San Antonio Public Library's Bookmobile: On the Road Again

Bookmobile Memory

2012-01-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

"When I was very young I lived in a remote village on the edge of an English moorland. Every week, a mobile library would stop near my house, and I would step up through the back door of a large van to find its carpeted interior lined with bookshelves. Anything one borrowed could be kept for seven days and then returned or exchanged for fresh lendings. (If I live to see retirement, I would quite like to be the driver of such a vehicle, bringing books to eager young readers like a Librarian in the Rye.)"--Christopher Hitchens, The Best American Essays 2010

HEB Literacy Fair

2012-01-11T09:16:00.000-08:00

The bookmobile will be at the HEB on Harry Wurzbach and Austin Highway on Saturday from noon-4pm for a literacy fair.

KC Inside

2011-12-21T09:04:00.000-08:00

KC Outside

2011-12-21T09:03:00.000-08:00

Frequently Asked Questions about the Bookmobile

2011-12-21T08:59:00.001-08:00

How long has San Antonio had a bookmobile?
The San Antonio Public Library has been providing bookmobile service from the very beginning; in fact, we had a bookmobile in the 1930's, when the library was called the Bexar County Free Library. You can see historic photos of our bookmobiles here.

What does the bookmobile look like?
Our current bookmobile, "KC," is a 2008 Freightliner MT55. It's 32 feet long, 8.25 feet high and 12.25 ft. wide with its wheelchair lift extended. It has its own generator, which powers the lights, heat and air conditioning. You'll definitely notice KC when she rolls down the road: she's bright purple with yellow lettering.

What's on the bookmobile?
KC holds about 3,200 books, ranging from board books for babies to large print books. We have nonfiction, fiction and paperbacks. We also have a small DVD collection.

Where does the bookmobile go?
At the present time, we have 15 regular stops that we visit on a 3-week rotation. Our purpose is to serve people who, because of distance or disability, can't get to a library building. Our regular stops include rural communities, such as Somerset and Helotes, and several organizations that serve people with disabilities. You can see the details here.

Who can check things out from the bookmobile?
Anyone with San Antonio Public Library card can borrow books or DVDs from us, and anyone who lives in Bexar County can get a library card from us. You'll need to show proof of identity and address.

How many things can be checked out from the bookmobile?
You can borrow up to 50 items from us, just as you can at a branch library.

What if the bookmobile doesn't have an item I want?
You can place holds on items that are kept at other San Antonio Public Library locations, just as you can at a branch library. You can request books, DVDs and music CDs; for newspapers and magazines, you'll need to visit the branch library that owns the item.

How long can the items be checked out for?
Usually, three weeks, but if a holiday or bad weather prevents us from making a regularly scheduled visit, we'll extend the due date for another three weeks. So, for example, on May 30 the libraries will be closed for Memorial Day. Items that are checked out from the bookmobile on May 9 will have a due date of June 20.

Where can I turn in the items I borrowed from the bookmobile?
To any San Antonio Public Library location or the bookmobile.

How can I renew items I borrowed from the bookmobile?
You can use the automated phone system or renew online BUT please be aware that the computer system doesn't know you're a bookmobile patron. It will give you a due date of 3 weeks from the day you call in, or if you're renewing a DVD or music CD, 1 week from the day you call in. So for example, if a book you borrowed from the bookmobile is due June 23 and on June 21 you go online and renew it, the new due date will be July 12. To avoid a fine, you'll need to return that item to the bookmobile or to one of the branch libraries on or before July 21. To find out where the bookmobile will be on a given date, visit our blog.

If you want to be given a due date that will match the day the bookmobile will be at a given location, call Central Library or any of the branch libraries. Tell them you're a bookmobile patron, tell them which stop you go to, and ask for a new due date that will match the bookmobile's schedule. So for example, suppose it's June 21 and you're renewing a book that's due on June 23. If you want to bring it back to the Somerset bookmobile stop on July 14, call one of the libraries. A librarian will need to override the computer to give you a due date of July 14.

How much are the fines on bookmobile items?
The fee schedule is here. Something important to know: because the computer system doesn't know you're a bookmobile patron, the computer will calculate your fines the same way it does for regular patrons--per day instead of per stop. So before you pay fines on bookmobile items, speak to a librarian. He or she will need to recalculate the fines.

COW

2011-12-20T06:53:00.001-08:00

The bookmobile will be at Arnold Elementary, 467 Freiling, on Jan. 20 from 11:30-2:30 for a Careers on Wheels event.

