. National Bookmobile Day celebrates this bookmobile service that is brought to numerous communities. The occasion also celebrates the work and dedication of the many people involved, such as library professionals, drivers, donors, and so on.
History of National Bookmobile Day
The beginning of the bookmobile tradition in the United States is credited to librarian Mary Titcomb, who launched the first bookmobile in the early 20th century. Titcomb wanted to start a transport system to get books to rural communities. Her bookmobile was a horse-drawn wooden carrier that contained boxes of books. These boxes were sent to post offices and nearby stores. In 1912, horses were switched out and the first motorized bookmobiles were born. These bookmobiles went to rural and urban schools, as well as to the homes of senior communities. They were even sent to people in remote mountainous areas where access to libraries is scarce.
The Great Depression and the World Wars had a negative impact on this initiative, and for a while, bookmobiles were on the decline. However, during the 1950s, they made a comeback. This resurgence came about due to the Library Services Act of 1956. Bookmobiles helped expand library services to reach more than 30 million people in small rural communities. Sadly, rising fuel costs once again threw a spanner in the works.
Thanks to the invention of the internet, many 21st-century bookmobiles have shifted to digital platforms in order to meet people’s reading needs while also cutting down on fuel costs.
In 2010, National Bookmobile Day was established and began to be celebrated as a part of National Library Week. This was done to show gratitude to all the library transport services provided in various communities around the United States. The American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country sponsor this event.
National Bookmobile Day timeline
A horse-drawn carriage begins transporting books to rural communities.
Horse-drawn carriages are replaced by motorized bookmobiles that travel to remote areas, schools, and senior centers.
The Library Services Act of 1956 helps bookmobiles reach more than 30 million people.
The American Library Association sponsors this event as a part of National Library Week to show gratitude to all library transport services.
National Bookmobile Day FAQs
Does the bookmobile still exist?
Yes, bookmobiles still operate in some local communities. You can find the bookmobile route closest to you online.
How much does a bookmobile cost?
It costs about $200 000 every year to keep a bookmobile on the road.
How does a bookmobile work?
Instead of people going to the library, the library comes to the people with the help of a bookmobile. These traveling libraries visit various neighborhoods and loan books to those wanting something to read.
National Bookmobile Day Activities
Give your old books away
If you have tons of old books piling up at home and cluttering your space, it’s time to give them away. Your books will be useful to someone else.
Write a thank-you note
Showing gratitude costs nothing. It doesn’t take much to write a thank-you note to the local bookmobile driver or a librarian for their services.
Spread awareness
Many people might not know about bookmobiles. Educating others about where they can find these libraries is also important.
5 Important Facts About Bookmobiles
Some bookmobiles are on boats
In India, boats were historically used to transport books, since many villagers traveled by boats.
Camels help transport books in Kenya
In 1996, the Kenyan government launched the Camel Library Service, which uses camels to move books from one community to another.
Eco-friendly bookmobiles in Portland
Street Books, a nonprofit bookmobile in Portland, Oregon, uses bicycle-powered carts to lend books to homeless people.
Thailand has elephant-drawn libraries
Elephants are used to transport books to various remote places in Thailand.
A haven for homeless children
The Library Train for Homeless Children project in Bangkok has converted a train to a library, classroom, computer car, and music car for homeless children.
Why We Love National Bookmobile Day
It inspires us to create reading habits
Bookmobiles help us cultivate healthy reading habits. It also sustains a lifelong demand for curiosity and knowledge.
It’s a chance to help those less fortunate
By donating books, we ensure that knowledge continues to flow and find readers. Bookmobiles are a collective effort where everyone comes together for a common cause.
It inspires positive change
Supporting bookmobile services is supporting access to learning. It is a grassroots attempt to create long-lasting transformations in society.
National Bookmobile Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | April 6 | Wednesday |
| 2023 | April 26 | Wednesday |
| 2024 | April 10 | Wednesday |
| 2025 | April 10 | Thursday |
| 2026 | April 10 | Friday |
Log In With Google 