Most communities today have some kind of bookmobile, generally a large, bus-like conveyance made by Blue Bird and such that allows you to climb aboard, browse and check out a title. According to the Antique Automobile Club of America, some of the earliest known publicly operated bookmobiles were used by Washington County, Maryland, the rural area that includes Hagerstown. The first was a horse-drawn 1905 wagon, followed by a 1912 International Harvester truck.

Recently, the AACA Museum Library and Research Center was gifted with a Fifties bookmobile that probably didn’t carry much more text than the originals. This 1955 Chevrolet 3600 once served Anderson County, South Carolina. Dave Bowman (left) and Tom Gibson of Crossroads Restorations in nearby Anderson presented the bookmobile to the AACA at its recent regional meet in Charlotte. The AACA is accepting donations to fund a restoration, although the rig looks amazingly clean and complete.