Holidays

2011-12-20T06:10:00.000-08:00

The library will be closed and there will be no bookmobile runs on Dec. 24-26 and Dec. 30-Jan. 1.

Auburn Creek

2011-12-05T11:28:00.000-08:00

The bookmobile will make a special visit to the Auburn Creek Apartments (4411 Gardendale) on Dec. 14 from noon-4pm. We'll be introducing new Americans to the library system.

COW

2011-12-05T11:25:00.000-08:00

The bookmobile will participate in Oak Meadow Elementary's (2800 Hunters Green) Careers on Wheels event on Dec. 6 from 8-11am.

Christmas Closings

2011-12-05T11:23:00.000-08:00

The library will be closed, and the bookmobile will be off the road, on Dec. 24-26 and on Dec. 20-Jan.1.

New Books

2011-09-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

We've received these new books for the bookmobile:

Kids: Traffic Pups; Hands Off, Harry; The Crossing; A Place to Call Home; Goldie and the Three Hares; Dinosaur Discovery; What Are Newton's Laws of Motion; The Seven Seas; Good Night, Chickie; Extreme Weather
Teens: Dreadnought; Escape Velocity

Adult: The Vault (Ruth Rendell); Forbidden (Ted Dekker)

Holiday Closings

2011-08-25T13:06:00.000-07:00

The library will be closed and there will no bookmobile runs on Sept. 5 and Oct. 10.

District 6 Fair

2011-08-24T10:48:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile will participate in District 6's Fair at the San Antonio Fire Academy, 300 Callaghan, on Oct. 22 from 10am-2pm.

Candlewood Elementary

2011-08-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile will make a special visit to Candlewood Elementary (3635 Candleglenn) on Oct. 12 and Oct. 14 from 8:30-1:30 so that the classes can come on board and learn about libraries.

Auburn Creek Apartments

2011-08-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile will make a special trip to Auburn Creek Apartments on Sept. 21, from noon-4pm, to provide an introduction to the San Antonio Public Library system for the new immigrants living in the neighborhood.

HEB

2011-08-24T10:37:00.000-07:00

As part of their Reading Initiative, HEB will be holding library-card signups in September. Our staff will be at the HEB on Culebra & 1604 on Sept. 17, from 10 am-6pm and at the HEB on Austin Highway & Hurry Wurzbach on Sept. 24 from 11 am-2 pm. If you live in Bexar County ad don't have a library card, come on by and sign up--it only takes a couple of minutes.

Good Reads

2011-08-24T10:32:00.000-07:00

Looking for some fresh reading? Here are some popular books written by African-American authors:

1. Dice by T.N.Baker
Call Number: FICTION BAKER
ISBN: 9780312355746
Love, betrayal, lies, sex and money are just the beginning in this scandalous tale, where loyalties are put to the ultimate test

2. More church folk by Michele Andrea Bowen
Call Number: FICTION BOWEN
ISBN: 9780446577762
The Reverend Theophilus Simmons, married with three children and ministering to a congregation in Memphis, must face off against a sleazy den of corrupt clergy, who are illegally tapping church funds and trying to buy enough power to run a mega-church.

3. Aftermath: a snapped novel by Brown, Tracy, 1974-
Call Number: FICTION BROWN
ISBN: 9780312555221
Friendship, love, betrayal, and forgiveness collide in this snapped novel.

4. Justify my thug: a novel by Clark, Wahida
Call Number: FICTION CLARK
ISBN: 9781451617092
Tasha and Trae try to overcome their troubles and make their marriage work, while Jaz is facing drama of her own.

5. Just wanna testify: a novel by Cleage, Pearl
Call Number: FICTION CLEAGE
ISBN: 9780345506368
Blue Hamilton, "godfather" of his Atlanta neighborhood where crime is unknown, becomes pitted against the "Too Fine Five," Amazonian African-American supermodels whose arrival in town spells trouble. Seems that when the vamps are done with their men, the men will be done ... for good.

6. Uptown by DeBerry, Virginia
Call Number: FICTION DEBERRY
ISBN: 9781439137765

Uptown dives into the high-rolling world of Manhattan real estate. When money, power, and respect are at stake, a Harlem family's bonds are strained to the breaking point.

7. Girls from da hood 5 by Ervin, Keisha
Call Number: FICTION ERVIN
ISBN: 9781601621528
McNair, Keisha Ervin, and Brenda Hampton join forces to bring readers three stories in the latest installment of the Girls From da Hood series

8. Trouble down the road by Griffin, Bettye
Call Number: FICTION GRIFFIN
ISBN: 9780758231628
From the author of The People Next Door comes a smart, sexy new novel that peeks behind the curtains of one very complicated Florida cul-de-sac, where the neighbors are a little too close for comfort...

