Worcester Public Library and the George Stubbs Art Controversy

In the middle of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, librarians at Worcester Public Library were able to devote more time to projects we might have not have previously gotten a chance to tackle. While going through the old newspaper clipping files relating to the Worcester Public Library, we came across articles relating to the controversial sale of a rare art collection owned by the Worcester Public Library. It only took us five years, but we finally got around to writing a blog post about this somewhat forgotten piece of library history. It's apropos because the collection actually had been forgotten in the bowels of the old Worcester Public Library on Elm Street for many years before it was rediscovered. Read on to find out more about artist George Stubbs, his work, the 1980 sale of the Stubbs collection, and how the proceeds were used to benefit the library.

Human Skeleton, Lateral View (Close to the Final Study for Table III But Differs in Detail),
Source: Yale Center for British Art

The Artist

First of all, who was George Stubbs? George Stubbs (1724 - 1806) was a self-trained English painter most known for his paintings of horses and other animals, as well as for his anatomical drawings. His works appear in museums such as the Tate Museum and the National Gallery of Art in London, as well as American museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Yale Center for British Art on the campus of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

George Stubbs, Self Portrait

In 1795, George Stubbs began his monumental work, A Comparative Anatomical Exposition of the Structure of the Human Body, with that of a Tiger and a Common Fowl. He died in 1806 before finishing his work. Allegedly the drawings were sold at the Christie's auction in 1827 but not seen in public since then.

The Gift

In 1863, Dr. John Green III (1784 - 1865) gifted a collection of anatomical drawings and manuscripts by George Stubbs to the Worcester Public Library. As you have previously read, Dr. Green was a prominent doctor in Worcester who donated 7,000 volumes to the City of Worcester (along with a donation for 4,000 volumes from the Worcester Lyceum and Library Association) to help establish the new Worcester Public Library in 1859. The gift of the George Stubbs collection consisted of two large folios containing roughly 125 anatomical drawings as well as four English and French language manuscripts handwritten in pencil. The bookplates on the folios read "Jan. 1, 1863, The Gift of Dr. John Green." Another bookplate on the first volume indicated that it was previously owned by Thomas Bell. Bell (1792 - 1880) was one of the first dental surgeons in England and a teacher of anatomy at Guy's Hospital in London. 

Page from the Worcester Manuscript in Stubbs's Handwriting,
The Anatomical Works of George Stubbs, Terence Doherty, 1975

It is not clear how or when Dr. Green came into possession of the Stubbs artwork but according to Thurston Taylor, "I am of the opinion that Bell acquired the material in 1826 and in turn, his library was sold in the late 1850's or 1860's, when an agent of Dr. Green bought it for him" (Worcester Sunday Telegram, September 22, 1957). 

The Rediscovery

In 1957, the Worcester Public Library embarked on a cataloging project and in May of that year rediscovered the long-forgotten folios and manuscripts by George Stubbs. As is the case now, the librarians were on alert for any materials that specified they were gifts of Dr. John Green.

Worcester Public Library's Head Librarian Thurston Taylor at the time wrote to Basil Taylor (no relation), an English art critic and authority on George Stubbs. Basil Taylor immediately applied for a Ford Foundation grant to visit the United States and study the rediscovered works. Thurston Taylor and his wife would host Basil Taylor during his stay. Thurston Taylor also communicated with Henry Francis Taylor (no relation to the other Taylors), then-director of the Worcester Art Museum.

Lost to World for 130 Years, Worcester Sunday Telegram, September 22, 1957

The Worcester Public Library then lent the drawings to the Worcester Art Museum, which promptly arranged an exhibit in October 1957. Basil Taylor also spoke at a meeting of the members of the Worcester Art Museum and the Friends of the Worcester Public Library at the museum on October 23, 1957. 

Lecture, Worcester Art Museum News Bulletin and Calendar, October 1957

Advertisement for Worcester Art Museum, Worcester Telegram, November 2, 1957

At the Worcester Public Library's board of directors meeting in November 1957, the board announced a plan to record the drawings and manuscripts on microfilm as well as store the originals in a vault at the Worcester Art Museum for safekeeping. Furthermore, the Arts Council of Great Britain requested the artwork for a future exhibition tour. At the same time, the library board first discussed the possibility of selling the works. 

In May 1958, the library board announced that the Arts Council of Great Britain would pay the insurance costs for a touring exhibition of the Stubbs collection throughout the British Isles, which would begin in Stubbs' hometown of Liverpool and go to Birmingham, Southampton, and London. In the fall of 1958, the Arts Council of Great Britain published a pamphlet entitled, George Stubbs, Rediscovered Anatomical Drawings from the Free Public Library of Worcester, Mass. Note: copies of this pamphlet are available to view via our Local History Reference and Worcester Room collections.

George Stubbs, Rediscovered Anatomical Drawings from the Free Public Library of Worcester, Mass., 1958

The library board announced in May 1959 that they authorized the sale of the Stubbs artwork. The Worcester Telegram reported that the Royal College of Surgeons in London was willing to pay more than $15,000 for the Stubbs collection in September 1959 but nothing ever came of this potential sale.

Skipping ahead through the years, the library board agreed in 1972 to allow a London-based company to publish a book based on the George Stubbs collection. The profit and an honorarium would go towards the Green Trust Fund. In 1974, Terence Doherty's The Anatomical Works of George Stubbs was published in London based on the art collection owned by the Worcester Public Library as well as "The Anatomy of a Horse" collection owned by the Royal Academy of Arts. In June 1975, the same book was first published in the United States.

