Library on the Move: The Early Years of the WPL Bookmobile

On Monday, November 18, 1940, Worcester Public Library celebrated the launch of a new service: our first official bookmobile! As we celebrate the 85th anniversary of that historic launch, we would like to share a little history about the early years of our bookmobile service. We will share the history of some of the more recent bookmobiles, including our current "Libby" and "Lilly" bookmobiles, in subsequent posts.

Undated photo of the first bookmobile in front of WPL on Elm Street

The Road to the Bookmobile

As we have previously written, Worcester Public Library expanded beyond its Elm Street location to serve the needs of the growing city by constructing three Carnegie branches in the 1910s, an additional branch at Billings Square in the 1928, and a school deposit that would later become the Tatnuck Branch in the 1930s. The library also created book deposit stations in schools, factories, and other businesses throughout the years. Of course, residents advocated for full library branches in their neighborhoods, but lack of funding and other circumstances limited immediate action. At the same time, the library was rapidly outgrowing its Elm Street location and the library directors advocated for a new library building to no avail. In the meantime, a new solution was proposed in 1940: a bookmobile service. The Worcester Evening Gazette first reported August 6, 1940 on the city aldermen's approval of transferring $3,500 from the library's salary account to its expense account for the purchase of a "bookmobile" (yes, the word was in quotes!) that would essentially be considered a "branch library on wheels" (Worcester Evening Gazette, August 6, 1940). The library board expected at that time that the new custom built vehicle would be on the road by October 1. Their estimation wasn't too far off in the grand scheme of things.

Head Librarian Emerson Greenaway announced in the November 12, 1940 issue of the Worcester Evening Gazette that the bookmobile would start service the following Monday morning. Eight library staff would staff the 14,020 pound bookmobile throughout the week, including an adult supervisor, a children's supervisor, four library assistants, and two drivers. The bookmobile was initially scheduled to serve primarily schoolchildren during school hours and high school students and adults at community centers during the afternoon and evenings. The bookmobile's last stop of the day would be 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Introducing the Bookmobile to the Community

An official introduction to the new bookmobile occurred during a ceremony on the plaza of City Hall on the afternoon of November 14, 1940. Head Librarian Greenaway presented Mayor William A. Bennett with a library card at the ceremony and attendees were able to take a look inside the vehicle. When a Worcester Police Department patrolman poked his head inside the bookmobile, Mayor Bennett cracked a joke, stating, "Albin. I want you to see that this machine does not travel more than 25 miles an hour" (Worcester Evening Gazette, November 16, 1940).

The bookmobile was instantly popular when it launched. The bookmobile visited 21 stops in its first week and checked out 2,500 out of the 2,700 books originally stocked on the vehicle. Patrons checked out another 1,500 books the second week. The bookmobile added five additional stops to the bookmobile schedule by its first anniversary and circulated 12,302 books in October 1941! Over the years, the Worcester newspapers would report on the various changes to the bookmobile schedule (including the addition or elimination of stops as well as any disruptions in service due to the holidays, staffing shortages, or vehicle repairs).

The library bookmobile completed its first year of service, November 1941, Annual Report 1941

The War Years
Of course, the start of World War II affected the bookmobile in several ways, including staffing and gas rations. Usage of the bookmobile increased during the war, with an average of 2,700 people visiting the bookmobile each week in 1943. By July 1943, one of the bookmobile drivers, Alfred C. Cote, was inducted into the Army. Even though by that time a female bank teller named Miss Gladys Llewellyn operated the bookmobile for a couple of evenings a week and the other male driver Jeremiah "Jerry" Glavin was still working, the library sought additional women as drivers to maintain a steady bookmobile schedule. Miss Lillian Strack, a teacher at Heard Street School on her summer holiday break, was hired within half an hour of reading the Worcester Telegram article about the driver shortage. She was later quoted in the Worcester Telegram, "It's very interesting work and I meet many of my former pupils on my route" (July 21, 1943).

Bookmobile Workers, Worcester Telegram, July 21, 1943

Jerry Glavin joined the Navy a month later. Head Librarian Thurston Taylor put out a further appeal for bookmobile drivers, indicating that the requirements were a "pleasant personality and a driver's license" and that the pay would be the same regardless of gender (Worcester Telegram, August 14, 1943). By 1945, the bookmobile had at least three women drivers and still needed additional staff. Another appeal in the Evening Gazette for drivers led to success.