9 Married on Mondays by HoneyB
Call Number: FICTION MORRISON
ISBN: 9780446582322
"By day, Valerie Cooper, Dierdra Dawson, and Foxy Brown assist their husbands, all partners at the law firm Brown, Cooper, and Dawson. But at night, they become Vanilla Cream, Cherry Cream, and Sugar Cream, and run an upscale swingers club called Creamé. Their clientele include everyone from judges, lawyers, etc.Business is booming at the hottest club in town. Until the police chief extends an indecent proposal to Foxy: sleep with him, or go to jail." -- From publisher's website.

10. Before you do: making great… Jakes, T D
This book tells you how to prevent yourself from getting into things that may hurt you in the long run, also how to make life a lot easier by putting down some unwanted baggages.It also tells of letting go and stop blaming others.

11. The eternal engagement Morrison, Mary B
Call Number: FICTION MORRISON
ISBN: 9780758222633
When her fiancé William frustrated and confused about her refusal to set a wedding date, turns to Katherine, the high-school sweetheart he left behind, Mona, to reclaim William, must come clean about her shocking past, which goes heartbreakingly wrong and changes the lives of all involved.

12. Heartbreak of a hustler's wife: a novel Turner, Nikki
Call Number: FICTION TURNER
ISBN: 9780345511089
Yarni Taylor is a successful corporate attorney who wants nothing more than her husband. But, she faces so many difficulties in trying to regain their footing.

A Double-Decker Bookmobile

2011-08-24T06:07:00.000-07:00

You'd certainly notice this one coming down the street: the Netherlands has a double-decker bookmobile.

Encino Stop

2011-08-09T13:47:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile is back, so look for the big purple van in the parking lot at the Encino Rio Community Center swimming pool today, 3-6 pm.

Elmendorf

2011-08-05T13:40:00.000-07:00

Our bookmobile remains in the repair shop, and the forecast once again calls for a very hot week, so we'll be shortening our stay in Elmendorf on Monday. Look for us at a table set up in our usual parking space; we'll be there from 3-4 pm. If you miss us, you can renew your books by calling 207-6121 or going online. Go to the My Account page, click on “items checked-out” – and choose the items to renew. Check your due dates after renewing to make sure no one has your items on hold.

Shortened Hours

2011-07-27T14:04:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile is still in the repair shop, and the forecast is hot, hot, hot. So tomorrow our visit to Kirby will be shortened: we'll be at the Senior Center as usual, from 1-2pm, but our stop at Hopkins will go 2:30-3:30. We're sorry for the inconvenience and we hope the bookmobile will be back on the road soon.

Bookmobile in the Repair Shop

2011-06-30T09:38:00.000-07:00

Our bookmobile is in the repair shop--the generator went out, so the vehicle has no electricity. While it's being fixed, we'll still be out at our usual stops, but we'll have a table set up outside. We'll bring your hold items, take your returned items, and issue library cards. We'll bring with us as many books and DVDs as we can carry in our cars, so that you can check out items.

New Books

2011-06-24T05:54:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile has received some new books for kids:

The Voyage of Turtle Rex, My First Nursery Stories, ABC Kids, The Penderwicks at Point Mouette, Small Acts of Amazing Courage, Baby Hears, Digger, Wonder Woman, Save the White Whale, Monkey Trouble

Back-to-School

2011-06-22T05:44:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile will be at Rolling Oaks Mall's back-to-school event on Aug. 20, 11am-3pm.

Back-to-School

2011-06-22T05:43:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile will be at Ingram Mall's back-to-school event on Aug. 13, 11am - 3pm.

Back-to-School

2011-06-22T05:42:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile will be at the Living Way Christian Church's (132 IH 35N)back-to-school event on Aug. 6, 9am-noon.

JOVEN

2011-06-22T05:40:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile will visit JOVEN, 18555 Leal, on June 29, 11am-1pm, for Career Day.

Auburn Creek

2011-06-22T05:39:00.001-07:00

The bookmobile will be at Auburn Creek Apartments on Friday, noon-2pm, in recognition of World Refugee Week.

Memorial Day

2011-05-27T07:11:00.003-07:00

The San Antonio Public Libraries and the bookmobile will be closed Monday for Memorial Day.

