As a child, the public library introduced me to the world of possibilities. As an adult, my career obligations sent me to many new towns, new countries. No matter where I was, stepping into the library was, for me, coming home.
Whatever their size, wherever their location, libraries are truly mystical, magical places. Over the years, librarians have found a way to make books available to the public. At the start of the 20th century, for example, Washington County Maryland launched what’s believed to be the first bookmobile using a horse-drawn carriage:
While urban areas transitioned from wagons to gasoline-fueled vehicles, people living in isolated rural communities in the Appalachian Mountains were served by the Pack Horse Library Project:
Meanwhile, county libraries in many states incorporated book wagons of their own:
Many early libraries depended on the generosity of philanthropists such as the industrialist Andrew Carnegie. Here’s one reputed to be the earliest Carnegie Library in Wisconsin:
This quote by the gifted Ray Bradbury sums it up perfectly:
A Carnegie library in Boise was my first introducing to a library. Between the my 5 and the 6 grades, I spent the summer reading the Children part of the library. My grades from unsatisfactory to outstanding because of my reading.
Your experience is a wonderful example of the power of a library!
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I loved stretching to accomplish those giant stone steps of the Carnegie Library in the small town. Those buildings were the perfect architecture to show how important reading was. Such jewels
We also thrilled when the book mobile arrived each week. We had boxes at the house labeled for each library (sometimes the school libraries would open in the summer, too) in order to keep the books headed back to the right place.
Loved this post. Libraries hold magic and offer everyone a future
I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Libraries are indeed magical places!