HistoryLink.org

On October 6, 1947, bookmobile service in Seattle resumes. A custom-built van nicknamed "Molly" visits 17 different stops in neighborhoods and at schools, which have grown during World War II. The city's first bookmobile was parked in 1932 due to budget cuts. A second unit will be added in 1954.

Each stop originally lasted from one to three hours, but as the demand for library services grew, the stops were shortened to as little as 10 minutes. The bookmobile was staffed by a librarian and a driver who served as a clerk during the stops.

Sources:

"Seattle Public Library Mobile Services -- The Bookmobile," Historylink Metropedia Library (www.Historylink.org).

Licensing: This essay is licensed under a Creative Commons license that encourages reproduction with attribution. Credit should be given to both HistoryLink.org and to the author, and sources must be included with any reproduction. Click the icon for more info. Please note that this Creative Commons license applies to text only, and not to images. For more information regarding individual photos or images, please contact the source noted in the image credit.

Major Support for HistoryLink.org Provided By: The State of Washington | Patsy Bullitt Collins | Paul G. Allen Family Foundation | Museum Of History & Industry | 4Culture (King County Lodging Tax Revenue) | City of Seattle | City of Bellevue | City of Tacoma | King County | The Peach Foundation | Microsoft Corporation, Other Public and Private Sponsors and Visitors Like You