Senior Jamaica

2011-05-27T07:09:00.001-07:00

The bookmobile will be at Rosedale Park on June 3, 9am-2pm, for Senior Jamaica.

Summer Hours for Eva's Heroes

2011-05-09T09:28:00.001-07:00

During the summer, the bookmobile will visit Eva's Heroes earlier than usual: we'll be there from 10:30am-noon, to accommodate their summer schedule. That begins June 13. In August we'll return to the 4:30-5:30 time slot.

Candlewood

2011-04-19T13:38:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile will be at Candlewood Elementary on May 10 and May 18, 8:30-1:30, for class visits.

Region 20

2011-04-19T13:37:00.001-07:00

The bookmobile will be out at Region 20 (1314 Hines) on Apr. 30, 9am-noon, for their community fair.

Auburn Creek Apartments

2011-04-14T07:33:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile will return to Auburn Creek Apartments on June 24, noon-2pm.

World Refugee Day

2011-04-14T07:29:00.000-07:00

In recognition of World Refugee Day, the bookmobile will visit Catholic Charities' Immigration and Refugee Services program at Auburn Creek Apartments, 4411 Gardendale, on June 15, noon-4pm.

Senior Jamaica

2011-04-14T07:28:00.001-07:00

The bookmobile will be participating in Senior Jamaica at Rosedale Park (340 Dartmouth)on June 3, 9am-2pm.

Japhet Elementary

2011-04-14T07:26:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile will be participating in Japhet Elementary's (314 Astor) Careers on Wheels event, May 25, 8-11 am.

Ball Elementary

2011-04-14T07:25:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile will be participating in Ball Elementary's (343 Koehler) Careers on Wheels event, May 13, 8am-noon.

It's Here

2011-04-13T06:41:00.001-07:00

Today is National Bookmobile Day! Come over to Central Library (600 Soledad) and visit your bookmobile!

Just One Day Until National Bookmobile Day

2011-04-12T09:18:00.000-07:00

And if you haven't already, take a look at the great video that Adolph Lopez and Marcela Garza have created for us. It's on the home page. Many thanks, Adolph and Marcela!

New Children's Books

2011-03-31T08:51:00.000-07:00

We have some new children's books on the bookmobile:

Ally the Dolphin Fairy
Courtney the Clownfish Fairy
Pia the Penguin Fairy
Whitney the Whale Fairy
Amelie the Seal Fairy
Stink and the Ultimate Thumb-Wrestling Smackdown

National Bookmobile Day

2011-03-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, April 13 is National Bookmobile Day. All across the nation, bookmobile staff will be polishing up their vehicles and showing them off. Join in the fun with us. We'll be bringing our bookmobile up to Central Library (600 Soledad) between 10a.m.-3p.m.; we'll park on Augusta Street. On board we'll have stories and crafts for the little ones, plus a slide show of weird bookmobiles. Bring your library card: you can borrow books from us.

See you April 13!

Remembering Bookmobiles

2011-03-21T06:08:00.000-07:00

In a Feb. 23 article in The Smithsonian, Jeff Greenwald announces that "Long Overdue, the Bookmobile is Back."

In the article, authors share their fond memories of the bookmobiles they visited as children. W. Ralph Eubanks says, "The librarians did not care that I was barefoot, and wearing a pair of raggedy shorts. All they cared about was that I wanted to read."

Anne Lamont says, "I have mystical dreamscape memories of climbing on board."

Terry Temple Williams says, "It was all part of the magic of our childhood, where books and natural history were all part of the same narrative of spending time outside.“

What are your bookmobile memories?

Bookmobile Memories?

2011-03-17T13:24:00.003-07:00

Do you have some fond memories of a bookmobile? It doesn't have to be ours. Tell us your story and we'll add them this blog!

In Celebration of National Bookmobile Day

2011-03-17T13:20:00.000-07:00

...which is April 13, here are some photos of the San Antonio Public Library bookmobiles through the years.

Our bookmobile: the early days

2011-03-17T13:16:00.000-07:00

New Children's Books

2011-03-17T06:12:00.000-07:00

We have a few new children's books on the bookmobile: A Dazzling Display of Dogs, Sneaky Sheep, and ABC Dinosaurs.

Smithsonian

2011-03-14T05:44:00.000-07:00

The Smithsonian has run a thought-provoking article about bookmobiles, in which the question of ebooks vs. paper books is raised. Lemony Snicket has this to say about bookmobiles: "The bookmobile thus is a portable, wandering marvel, that searches you out in a world that more and more waits for you to search instead."