The Anatomical Works of George Stubbs, Terence Doherty, 1975

From August through October 1975, the Worcester Art Museum mounted a new exhibition of 21 drawings from the George Stubbs collection. The Tate Museum in London would also exhibit some of these works in 1976.

The Controversy 

In 1977, the Worcester Evening Gazette reported that Assistant City Solicitor Bennett S. Gordon of the Law Department had provided an opinion to the library board recommending they seek a court opinion on whether the library had the right to sell all or part of the Stubbs collection. The newspaper also reported that the collection was now valued at $1 million.

City Councilor Joseph C. Casdin felt that disposal of the Stubbs art should be looked at from a practical stance: a museum such as the Worcester Art Museum would find more value for the art collection than the patrons at the Worcester Public Library. Therefore, if the pieces were sold, the money could be used towards an endowment to provide services for the library. On the other hand, he admitted that he would not mind if someone could purchase the art and donate it to the Worcester Art Museum. 

Members of the Worcester community wrote letters to the editor about the prospect of the library selling the art. Past library board president Samuel Bachrach felt the works should not leave Worcester and if necessary, they should be on permanent loan to the Worcester Art Museum or the American Antiquarian Society. Note: Mr. Bachrach was one of the people who advocated for the library to house the WPA murals that currently adorn the Main Library (see here for our blog post on the murals).

In the meantime, in February and March 1978, the Worcester Art Museum launched a new exhibition of some of the Stubbs drawings and manuscripts.

In August 1978, the library board requested clarification from the Worcester County Probate Court against the state attorney general regarding the issue of whether the library actually had the legal authority to sell the Stubbs artwork. Specifically, was the art part of the Green Trust? Could it be sold? And, what would happen to the proceeds of the sale?

Page 1 of Complaint for Instructions and for Application of the Doctrine of Cy Pres, 1978

In November 1978, the Worcester Sunday Telegram published two articles explaining the origins of the Stubbs collection and the controversy that had arisen over its potential sale. Head Librarian Joseph S. Hopkins explained some of his ethical and legal concerns, including whether the proceeds from a sale or a future bequest would decrease future funding that the City Council would appropriate to the library. In the same article, Worcester Art Museum director Richard Stuart Teitz advocated for keeping the collection in Worcester, stating that, "once you start selling treasures from an institution, the institution becomes less important" (Worcester Sunday Telegram, November 19, 1978). Teitz would later acknowledge in a letter to the editor that the museum did not have the funds to purchase the Stubbs collection.

Probate Court Justice Francis W. Conlin issued a ruling in late 1978 indicating the Stubbs artwork could be sold, with the proceeds going to other library services. He ruled that because the library itself did not have adequate facilities for preserving and exhibiting such a collection, "the Stubbs Collection as a practical matter is useless to the library and should be sold and the proceeds of the sale added to the principal of the Green Trust Library Fund" (Worcester Evening Gazette, January 3, 1979).

Debate about the potential sale of the Stubbs collection continued. Forty members of the Anatomy Department of the University of Massachusetts Medical School signed a letter to the editor of the Worcester Telegram advocating to keep the anatomy drawings collection because of its usefulness to medical students and other researchers.

The Sale

The Worcester District Medical Society requested right of first refusal on the opportunity to purchase the Stubbs collection, especially since Dr. John Green had been a member of their society. The Worcester Heritage Preservation Society also expressed a desire to attempt to keep the Stubbs art in Worcester, perhaps at the Worcester Art Museum.

In February 1979, the Worcester Public Library commissioned an appraisal of the Stubbs collection by the noted Sotheby Parke Bernet Gallery of London and New York. This new appraisal estimated that the collection was worth between $1 million and $1.5 million. The library's Committee on Library Materials then announced a public hearing to be held on Sunday, April 22, 1979 to discuss the Stubbs artwork and potential sale. The library also asked a conservator for an estimate of the cost to restore the art. This estimate could help the library to decide whether or not to sell the collection.

What Cost Stubbs Art Preservation? Worcester Telegram, March 20, 1979

The library published 2,000 copies of an informational packet explaining the background of the Stubbs collection and potential sale for those who wanted to attend the April 1979 hearing. It explained the potential profits relating to the sale versus conserving the artwork, as well as what could be done with the sale's proceeds to benefit the library. Around this time, the Worcester Art Museum exhibited some of the original drawings from the Stubbs collection and the library showcased reproductions of the drawings. 

Earnings of Stubbs Art Sale Projected, Worcester Telegram, April 6, 1979

The Million Dollar Dilemma: The Drawings of George Stubbs, April 1979

Worcester Telegram, April 21, 1979

Twenty-nine members of the community spoke for more than three hours during the public hearing on April 22, 1979, with roughly 2/3 of the speakers opposing that collection's sale.

On April 27, 1979, the Worcester Cultural Commission voted 4-3 to recommend that the library sell the Stubbs collection. This vote overturned their subcommittee's recommendation to keep the collection and place them on permanent loan at the Worcester Art Museum. The vote also included supplementary recommendations that advocated for keeping the collection intact, keeping it in Worcester, and a sale moratorium of one year. By May 1, 1979, both the library's Committee on Library Materials and the Friends of the Worcester Library voted to recommend selling the collection. Friends President Edward S. Matalka suggested that the proceeds from the sale could be used to acquire an environmental control system to maintain the library's historical materials, as well as increase services to both disabled and bilingual patrons. The library board of directors would have their own vote on May 8.

