April 10th is National Bookmobile Day. Bookmobiles are mobile libraries that transport books and other materials to locations within a community. The Yonkers Public Library used bookmobiles from 1930 to 2009. They stopped at schools in Yonkers; such as PS 22, PS 29, and St. Anthony’s School. One even traveled to Columbia University during the 1950s.
To learn more about the Yonkers Public Library bookmobile, please visit the YPL digital archive. On the digital archive there are photographs of the various YPL bookmobiles, including the original one from 1930. There is also a photograph of the routes on a map that they followed in 1938. Additionally, there are oral history interviews and a podcast episode with library staff members who describe their experiences on bookmobiles.
Michael Walsh is an Adult Service Librarian that works at the Will Library. He is currently reading Spearhead by Adam Makos.