Region 20's Community Fair

2011-03-11T06:13:00.000-08:00

The bookmobile will participate in Region 20's Community Fair on Apr. 30 from 9a.m.-noon, at 1314 Hines. We hope to meet lots of students and teachers there!

Sutton Oaks

2011-03-11T05:49:00.000-08:00

On April 8 from 9-11 a.m., the bookmobile will be at Sutton Oaks Apartments, 2818 N. IH 35, for their grand re-opening. We're told the mayor will be there too!

New Books

2011-03-10T06:27:00.000-08:00

New books have arrived!

For childen: Bedtime Bunnies, School! Adventures at the Harvey N. Trouble Elementary School, Miss Dorothy and Her Bookmobile, Ruby Valentine Saves the Day, Cat Secrets, Children's Illustrated Encyclopedia
For teens: Ominous by Kate Brian, Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa, Crave by Laura Burns, Spiderman: Lizard

For adults: The Complaints by Ian Rankin

DVD: You Having a Baby Workout

Bexar County Academy

2011-03-01T11:32:00.000-08:00

The bookmobile will be at Bexar County Academy, 1485 Hillcrest, on Mar. 25 from 9-11a.m. If your child attends this school, how about sending his library card with him that day so he can borrow a book?

Independence Hill

2011-03-01T11:31:00.000-08:00

The bookmobile will be at Independence Hill Retirement Community on Mar. 18 from 2-3pm.

Kelley

2011-03-01T11:29:00.000-08:00

The bookmobile will visit Kelley Elementary, 802 Oblate, on Mar. 11 from 9:30-12:30. If your child attends Kelley, how about sending his library card with him that day so he can borrow a book?

Metro Health

2011-03-01T11:28:00.000-08:00

The bookmobile will be at City Hall on Mar. 8 from 11-2:30, issuing library cards for the employees of Metro Health and anyone else who drops in. If you're downtown, come on by!

City Center

2011-03-01T11:23:00.000-08:00

City Center Health Careers, 1114 Willow, will be our special stop tomorrow. The bookmobile will be there from 3-5:30.

It's Back

2011-03-01T11:22:00.001-08:00

The bookmobile is back!

Repairs

2011-02-17T12:16:00.000-08:00

Our bookmobile is in the repair shop, so until it's been fixed, we'll be setting up a table in the spot where we normally would park. We'll bring the hold items for that stop, along with a bunch of books we think you'll like.

Rough Weather?

2011-02-01T07:44:00.001-08:00

San Antonio may be in for some rough weather this week. We plan on making all of our bookmobile runs as planned, but if the winds exceed 30 miles per hour it's practically impossible to keep the bookmobile on the road. Ice, too, could cause us to have to cancel a run. If the weather is bad on the day you plan to meet up with the bookmobile, please call Central Library first to make sure we've been able to get out on the road: 207-2500.

Presidents Day

2011-01-24T09:20:00.001-08:00

The library will be closed, and the bookmobile will not make a run, on Feb. 21, in honor of Presidents Day.

Kelley

2011-01-24T09:18:00.000-08:00

The bookmobile will visit Harmon Kelley Elementary, 802 Oblate, on Feb. 11 from 9:30-12:30.

BCFS

2011-01-24T09:17:00.000-08:00

The bookmobile will be meeting the children at Baptist Child & Family Services on Feb. 9, 1-4pm.

Monroe May

2011-01-24T09:16:00.000-08:00

The bookmobile will visit Monroe May Elementary (15707 Chase Hill) on Feb. 4, 2-5 pm. If you're in the neighborhood, come by and check out some books.

COW

2011-01-24T09:15:00.001-08:00

The bookmobile will be at Arnold Elementary on Jan. 28, 11:30-2:30, for a "COW" (Careers on Wheels event).

Book Recommendations

2011-01-20T13:52:00.001-08:00

Need some book recommendations? Visit one of the library's "What to Read" guides, where you'll find recommended books and movies on everything from werevolves to westerns!

Independence Hill

2011-01-13T12:52:00.001-08:00

The bookmobile will make a special visit to the Independence Hill retirement community on Feb. 18 from 2-3pm.