On May 2, 1979, the Worcester Evening Gazette announced that the Yale Center for British Art had made an offer in March to purchase the Stubbs collection for $1.25 million. Dr. Leonard J. Morse, president of the Worcester District Medical Society and a member of a citizen's group that was interested in keeping the collection in Worcester, expressed his outrage that the offer had been kept "a secret" (Worcester Evening Gazette, May 2, 1979). Mrs. Nancy H. Burkett, one of the library directors and chairperson of the Committee on Library Materials admitted that the Yale Center had asked for a response to their offer by May 15.

On May 8, 1979, the library board of directors finally had their meeting but unanimously voted to postpone their decision until their meeting in October. The Yale Center for British Art still expressed their interest in acquiring the Stubbs collection in September of that year, even after their initial offer was invalidated after the library board postponed the vote.

The Worcester Telegram's editorial board wrote a piece in favor of keeping the collection in Worcester, stating, "We have the feeling that, if the drawings were sold, the community would some day regret it...But once the Stubbs collection is sold, it leaves Worcester forever" (Worcester Telegram, October 3, 1979).

Randomly, a fifth grade class from Santa Fe Middle School in Newton, Kansas read about the George Stubbs collection in their weekly current events magazine and wrote to the library expressing their opinions on the potential sale. We came across an envelope full of their letters in our Worcester Room collection (see Weekly Reader and one of the letters below).

Weekly Reader, circa 1979

Letter from a Middle School Student, October 2, 1979

Alas, on October 9, 1979, the library board of directors voted 9-2 to sell the Stubbs collection, even after the "Save Our Stubbs" citizen's group led by Dr. Morse raised pledges for the restoration and remounting of the drawings in the collection. The library board stipulated that whomever acquired the collection would have to make it accessible to the public and would have to be responsible for its care and preservation. In November 1979, Committee on Library Materials rejected the idea of selling the collection via public auction, and instead recommended approaching the Yale Center for British Art.

In December 1979, the Save Our Stubbs group attempted to block the potential sale of the art by taking additional legal action against the library board of directors. The Yale Center for British Art had given the library until December 15 to respond to their $1.25 million offer. 

By mid-January 1980, the Worcester Telegram reported that a sale was imminent, barring any successful injunction by the Save Our Stubbs group on the State Supreme Judicial Court level. The Save Our Stubbs group had already lost their request for an injunction at the Probate Court level. The newspaper also reported on the library's considerations regarding the proceeds of the sale, which would be considered part of the principal of the Green Trust. By law, only 3/4 of the Green Trust income could be spent by the library board and investments could mean that the library board might be able to allocate over $50,000 a year for library purposes. Two priorities for this allocation would be preserving the library's local history collection and installing a climate control system in the Worcester Room.

First Page of Sale Agreement for Stubbs Collection, executed January 11, 1980

On January 17, 1980, the Worcester Public Library received a check in the amount of $1,250,000 from Yale University made out to the City of Worcester Green Library Fund. Paul Mellon, a Yale University alumnus (Class of 1929) and a previous donor of Stubbs artwork to Yale, gave the university money to purchase the collection. Mellon was instrumental in the founding of the Yale Center for British Art, which had opened three years prior in April 1977. 

Check Checked in; Art Checked Out, Worcester Telegram, January 18, 1980

The legal battle by the Save Our Stubbs group continued even after Yale took possession of the collection. Admittedly, the group did not have the funds to purchase the collection, even with its fundraising appeal. Instead, the group would use the money raised for legal fees. Alas, by September 1980, the fight was over. The State Court of Appeals upheld the Probate Court's decision that allowed the sale of the art and therefore, the art would remain at Yale.

Money in the Bank, Drawings in Boxes: And Neither Can be Touched, Worcester Sunday Telegram, June 29, 1980

What Happened Next: The Stubbs Collection

The Yale Center for British Art worked to restore the artwork before mounting any exhibitions. Some of the drawings had sustained damage including mold and fragile pages due to being housed in less-than-ideal conditions at the Worcester Public Library until 1957. After the restoration of the drawings, many would remain in special boxes to prevent their further decay. 

The Yale Center for British Art and the Tate Gallery in London partnered to launch one of the first most complete exhibitions on George Stubbs, which first opened in London in 1984 and then moved to Yale in 1985. This major exhibition contained works on loan from museums around the world as well as from the Yale Center for British Art's own collection, including several of the drawings that had come from the Worcester Public Library.

Publication about Stubbs for the Exhibition at the Tate Gallery, 1984

The museum created a new exhibition of Stubbs art as tribute to their benefactor Paul Mellon upon his death in 1999. "George Stubbs in the Collection of Paul Mellon: A Memorial Exhibition" opened on April 30, 1999 and closed on September 1, 1999 before moving onto the Virginia Museum of Fine Art from February - May 2000. Some of the art from the exhibition is available to view online here. 

Some of the Digitized Artwork Featured in the "George Stubbs in the Collection of Paul Mellon: A Memorial Exhibition"

Benefiting the Worcester Public Library

The Worcester Public Library used some of the income from the sale to construct an enclosed climate-controlled Worcester Room, which would store many of the more fragile Worcester historical items owned by the library. Construction began in the summer of 1981 and the new Worcester Room had its dedication in October 1982. 