Bookmobile Driver, Worcester Evening Gazette, March 3, 1945

After the War

After the war ended, Alfred Cote and Jerry Glavin returned from military service and resumed their bookmobile duties. In 1946, the library board of directors suggested that another bookmobile be purchased to make up for the fact that the new Main South Branch did not serve children. As it stood, the current bookmobile did not have space for books catering to children younger than the fourth grade. Unfortunately, even though the library would seek funding for a new bookmobile, it would be years before the library had a new bookmobile.

In that same year, Jerry Glavin, veteran of both world wars, retired as senior bookmobile driver to resume his practice of law. Four years later, the popularity of the bookmobile necessitated a remodel wherein the library added a new door and second desk to the vehicle. In one memorable incident, when both of the regular bookmobile drivers were absent on a day in 1952, Head Librarian Thurston Taylor performed other duties as assigned by driving the unwieldy bookmobile! A July 17, 1952 Worcester Evening Gazette article spoke of the difficult handling of the vehicle, claiming "the vehicle is top heavy and sways like a sailboat when it is in motion."

Taylor Pilots City Bookmobile, Worcester Evening Gazette, July 9, 1952

Nonetheless, the bookmobile's popularity grew throughout its early years. Children enjoyed picking out books and then attending the story hour led by one of the librarians.

Story Hour for Children, Worcester Evening Gazette, July 17, 1952

In 1953, the library board of directors even asked the city manager for two bookmobiles: one to replace the 13-year-old vehicle and another to expand services. The library eventually received funding in May 1953 for one bookmobile to replace the original one. 

On June 9, 1953, the devastating Worcester Tornado affected the lives of many of the bookmobile's residents, including those in the Great Brook Valley area. The bookmobile would resume operations in the "Tornado Disaster Area" a month later with a stop in Lincolnwood (Lake Avenue North and Lincoln Street) and then at a new stop on July 15 at Uncatena Avenue and Clark Street (Worcester Evening Gazette, July 9, 1953). 

In August 1953, Ingeborg Randorff, the first long-time female bookmobile driver at Worcester Public Library, left her position after more than 8 1/2 years of driving the bookmobile. The bookmobile would eventually limit service for several months due to staff shortages. 

Library Looking for Truck Driver. Worcester Evening Gazette, August 20, 1953

A New Bookmobile is Born

April 1954 brought forth the launch of a new bookmobile to replace the original 1940 vehicle. Stay tuned for more about the next chapters in the story of the Worcester Public Library bookmobile service!

Library's New Bookmobile, Worcester Telegram, April 9, 1954

Sources:

"Ask Enlarged Library for Main South." (1953, April 22). Worcester Telegram, p. 1.

"Bookmobile Driver." (1945, March 3). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 4.

"Bookmobile Drivers Needed." (1943, August 14). Worcester Telegram, p. 4.

"'Bookmobile' for Library Starts Oct. 1." (1940, August 7). Worcester Telegram, p. 18.

"Bookmobile Service to be Resumed in Tornado-Hit Area." (1953, July 9). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 4.

"Driver and 'Gas' Crises Threaten Bookmobile." (1943, July 1). Worcester Telegram, p. 5.

Guilfoyle, J.H. (1940, November 16). "Among the Folks." Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 7.

Hurst, A.J. (1946, May 11). "School News: School and Public Libraries Whet Pupils' Appetite for Knowledge of World." Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 3.

Library's New Bookmobile." (1954, April 9). Worcester Telegram, p. 2.

"New Bookmobile is Suggestion." (1946, April 11). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 32.

"100 Boys and Girls Visit Bookmobile." (1952, July 17). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 12.

"Popularity of Bookmobile Exceeds All Expectations." (1940, November 30). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 7.

"Public Library Assured of 'Bookmobile' Oct. 1." (1940, August 6). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 1.

Taylor Pilots City Bookmobile. (1952, July 9). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 14.

Thompson, R. (1943, July 21). "Bookmobile Women Drivers Like Their Job." Worcester Telegram, p. 4.

Wheeler, J.R. (1953, August 20). "Library Looking for Truck Driver." Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 27.