This paper is an examination of the bookmobile, one of the most innovative solutions to the problem of delivering the benefits of public libraries to as diverse a population as possible. Bookmobiles began as a uniquely American institution. Because public libraries arose out of the conviction that the universal accessibility of books is an important basis for a democratic society, proponents of this philosophy began to look for ways to make books available to those who could not come to the library. Early attempts included the establishment of deposit libraries, which were portions of stores, factories, churches, and other spaces set aside to receive books and encourage reading. Librarians soon realized that the vehicles used to bring the books to the deposit libraries could themselves serve as miniature, portable libraries. The Depression-era Works Progress Administration furthered the concept with some innovative experiments, and the American Library Association encouraged soldiers to read through two world wars, delivering books by way of some highly creative arrangements. As technological advances have altered the librarian's job considerably, they have also challenged librarians to consider the future of bookmobiles as a means of sharing resources and information with every citizen possible, continuing to fulfill the mandate that created and fueled the free public library system in America.
Harvard University established the first library in the United States in 1638 for the use of students and scholars connected with the university. Almost 100 years later, in 1731, Benjamin Franklin created the Philadelphia Library Company, a subscription club allowing members to pool their resources in acquiring and sharing books. Until this time, few but the wealthy could afford to own many printed volumes, and advanced learning was restricted primarily to the upper classes. Franklin, himself not the wealthiest of individuals, arg...