Library Readies for Some Repairs, Worcester Telegram, July 30, 1981

Here's an image on how the exterior of the Worcester Room looked in 1982 before the official dedication.

Panel in Library Explodes; Cause Under Investigation, Worcester Evening Gazette, March 4, 1982

The library also used the money for restoring some of the more valuable books and materials, renovating and acquiring equipment for the Tatnuck Branch, supplementing the city's appropriation to fund the Main South Branch, and as of 1984, to computerize the book circulation system. The computerization would also allow the library to be connected to the other 27 regional libraries. As of 1984, the library had spent more than $130,000 for those above purposes. The ability to use the income generated from the Green Fund Trust via the sale of the Stubbs collection meant that the Proposition 2 1/2 cuts of the 1980s did not affect the library too adversely at the time.

Today

The library has several books and other materials in its circulating and reference collections relating to George Stubbs and his artwork, including The Anatomical Works of George Stubbs in the Closed Stacks collection. Of course, our Worcester Room continues to collect historical materials relating to our fair city and the greater Worcester area. Patrons may go to the third floor reference desk to ask the librarian to retrieve a specific item from that collection but they may only use the materials in-library. 

A plaque outside the door of the current Worcester Room commemorates the October 1982 dedication.

Dedication of the Worcester Room Plaque on the Wall Outside of the Current Worcester Room

Admission to the Yale Center for British Art is free. See here for hours and other visitor information.

Even though the Worcester Art Museum no longer has the library's collection of Stubbs art, our library does have museum passes to access the museum at a reduced fee. See our museum passes page for more information.

So, there you have it: the tale of the Stubbs collection sale and how it affected the Worcester Public Library and its community. Do you think it should have been sold? Discuss!

Sources:

Alden, J. (1979, January 3). "Anatomy Drawings Shouldn't Be Sold." Worcester Telegram, p. 6.

Bachrach, S. (1978, January 6). "Stubbs Collection Must Not Leave Worcester." Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 10.

"Check Checked In; Art Checked Out." (1980, January 18). Worcester Telegram, p. 3.

"Cost Estimate Sought for Keeping Stubbs Art." (1979, March 14). Worcester Telegram, p. 4.

"Cultural Panel Gives Nod to Sale." (1979, April 28). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 7.

"Court of Appeals Upholds Sale of Stubbs Collection." (1980, September 5). Worcester Telegram, p. 16.

Dempsey, J. (1979, December 5). "More Legal Steps Planned to Prevent Stubbs Art Sale." Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 3.

Doherty, T. (1975). The Anatomical Works of George Stubbs. David R. Godine.

Donker, P. P. (1984, November 25). "With Stubbs-Sale Income Library Renovates, Computerizes." Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. 4D.

Donker, P. P. (1979, October 10). "Library Board Votes to Sell Stubbs Art." Worcester Telegram, p. 1.

Donker, P. P. (1979, May 9). "Stubbs Sale Decision Put Off Until October." Worcester Telegram, p. 1.

Donker, P. P. (1979, May 8). "Delay Sought in Any Stubbs Sale." Worcester Telegram, p. 11. 

Donker, P. P. (1979, April 23). "Selling Stubbs Collection is Debated Three Hours." Worcester Telegram, p. 1.

Donker, P. P. (1979, April 6). "Earnings of Stubbs Art Sale Projected." Worcester Telegram, p. 17.

Donker, P. P. (1978, January 8). "City May Paint Itself Rich by Selling Famed Stubbs Art." Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. 12C.

"Drawings by British Painter on Display at Art Museum." (1975, August 25). Worcester Telegram, p. 5.

Duckett, R. (1984, April 17). "Library to Green It Up for Benefactor's Birthday." Worcester Telegram, p. 3A.

Erskine, M. (1978, November 19). "The Stubbs Collection: What It Is." Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. 8.

Gallant, J. (1980, June 29). "Money in the Bank, Drawings in Boxes: And Neither Can be Touched." Worcester Sunday Telegram - Sunday Morning, p. 8.

Glazer, M. (1978, November 19). "The Stubbs Collection: And Why the Controversy." Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. 9.

"Group Works to Keep Stubbs Art." (1979, February 8). Worcester Telegram, p. 15.

Jaskoviak, R.H. (1978, August 18). "Can Library Books Be Sold?" Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 14.

"Lecture." (1957, October). Worcester Art Museum News Bulletin and Calendar, 23(1).

"Library Directors Vote to Sell Stubbs Collection." (1979, October 10). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 5.

"Library to Halt Service to Schools." (1959, May 13). Worcester Telegram, p. 8.

"Library Head Protests Appointment by Board." (1957, November 15). Worcester Telegram, p. 1.

"Library Readies for Some Repairs." (1981, July 30). Worcester Telegram, p. 12.

"Library's Drawings Shown in London." (1976, August 27). Worcester Telegram, p. 12.

McHugh, E. (1959, September 10). "Schools Now Viewed at Peak of Overload." Worcester Telegram, p. 7.

"Panel Backs Sale of Stubbs Work." (1979, May 1). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 24.

"Recruitment Plan Set Up for Library." (1958, May 14). Worcester Telegram, p. 20.

"Sale of Drawings by Library Debated." (1978, January 10). Worcester Telegram, p. 3.

"Sale of Stubbs Art Is at Issue." (1979, January 4). Worcester Telegram, p. 24.

Sandrof, I. (1957, September 22). "Lost to World for 130 Years." Worcester Sunday Telegram - Feature Parade Section, p. 7.