New Books on the Bookmobile

2010-12-15T09:11:00.001-08:00

for kids: A Smart Girl's Guide to Parties, Young Cam Jansen and the Speedy Car Mystery, Young Cam Jansen and the 100th Day of School Mystery, Hush Little Horsie, Adventures of Lowly Worm, Gyo Fujikawa's A to Z Picture Book, Thanking the Moon, My Brother Charlie, ABC Animal Jamboree, Ultimate Dinopedia

Readings for Adults Learning to Read and Adults Learning English

2010-12-15T06:18:00.000-08:00

Do you know an adult who is learning to read? Or an adult who is learning English? The bookmobile now has a collection of books created especially for them. The Oxford Bookworms Series presents classic novels that have been revised in a style meant for new readers and new English speakers. The series begins with Level 1 books, which require a reading vocabulary of 400 words, and moves to Level 2, which requires 700 words. The highest level, Level 6, requires a vocabulary of 2,500 words.

We have the following titles (and will be adding more in the near future):

Phantom of the Opera--Level 1
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer--Level 1
Romeo and Juliet--Level 2
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn--Level 2
Dracula--Level 2
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde--Level 4
A Tale of Two Cities--Level 4
Jane Eyre--Level 6
Oliver Twist--Level 6

New on the Bookmobile

2010-12-01T08:02:00.000-08:00

for adults: Of Love and Evil (Anne Rice), Rescue (Anita Shreve), ASVAB for Dummies

for adults learning to read in English: Jayne Eyre, Oliver Twist

for kids: The Jesus Storybook Bible,Hugless Douglas

for teens: Spiderman: The Gauntlet

DVDs: Dance with Julianne, Denise Austin: Pilates, Denise Austin: Quick Burn Cardio

New Books

2010-11-29T07:54:00.001-08:00

New to the bookmobile:

children's books: Evolution, The Fox in the Dark, The Duchess of Whimsy, Stomp Dinosaur Stomp , Abe's Fish

adult: The Christmas Journey

Holiday Closings

2010-11-19T08:52:00.000-08:00

The libraries will be closed, and there will be no bookmobile runs, on Nov. 25-26, Dec. 24-27 and Dec. 31-Jan. 1.

Thought for the Day

2010-11-16T06:33:00.001-08:00

"Let us dare to read, think, speak and write."
--John Adams

Larkspur

2010-11-10T08:47:00.000-08:00

The bookmobile will visit Larkspur Elementary, 11802 Larkspur, on Dec. 1 from 7:50-2:00 for their Careers on Wheels Day.

Learn How to Trace Your Family History

2010-11-10T08:39:00.000-08:00

Is it possible you may have a millionaire, a discoverer, a war hero or an outlaw in your family tree? Come to "Learn How to Trace Your Family History" and find out how to find out! In conjunction with the bookmobile's regularly scheduled visit to the Casa Helotes Senior Center (12070 Leslie Rd. in Helotes), we'll be bringing a special guest on Nov. 30. Frank Faulkner, Jr., the manager of San Antonio Public Library's Texana/Genealogy Department, will talk about the basics of genealogy. "Learn How to Trace Your Family History" will start at 12:30. Everyone is welcome to attend this free program.

Those of you who heard Mr. Faulkner talk about San Antonio history at Casa Helotes this past summer know what a wonderful speaker he is. Come on out and hear him again--and tell your neighbors!

Bookmobile Memory #5

2010-11-08T06:27:00.000-08:00

Michael writes:

One of my vivid memories from my small, Catholic, libraryless elementary school is when the bookmobile would visit. I always enjoyed climbing up in it and perusing the books. Years later while driving in the countryside I past a farm that had a small collection of junked vehicles. My bookmobile (or one just like it) was among the inmates. It made me sad.

Bookmobile Memory #4

2010-11-08T06:26:00.000-08:00

Martha writes:

When we moved to San Antonio in 1980, I went to the bookmobile at Thousand Oaks/Nacogdoches each week. The bookmobile staff, David, quickly figured out what kind of books I checked out and always had a stack waiting for me each week. What a great service especially to a new San Antonio resident.

Bookmobile Memory #3

2010-11-04T05:18:00.000-07:00

Kate writes:

I have many bookmobile memories – my first library job was college summers as a shelver/library assistant on a bookmobile belonging to the Monmouth County Library in New Jersey. We went out 4 days a week – all day, making several stops. There were times when it was so crowded inside that people had to wait to get on. I loved riding around and visiting different parts of the county. Because the truck only carried 3 staff – the driver, a para-professional and me, I got to help people find books and I had responsibilities that other students in my position didn’t have. I’m sure this factored into my choice of profession because I saw it as a fun job and very worthwhile.

