Title supplied by cataloger. As early as 1949 these bookmobiles, or "libraries on wheels", began taking books to the mostly disadvantaged, low-income areas, or the outlying sections of the city where community libraries had not been established. The Los Angeles Public Library's fleet of bookmobiles was comprised of 3 large vans usually loaded with 4,000 books, and a smaller one known as "Little Toot" that usually carried 3,000 books. They had 28 scheduled stops each week to such places as housing developments, shopping centers, parks, and schools that varied anywhere from an hour to three hours. It is estimated that these Traveling Branches circulated almost 250,000 volumes a year. Side view of a Los Angeles Public Library Bookmobile. This is just one of four such bookmobiles that traveled to schools throughout the Los Angeles area. This one is parked at an unidentified school and has just 'opened for business', although the only person visible is a child riding his bicycle toward the back of the vehicle. Three "flaps" along the side have been propped open, exposing numerous bookshelves with dozens upon dozens of books.
Type
Image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;21 x 26 cm. Photographic prints
Los Angeles Public Library School buildings--California--Los Angeles Bookmobiles--California--Los Angeles Playgrounds--California--Los Angeles Libraries--California--Los Angeles Children--California--Los Angeles
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