Sandrof, I. (1975, April 2). "Look at Books." Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 14.

Singer, M. (1979, January 30). "Medical Society Wants Stubbs Art." Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 21.

Singer, M. (1979, January 3). "Judges Rule Library May Sell Stubbs Collection of Drawings." Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 17.

Singer, M. (1977, December 27). "Library Urged to Get Rulings on Paintings." Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 17.

Southwick, A. (1979, April 29). "What Price Heritage?" Worcester Sunday Telegram - Sunday Morning, p. 8.

Spear, M.W. (1972, January 12). "Library to Lend Drawings for Book." Worcester Telegram, p. 17.

"Stubbs Art May Go to Yale This Week." (1980, January 17). Worcester Telegram, p. 15.

"Stubbs Art Revalued." (1979, February 28). Worcester Telegram, p. 6.

"The Stubbs Proposal." (1979, October 3). Worcester Telegram, p. 6.

"Stubbs Work is Displayed." (1978, February 14). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 6.

Teitz. R.S. (1979, January 21). "Museum Lacks Funds to Buy Drawings." Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. 1B.

Tyler, M. (1980, March 17). "Group Refuses to Drop Fight to Return Stubbs Collection." Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 5.

"What Cost Stubbs Art Preservation?" (1979, March 20). Worcester Telegram, p. 15.

"Yale British Art Center Offers $1.25 Million for Drawings." (1979, May 2). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 24.

"Yale Center Still Wants Stubbs' Art." (1979. September 19). Worcester Telegram, p. 13.

Library on the Move: The New Generation

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, here is a brief history of the latest iteration of bookmobiles, including Libby (and Libby's second edition) and Lilly.

The Original Libby, circa June 2013

As we previously wrote, the story of the Worcester Public Library's bookmobiles came to a halt in 1991 when the budget cuts took effect and the Proposition 2 1/2 override vote failed. The Kids' Stop vehicle came out of retirement to serve the Great Brook Valley community in 1994 when the Great Brook Valley Branch temporarily closed to move from 87 Tacoma Street to a larger newly renovated space at 89 Tacoma Street. Great Brook Valley Branch would reopen in January 1995.

In June 2001, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette announced that the City Council had agreed to allocate $304,348 to acquire and staff a Worcester Public Library bookmobile. At the time, Head Librarian Penny Johnson hoped that perhaps the bookmobile could even be in service as early as February 2002. City Manager Thomas R. Hoover indicated that it would initially cost $150,000 to purchase the vehicle, $80,000 to staff it during the first year, and the rest of the funds would be used for the materials such as books, furniture, and computers. The bookmobile drivers wouldn't need a special driver's license such as a CDL to operate this new vehicle.

The community was incredibly excited about the prospect of having a bookmobile back in Worcester after a decade's absence. According to one patron, Ms. Dow, losing the bookmobile service all those years ago meant "those of us who love to read lost our friends - books, books, books" (Worcester Telegram & Gazette, July 1, 2001).

Unfortunately, the economic recession in 2001 compounded by the aftermath of September 11, 2001 put a halt on the plans to revive the bookmobile. In fact, the library itself had to struggle with a citywide hiring freeze and other budget issues starting in 2002.

Plans for a bookmobile were back on the table in 2006. The library acquired an old 1992 Blue Bird bus turned bookmobile from Fitchburg Public Library for $15,000.  And then... nothing happened for five years. Due to a new economic recession, there was never any money available to operate the bookmobile and it sat in storage during that time.

The First Library Express a.k.a. "Libby," 2012-2018

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported in August 2011 that there was momentum for reestablishing bookmobile service. Seven months later, Worcester Public Library held a press conference at the College of the Holy Cross announcing a partnership with the college to launch the new bookmobile. Holy Cross agreed to contribute $80,000 per year for five years to fund the operating costs of the vehicle and the partnership would be reevaluated after the five years. The City of Worcester and a contribution from the UMASS Memorial Health Care also helped fund startup costs and costs related to the book collection. Furthermore, sixth graders from Worcester's public, private, and parochial schools could participate in a naming contest for the then-unnamed vehicle.

Sixth grader Ricardo Figuera was one of four students who came up the winning name for the bookmobile. He initially submitted Worcester Library Express (taking inspiration from the Polar Express movie), which was later shortened to Library Express. John Guachichula and Patson Pierre also submitted Library Express and Jake Ford submitted Libby as the nickname. All four winners received Kindles as a prize and all participants in the contest received tickets to a future Holy Cross football game. Library Express, a.k.a. Libby was unveiled on May 1, 2012 at a ceremony in the courtyard of Carol & Park B. Smith Hall at the College of the Holy Cross.

Libby at the College of the Holy Cross, May 2012

Libby traveled to elementary schools, the Worcester Senior Center, parks, pre-schools, low-income and senior housing facilities, community centers, festivals and other outdoor events, and more. This blog's author and her fellow Main Library reference librarians even worked on the bookmobile for several weeks in 2013 until a new bookmobile librarian was hired. In one memorable exchange, a student at an elementary school stop asked this librarian aboard the bookmobile, "Do you sleep here?"

