When the Washington County Public Library was opened in Hagerstown in 1901, it became a popular attraction for visitors and residents alike. It was the second county-wide library to open in the United States, but there was a dilemma — how to get books in the hands of those children who lived outside of Hagerstown.
Mary Titcomb, the mind behind the bookmobile
The task of finding a way to remedy the problem was given to the first librarian of Washington County, Mary Titcomb (1852-1932), who had moved to Hagerstown in 1902. In 1904, she devised a plan to have boxes of books sent via wagon to general stores around the county.
While it did spread the distribution of books, it did not have the direct impact on families that Titcomb had foreseen. So, in 1905, she came up with a new plan— to bring the books directly to the families.
The first-ever bookmobile makes tracks
A horse-drawn carriage, driven by library employee Joshua Thomas, was sent out around the region to deliver books to various houses and neighborhoods. At first many of the residents rejected the wagon, feeling it looked too much like a “dead wagon” or a laundry wagon. To remedy this, the wagon was repainted in “bright, cheerful” colors and the name of the library stenciled on the sides. It was a success.
Titcomb was quoted as stating this about the program, “any account of this first Book Wagon work, the first in the United States, would be incomplete without the statement that this method of rural library extension has been adopted in many states in the Union, and that new book wagons are being put in operation each year.”
Bumps in the road
In the summer of 1910, the bookmobile met with tragedy when it was struck by a train in St. James while out delivering. Thomas, who was driving the wagon, was thrown free by the impact. The horses had broken free from the wagon and ran away but were found later. The accident occurred when Thomas, who was unable to hear the oncoming train over the sounds of the wagon, was unable to move in time.
The bookmobile evolves into the motor age
Two years after the train accident, the first motor-driven bookmobile began its route. With the success of the new wagon, a fleet was soon put into service to bring more books to the region. Other changes came with this new evolution. In addition to bringing books to homes, the bookmobile would become frequent visitors to senior citizen homes and schools, taking reading to new levels of success in Washington County.
The drive for literacy continues
For more than 120 years, the Washington County Free Public Library has brought millions of books to families, schools and businesses. There are over 670 bookmobiles driving around the United States daily, according to the American Library Association. The tradition of the “mobile library,” created by Mary Titcomb, continues to pick up mileage, bringing books and more to future generations.