Bookmobile Memory #2

2010-11-03T08:27:00.000-07:00

Judy writes:

I moved from San Antonio to Kent Island, Maryland when I was 11 and was crushed to hear that the closest library was nowhere near the island and certainly not within bicycling distance. I had grown used to the idea that places like Landa and Westfall were commonplace and I was bummed that I'd have to wait to take an infrequent, 45 minute car ride with my parents into a town called Centreville which, I thought, wasn't even spelled correctly.

When homework assignments began to become an issue, my parents agreed to take me in to Centreville every other weekend; but something was missing on these trips. Doing homework is fine but I wasn't a card holder for that library, so as my interest in reading for pleasure began to suffer, and the small townspeople began to speak to the newcomers, a librarian asked me if I would like to sign up to use the bookmobile (!!!). Book-mo-bile. Bookmobile?! I moved the word around in my head. I had never heard of the thing but my parents seemed enthusiastic about it. The librarian said that the bookmobile would park in the lot across from the Island drug store. The important thing was that I began to read the books that I had seen on my sister's bookshelves before she went off to college, and books that I had heard about in my English classes, and books that I just liked because of the cover art.
There's a public library on Kent Island now, but there's always going to be a need for the bookmobile for people who can't get to the library. Gotta love the bookmobile!

Bookmobile Memory #1

2010-11-03T06:06:00.000-07:00

Ramona writes:

I have very fond memories of bookmobiles from my childhood days. The Des Moines Public Library bookmobile came once a month to a church in my grandmother's neighborhood. My grandmother would bundle us kids up in our winter coats and boots and mittens, or if it was spring, in our yellow raincoats and galoshes, and we'd trudge through the snow or mud to get to the bookmobile.

The vehicle seemed huge to us, though in retrospect it probably wasn't much bigger than an RV. We would pull off our boots, leaving them at the entrance so that we wouldn't muddy up the bookmobile, and then we'd make a beeline for the children's collection. We'd sit on the floor, reading book after book, until it was almost time for the bookmobile to leave, and then we'd gather our final selections and take them up to the circulation desk to check out. The librarian would hold our books for us while our grandmother helped us back into our boots, and then we'd trudge back home, careful not to let any of the books slip out of our grasp into the mud or snow.

Although our parents took us to branch library once a month or so, and our teachers took us to the school library once a week, we liked the bookmobile best because it was right there in our neighborhood, just four blocks away.

Bookmobile Memories

2010-11-03T06:00:00.001-07:00

Share with us your favorite bookmobile memories; we'll post them on this blog, in lead-up to National Bookmobile Day, April 13, 2011.

You can drop them off with the bookmobile staff or email them to thebookmobilelady(at)gmail.com.

Holiday Closings

2010-10-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

The San Antonio Public Libraries and bookmobile will be closed on Nov. 11, Nov. 25 and Nov. 26. There will be no bookmobile runs on those days.

Bexar County Academy

2010-10-25T06:59:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile will make a special visit to Bexar County Academy, 1493 Hillcrest, on Nov. 19, 2-4pm.

Glad Tidings

2010-10-25T06:58:00.001-07:00

The bookmobile will make a special visit to Glad Tidings Academy, 2163 S. W. W. White, on Nov. 17, 2:30-4:30.

Copeland

2010-10-25T06:55:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile will make a special visit to Copeland Elementary, 8750 Fourwinds Dr, on Nov. 5, 2-4:30.

City Center

2010-10-25T06:54:00.001-07:00

The bookmobile will make a special visit to City Center Health Careers, 1114 Willow, on Nov. 2, 3-5:30pm.

It's a COW

2010-10-25T06:50:00.001-07:00

The bookmobile will be participating in Fenwick Elementary's Careers on Wheels (COW) event this Friday from 8:30-11:00. Fenwick is located at 1930 Waverly.

Bookmobile by the Numbers

2010-10-01T11:38:00.001-07:00

The bookmobile is growing! For the fiscal year of Oct. 1, 2009-Sept. 30, 2010, we provided 525 hours of service; we also took the bookmobile to 93 hours of community events.

At our regular stops, 3,741 people borrowed 12,228 items. That's 6% more borrowing than last year by 13.5% more people.

NW Hills Christian School

2010-10-01T11:34:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile will make a special visit on Oct. 12, 9am-1pm, to Northwest Hills Christian School, 8511 Heath Circle. If your child attends this school, why not send his library card along with him that morning so he can borrow some books?