Little Libby a.k.a. "Lilly," 2014 - Present

On January 8, 2014, Worcester Public Library launched a bookmobile named "Lilly" (as in Little Libby) as part of the One City, One Library initiative, which was intended to improve literacy in the city's elementary school populations. The first step of the OCOL initiative was the opening of the four public library branches (Roosevelt Branch, Tatnuck Magnet Branch, Goddard Branch, and Burncoat Branch opened between 2013-2016) in four city public elementary schools as part of a public-private partnership. As a result, the new bookmobile's focus would be the elementary schools that did not have the new school library branches (unlike the larger Libby bookmobile, which served all ages). United Way of Central Massachusetts was the initial major donor for this new C Model bookmobile from Moroney Monolite® with $68,400 going towards its purchase. UMASS Medical School also contributed funds for the bookmobile's materials. 

Original Design of Lilly, circa 2014-15

Two years later, Lilly got an snazzy new look, with a exterior wrap that featured the United Way logo, the Quinsigamond Community College's mascot, the mythical dragon-like creature known as the wyvern; and Worcester State University's mascot, the Lancer. Quinsigamond Community College, QCC Foundation, and Worcester State University all partnered with the library to fund Lilly's operating costs. It was announced in March 2014 that QCC's Alpha Zeta Theta Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society would raise $100,000 over the next three years for this purpose.

Invitation to the Debut of Lilly's New Look, March 2016

Lilly's New Look, circa 2017

Lilly currently serves public and private elementary schools, a couple of middle schools, afterschool programs, community centers, and the Seven Hills Foundation. It also periodically appears special events and programs in the Worcester area, bringing a smile to the faces of its visitors.

The Second Libby

The original Libby definitely showed its age during its years of service in Worcester. After constant breakdowns where it felt like the bookmobile was off the road more often than it was actually in service, the library decided to acquire a new bookmobile. The Worcester Public Library Foundation was instrumental in raising the funds for the new vehicle, including dedicating their October 2016 Celebration of Authors fundraising event to this goal. A month earlier, the College of the Holy Cross had renewed their sponsorship of Libby for another three years with a rededication ceremony.

Rededication of Libby at the College of the Holy Cross, September 21, 2016

Work in Progress for New Libby, circa December 2016

Work in Progress for New Libby, circa December 2016

Finally, in January 2018, the library unveiled the brand new and very much improved Libby built by Moroney. This Moroney Monolite® B Model Bookmobile was 25% larger than the original Libby, and was powered with more environmentally-friendly lithium cell batteries as opposed to a gas-powered generator. Mayor Joe Petty presented the artists for the exterior of the new Libby, Andrei Krautsou ("Key Detail") and Julia Yubaba ("Yu-baba") with keys to the city in honor of their contributions. Key Detail and Yu-baba are muralists who previously worked on one of the Pow! Wow! Worcester! murals at the Elm Park Community School in the summer of 2017.

Libby Facing Right, circa January 2017

Libby Facing Left, circa January 2017

Unveiling of Libby's New Design at City Hall, January 10, 2018

Ribbon Cutting of the New Libby, January 10, 2018

Libby has been on the road (on and off, of course) ever since. It carries a variety of materials, including regular and large print books, DVDs, Playaways, and more. As previously mentioned, Libby caters to all ages and visits a variety of locations, including special events.

Executive Director Jason Homer and Patron Aboard Libby, circa 2022

Louis and Luigi

We would be remiss if we didn't mention that Worcester Public Library has two other vehicles in its repertoire. They're not bookmobiles in the traditional sense but they are used for outreach and resource allocation/delivery to the branches. 

Louis, the van, is named after French educator and inventor Louis Braille and is occasionally used for the Worcester Talking Book Library's outreach efforts. The Worcester Public Library and the Worcester Talking Book Library share joint custody over the van's operations. 

Louis the Library Van, circa 2023

Luigi, the newly named book bike launched in Spring 2025 and has been seen in outreach events such as this year's Boston Pride march as well as this summer's Out to Lunch on the Worcester Common. While it sometimes has been confused with an ice cream bike, the book bike helps library staff share information and free books to attendees of the various community events. The library officially announced Luigi as the new name of the book bike on November 12, 2025.

Book Bike, October 2025

In Conclusion

There you have it: the history of the various bookmobiles and related vehicles in Worcester Public Library's history. The author of this blog post would like to thank Worcester Public Library's staff members, past and present, for their recollections of the various vehicles. Institutional memory helps preserve the history of Worcester Public Library.

If you missed our previous blog posts about the earlier history of the bookmobiles, you can read them here: 

Library on the Move: The Early Years

Library on the Move: Through the Years

Sources:

"Bulletin Board." (1994, September 1). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. B1.

Dow, G.P. (2001, July 1). "Bookmobile is Back in Worcester." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. C1.

Foskett, Jr., S.H. (2012, May 2). "City Wheels Out 21st Century Library on the Move." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A8. 

Kotsopoulos, N. (2012, March 7). "More Than Books on This 'Magic Bus.'" Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A1.

Kotsopoulos, N. (2007, January 7). "Murray Leaves Projects in Pipeline to Blossom Later." Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. B2.

Kotsopoulos, N. (2002, February 26). "Hoover Sharpens Budget Hatchet." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A1.

Kotsopoulos, N. (2001, June 13). "Library Wheels Back Clock." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. B1.

Kush, B.B. (2014, January 10). "Bookmobile to Focus on Children." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. B2.

Kush, B.B. (2011, August 22). "Bookmobile Return Overdue?" Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A1.

"Lovable Libby." (2012, May 3). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A15.

O'Connell, S. (2016, March 4). "Library Bookmobile Gets a New Look." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A7.

"On the Road Again." (2001, June 20). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A8.

"Reading Gets Rolling." (2014, January 15). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A13.

