Whatever Happened to the Bookmobile

Growing up as a young boy in South St. Louis, I always enjoyed the bookmobile. It would come through our neighborhood once a week and park along the curb. People of all ages would then go in and checkout and return books. If they didn't have the book you wanted, they would have it the next time.

The bookmobile introduced to me to books like "The Box Car Children" and "The History of the Big Ten Conference." Each week I would get excited to see if they had any new books to read. The two people that worked the bookmobile would go out of their way to find something for your interest or age level.

We moved from the city to a rural area. I then would have to rely on the school or the small public library for my books of interest. It wasn't the same. Now I know that it was city taxes that kept the bookmobile in existence. However, to a young inner city kid, it was free. You can't beat free.

In today's world, there are still libraries in many communities. They offer fantastic programs to inspire readers. However, that world is quickly changing. E-Books are quickly changing the way we read. Don't get me wrong, that isn't a bad thing. It is important that we all continue to maintain and develop good reading habits. But, things are changing.

The days of visiting the library and checking out books are being replaced by over the air reading. The Kindle and I- Pad are gaining steam. More individuals are starting to go use them, than visiting the local library or book store. I recently read an article that claimed that E-Book usage was up 225 percent. We are only in the early stages of E-books. What will it be like in 5 or 10 years?

There is no doubt that I will evolve into a Kindle or I-Pad reader. Technology has always inspired me to see what else is out there. I guess because I am 62, I am just a little slow in making that change.

If you have a library or bookmobile in your community, support it. The day is coming, when they will go the way of the dinosaur.