More New Books

2010-09-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

A few more new books have arrived:

for kids: The War to End All Wars

for teens: Batman: Cacaphony, Black Hole Sun

for adults: A Nose for Justice (Rita Mae Brown)

New Books

2010-09-13T13:26:00.000-07:00

We have some new books for the bookmobile:

Adult: The Thorn by Beverly Lewis, The Tale of Oak Cake Crag by Susan Wittig Albert

Kids: Funny Mummy, Disasters, The Cow Loves Cookies, Lots of Spots, Circus Opposites, A Beach Tail, Universe, Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush, The Hive Detectives

Our Bookmobile Through the Years

2010-09-13T13:14:00.001-07:00

Home & Garden

2010-09-13T09:59:00.001-07:00

The bookmobile will be out at the Alamodome for the Home & Garden Show on Sept. 24 from 2-8 p.m. and on Sept. 25 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. If you're at the show, come by and see us.

New on the Bookmobile

2010-09-08T10:08:00.001-07:00

For kids of elementary-school age:

R. L. Stine's Ghosts of Fear Street, which has a really disgusting-looking fly-headed man on the cover--kids will love it

Goosebumps: The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight, not as disgusting-looking, but spookier

Disney Fairies: Rani, with two stories and lovely color illustrations

For adults learning to read in English:

Nelson Mandela, a level 4 book

For adults:

Empire, a mystery by Steven Saylor

New Books

2010-08-12T06:32:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile has some new books:

for children: Space: A Visual Encyclopedia--with large color photos; Animals: A Class of Their Own--with chapters about worms, insects, sharks, snakes and bats, A Wizard from the Start--about Thomas Edison, World of the Weird--with chapters about crop circles, superstitions, optical illusions and ghosts

for adults: Silent Intruder, a mystery by Gerald Hammond; The Vigilantes, a police procedural by WEB Griffin

District 6 Fair

2010-08-10T09:42:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile will make a special appearance at the District 6 Fair on Aug. 28, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Meadow Cliff Rec Center, 1240 Pinn Rd.

Mall Runs

2010-08-10T09:37:00.000-07:00

Saturday, Aug. 21 is a sales-tax holiday in Texas, and shoppers will be out in force, so our bookmobile is going out to meet some of them. We'll visit Ingram Mall from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and Rolling Oaks Mall from 2-5 p.m.

Outspan Townhomes

2010-08-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

The bookmobile will make a special appearance at Outspan Townhomes' children's program on Aug. 20, 9 a.m.-noon. If you live in the area (4611 E. Houston) come on by.

Meadow Cliff

2010-06-29T08:32:00.000-07:00

On Aug. 28, from 9:00-1:00, the bookmobile will be at the Meadow Cliff Recreation Center, 1240 Pinn Rd., for District 6's Back-to-School Fair.

Palo Alto College

2010-06-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

On Aug. 7, the bookmobile will be stationed near the gym at Palo Alto College, 1400 W. Villaret, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. We're participating in Senator Uresti's Back-to-School event.

San Antonio Public Library's Bookmobile: On the Road Again

Bookmobile Memory

HEB Literacy Fair

KC Inside

KC Outside

Frequently Asked Questions about the Bookmobile

COW

Holidays

Auburn Creek

COW

Christmas Closings

New Books

Holiday Closings

District 6 Fair

Candlewood Elementary

Auburn Creek Apartments

HEB

Good Reads

A Double-Decker Bookmobile

Encino Stop

Elmendorf

Shortened Hours

Bookmobile in the Repair Shop

New Books

Back-to-School

Back-to-School

Back-to-School

JOVEN

Auburn Creek

Memorial Day

Senior Jamaica

Summer Hours for Eva's Heroes

Candlewood

Region 20

Auburn Creek Apartments

World Refugee Day

Senior Jamaica

Japhet Elementary

Ball Elementary

It's Here

Just One Day Until National Bookmobile Day

New Children's Books

National Bookmobile Day

Remembering Bookmobiles

Bookmobile Memories?

In Celebration of National Bookmobile Day

Our bookmobile: the early days

New Children's Books

Smithsonian

Region 20's Community Fair

Sutton Oaks

New Books

Bexar County Academy

Independence Hill

Kelley

Metro Health

City Center

It's Back

Repairs

Rough Weather?

Read More!

Presidents Day

Kelley

BCFS

Monroe May

COW

Book Recommendations

Independence Hill

New Books on the Bookmobile

Readings for Adults Learning to Read and Adults Learning English

New on the Bookmobile

New Books

Holiday Closings

Thought for the Day

Larkspur

Learn How to Trace Your Family History

Bookmobile Memory #5

Bookmobile Memory #4

Bookmobile Memory #3

Bookmobile Memory #2