Library on the Move: Through the Years

On Monday, November 18, 1940, Worcester Public Library celebrated the launch of a new service: our first official bookmobile that roamed the streets of Worcester! As we celebrate the 85th anniversary of that historic launch, here is more history of the Worcester Public Library bookmobile from 1954 to 1991. You can read our previous post about the first bookmobile here: The Early Years of the WPL Bookmobile. We will discuss the newest bookmobiles in a later blog post. 

Undated Photo at a Bookmobile Stop

The Second Bookmobile
Tuesday, April 20, 1954 was the end of an era in the world of Worcester Public Library. On that day, library staff formed a bucket brigade to transfer the books from the original bookmobile to the new bookmobile that was built by Shrewsbury's Thomas F. Moroney Co. Inc. Below are a couple of images from "moving day." A day later, more than five hundred people visited the bookmobile on display at City Hall and the new bookmobile would officially start its service that Thursday, with a weekly schedule of 23 stops from Monday to Friday.

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

Moving Day, April 1954

Pages on Moving Day, April 1954

In August 1954, the library temporarily curtailed bookmobile service to the school stops, citing a shortage of trained library personnel. Taylor blamed the shortage on not being able to attract trained librarians to work at the library because the salary was below the national average. Additionally, the Curtis Apartments stop was temporarily stopped in September but was able to resume in December. School stops were back on the schedule in mid-January 1955. Further disruptions of the schedule would occur throughout the years, due to staffing, many repairs, or holidays.

Undated Photo of the Bookmobile in Front of WPL on Elm Street

Alfred C. Cote retired from the position of bookmobile driver in October 1959. He had started working part-time at the library in 1929 and began driving the bookmobile in 1940. He was a regular bookmobile driver until 1959, aside from his 3-year stint in the military during World War II. Incidentally, Cote was shot multiple times in a failed holdup in 1964 while working as a cashier at Spag's in Shrewsbury. He survived the shooting and died in 1995.

Bookmobile Driver Retires, Worcester Evening Gazette, October 30, 1959

The library frequently received requests to add additional stops to their bookmobile routes. However, a library board report in 1961 indicated that the bookmobile could not take on any new stops at this time without eliminating one of the current stops. The report also indicated that the library would require additional funding for personnel and a second bookmobile if they wanted to add additional stops without cutting service.

Front desk Betty and Ann Louise, undated

Patrons at Brittan Square, 1963

The opening of the new Main Library at 3 Salem Square led to the decreased usage of the other branches and the bookmobile. Neither the branches nor the bookmobile could compete with the shiny new building in terms of statistics. However, according to Miss Carol A. Cuniff, bookmobile librarian, the decreased numbers were irrelevant, "in view of the pleasure of the people we serve" (Worcester Telegram, August 10, 1966).

Now, life on the bookmobile wasn't always smooth sailing. The year 1967 was especially rough in terms of patron misbehavior. There were several instances of vandalism and harassment of the bookmobile, its staff, and its other patrons by a group of teenagers at Great Brook Valley in January 1967 and by a separate group of teenagers at Thorndike Road in the Burncoat neighborhood in September of the same year.

Headline for the article about the Thorndike Road incident, Worcester Evening Gazette,
September 20, 1967

The Third Bookmobile

The city purchased a new replacement bookmobile, which went into service September 1968. Thomas F. Moroney Co. Inc. built this new 33-foot bookmobile with improved HVAC systems and a blue exterior. One new feature for the bookmobile was that it would be powered by a battery that could be charged at the Main Library, instead of having to be plugged in at each bookmobile stop. 

Sunday Telegram, August 24, 1969

In June 1969, the library acquired a new $700 viewer that would allow short films to be shown outside the bookmobile at various evening stops (see below image for the film listings for July 28, 1969). The trial program was intended to increase interest in the bookmobile service. The bookmobile later participated in the library's "Flick Fun Outdoors" program at the end of August 1969, wherein the library showed feature-length movies in a couple of city parks and apartment buildings.

In Town Today, Worcester Telegram, July 28, 1969

Throughout the years, the bookmobile's schedule would change from five days a week to six days a week and back to five days a week. For instance, during the summer of 1971, the bookmobile had a schedule of 35 stops per week Monday - Friday, with a mix of schools, shopping plazas, parks, apartment complexes, and street corners. During the gas shortages of 1974, the library announced that the bookmobile would temporarily eliminate some of its stops and reduce the number of hours it spent on the road (Worcester Telegram, March 30, 1974). A similar situation would happen in February 1975, where the bookmobile would go to 31 stops but operate only 15 1/2 hours (the stops would be 30-45 minutes long). The bookmobile would be able to expand its service in July 1975 after the library received increased fuel allotments.

Undated photo of WPL's 3rd bookmobile

The year 1976 brought forth budget cuts to the City of Worcester. The library faced the possibility of ending the bookmobile service, laying off some staff, shuttering some of the branches, and ending Sunday hours at the Main Library. After much wrangling of the budget and back and forth between Head Librarian Joseph S. Hopkins and the City Council, the City Council only cut the budget by $100,000 and the library was able to keep the bookmobile operating on a normal schedule. 

The bookmobile was off the road for two weeks after the Blizzard of '78 due to a lack of available parking space. Meanwhile, we think someone had a grand old time writing the below headline from June 1978 when the bookmobile was off the road due to brake repairs. As the bookmobile aged, it continued to need to be off the road periodically for further repairs.

Bookmobile Brakes Down, Worcester Evening Gazette, June 14, 1978

The bookmobile gained and ended certain stops over the years. For instance, it stopped going to the Great Brook Valley neighborhood in 1981 when the new Great Brook Valley branch opened. A new stop was added to replace the Main South Branch in the same year when that branch lost its lease.

Senior Stop, Kids' Stop, and Books Are Our Business

Proposition 2 1/2 budget cuts dealt a severe blow to the bookmobile service and the rest of the Worcester Public Library. In 1982, the cuts forced the bookmobile to cease operation. Of course, even though the official bookmobile stopped, the library still had a van stopping at various places that catered to the city's older adult population to pick up and drop off books. At these "Senior Stops," the library staff would lay out the books "on tables in the buildings and patrons [would] check out books" (Staff Newsletter, July 1982). 

Senior Stop Van, Your Worcester Public Library, May 1984

In October 1987, a new bookmobile funded by a federal grant in the amount of $54,595 and the Doctor John Green Trust began to serve the community. It was named Kids' Stop and it catered to the young children in daycares, preschools, and the neighborhood stops. Young children in the Worcester community had been without access to a regular bookmobile since the 1982 budget cuts.

Kids' Stop, WPL Staff Newsletter, October 1987

Additional Proposition 2 1/2 budget cuts shuttered all seven Worcester Public Library branches in May 1990. Without additional funding, bookmobile delivery of materials would be forced to end on June 1, 1990, while pickups would be able to continue through June. Fortunately, the City Council restored funding for the bookmobile and the library was able to continue the bookmobile service for another year. The library was able to make up for the closing of the branches by adding adult books to the Kids' Stop vehicle. In fact, in late 1990, the library was able to lease a small bookmobile from the Morse Institute Library of Natick (budget constraints in Natick had forced their own bookmobile out of service), bringing the total number of library vehicles on the road to three! This fourth official bookmobile was themed "Books Are Our Business," and its use allowed the library remove the adult books from the Kids' Stop vehicle so it could focus only on children. The Books Are Our Business bookmobile catered to a wider audience.

Alas, the end of the road came for the bookmobile with the Fiscal Year 1992 budget and the voters' rejection of the Proposition 2 1/2 override in June 1991. While an increased budget for the following year allowed for the reopening of the now-named Frances Perkins Branch Library in September 1992, it was not enough to resume bookmobile operations as well. 

The End for City Bookmobile, Worcester Telegram & Gazette, May 24, 1991

It would be another two decades before any official bookmobile service would resume in the City of Worcester. Stay tuned for our upcoming blog post on the revival of the Worcester Public Library bookmobile in 2012!

P.S. The Central Massachusetts Regional Library System had its headquarters at Worcester Public Library and had a separate regional bookmobile that served the member libraries in Central Massachusetts starting in 1967 (the system launched a replacement bookmobile in 1975 called "The Questing Beast," which we thought was super cool! It even had a dragon painted on its exterior). 

Dragon Wagon, Worcester Evening Gazette, October 11, 1975

Sources:

"Area Libraries to Use Grants." (1986, July 21). Worcester Telegram, p. 3.

Bibbo, W.A. (1969, August 24). "Riding the Readers' Route." Worcester Sunday Telegram - Feature Parade Magazine, p. 3.

"Bookmobile Brakes Down." (1978, June 14). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 26.

"The Bookmobile Curtailed." (1954, August 27). Worcester Telegram, p. 6.

"Bookmobile Driver Retires." (1959, October 30). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 21.

"Bookmobile Lists Shorter Schedule." (1975, February 1). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 7.

"Bookmobile to Resume Curtis Stop." (1954, December 11). Worcester Telegram, p. 5.

"Bookmobile Schedule." (1955, January 17). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 15.

"Bookmobile to Show Films by Means of Special Viewer." (1969, June 11). Worcester Telegram, p. 22.

"Bookmobile to Start Expanded Service." (1975, June 19). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 23.

"Cashier is Shot in Holdup Try at Spag's Store." (1964, June 6). Worcester Telegram, p. 1.

Collier, G.A. (1990, May 8). "Branch Libraries Near Last Page." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. 3.

Connolly, T.J. (1991, May 24). "The End for City Bookmobile." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A3.

Cope, J.S. (1990, June 24). "Trying Times for Area's Libraries." Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. A1.

"Dragon Wagon." (1975, October 11). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 7.

"500 Visit Bookmobile at City Hall." (1954, April 22). Worcester Telegram, p. 7.

"465 City Positions Face Elimination." (1982, July 14). Worcester Telegram, p. 3A.

"'Gas' Shortage Cuts Bookmobile Service." (1974, March 30). Worcester Telegram, p. 13.

Hammel, L. (1981, May 13). "Main South Library to Close May 23." Worcester Telegram, p. 13.

"In Town Today." (1969, July 28). Worcester Telegram, p. 10.

"Library to Curtail Bookmobile Service." (1954, August 25). Worcester Telegram, p. 1.

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

"Load Books in New Vehicle." (1954, April 20). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 35.

"More Bookmobile Stops Held Impossible Unless Second Vehicle is Acquired." (1961, December 20). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 21.

"Public Library Ends Summer Film Program." (1969, August 30). Worcester Telegram, p. 13.

"Storm's Over: Bookmobile is Back." (1978, February 22). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 23.

Unsino, S.C. (1966, August 10). "Mobile Library Dispenses Goodwill Along with Books." Worcester Telegram, p. 18.