Many of us harbor fond memories of the arrival of a bookmobile. One summer when I was growing up, the Georgetown County Library bookmobile literally parked in our front yard for customers to come pick up their books. It was magical for a voracious reader who could not drive to the Library building on Screven Street. That magic is celebrated the Wednesday of National Library Week with "National Bookmobile Day."
Beaufort County Library provided bookmobile services from 1962 until 1993 and reconstituted the service in 2017. A second bookmobile, paid for by the Friends of the Hilton Head Library, was added in 2019 to exclusively serve the southern areas of the County. According to Assistant Library Director, Amanda Brewer Dickman, the bookmobiles were having a successful year until COVID-19 shut them down. Here are a few statistics July 1, 2019 - February 29, 2020 that she shared with me:
Here's a short history of bookmobile services in Beaufort County:
Beaufort County Bookmobile Timeline
(Photo by Dennis Adams, BCL Archives, 1997-1998)
1985 After several delays, the new Blackriver Bookmobile arrived in March 1985.
Using their personal vehicles, Mrs. Wilhelmina Barnwell and Mrs. Ethel Bailey were the first librarians to offer book delivery service in Beaufort County. They traveled St. Helena Island and Lady’s Island delivering books from the Laura Towne Library at Penn Community Center to African-American residents.
Mrs. Olive Fordham (from 1962-1965) a Winthrop college graduate and native of Mullins, SC was the first bookmobile librarian for the Beaufort County Library system. A former Beaufort Elementary School teacher and wife of a businessman, Mrs. Fordham took the job seeking a way to “keep busy” and remained in the job until she retired in 1965.
Beaufort County Library provided bookmobile services from 1962 until 1993 and reconstituted the service in 2017. A second bookmobile, paid for by the Friends of the Hilton Head Library, was added in 2019 to exclusively serve the southern areas of the County. According to Assistant Library Director, Amanda Brewer Dickman, the bookmobiles were having a successful year until COVID-19 shut them down. Here are a few statistics July 1, 2019 - February 29, 2020 that she shared with me:
- Checked out 29,637 items
- Welcomed 15,249 visitors
- Answered 2,570 reference questions
- Issued 261 new library card
- Accepted 23 community event requests - though some had to be cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions on public gatherings
Here's a short history of bookmobile services in Beaufort County:
Beaufort County Bookmobile Timeline
Compiled by Amanda Brewer, MLS, Bookmobile Librarian, December 2016
with later updates by Grace Cordial, 21 April 2020 and 24 March 2022
with later updates by Grace Cordial, 21 April 2020 and 24 March 2022
1956 Operating out of the Laura Towne Library at Penn Community Center, Mrs. Wilhelmina Barnwell and Mrs. Ethel Bailey delivered books in their personal vehicles to children on St. Helena Island and Lady’s Island.
1958 Two years later, Mrs. Barnwell and Mrs. Bailey had more demand than their vehicles could accommodate. The AKA Sorority at S.C. State College awarded a $400 grant towards the purchase of a bookmobile. A used bookmobile from Richland County Public Library was acquired for $450 (including taxes, a new paint job, and repairs). Mrs. Barnwell drove this bookmobile around St. Helena Island and Lady’s Island for 9 years. Approximately 1,000 books circulated each month through her 15 “Book Outposts”.
1962 The Beaufort Township Library and the Laura Towne Library at Penn Community Center merged to form the Beaufort County Library system. The fully integrated Beaufort County Library system consisted of the Laura Towne and Washington branch libraries. The Laura Towne library bookmobile continued operation to St. Helena Island and Lady’s Island.
1963 A second bookmobile was purchased from Barnwell County Library. This 1952 model bookmobile had shelves that opened on the outside and held 1,000 books. With two vehicles in operation, the Beaufort County Library bookmobiles traveled 1,000 miles per month and circulated 3,000 books. Also in 1963, Beaufort County Library was awarded the Dorothy Canfield Fisher award as the nation’s outstanding small library.
1966 Senator James M. Waddell Jr. helped procure funding for a new bookmobile. Both of the old bookmobiles were traded in for a new walk-in model purchased from the Boyertown Company for $10,096. This bookmobile had the capacity to house 1,500 books.
1973 In 1973, the “new” bookmobile had 65,000 miles and was plagued by repairs. It was sold to Georgetown Memorial Library and a new bookmobile was purchased. The new model had the capacity to hold 3,000 books. During its operation, this bookmobile ran a schedule of 57 stops in 35 communities.
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| (Beaufort County Library Records, Beaufort District Collection) |
1983 At 78,275 miles, brake failure, and a broken transmission, the bookmobile was retired and a new vehicle was ordered from the Black River Bookmobile Company in Camden, SC. This $41,000 bookmobile was equipped with a wheel chair lift and had the capacity to store 2,500 books.
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| (Beaufort County Library Records, Beaufort District Collection) |
1985 After several delays, the new Blackriver Bookmobile arrived in March 1985.
1993 Engine failure and a broken crankshaft in June 1993 suspended bookmobile service indefinitely. According to archives of Library Board of Trustees Minutes from June 1993, the repair costs ($6,000) exceeded the following year’s allotted repairs budget. Decrease in demand for bookmobile service and increase maintenance costs led to the proposal to sell the bookmobile and use the money generated from the sale to purchase a van or station wagon for library use.
2016 Beaufort County Library ordered a new bookmobile from Farber Specialty Vehicles and hires Amanda Brewer as Bookmobile Librarian.
2017 Beaufort County Library bookmobile services begins delivery of materials and services in June.
2019 Beaufort County Library Bookmobile - South begins delivery of materials and services in April.
2020 Learn more about current bookmobile services and schedules on its webpage. (Service is temporarily suspended due to mitigation of COVID-19 efforts.)
Beaufort County Bookmobile Librarians
Using their personal vehicles, Mrs. Wilhelmina Barnwell and Mrs. Ethel Bailey were the first librarians to offer book delivery service in Beaufort County. They traveled St. Helena Island and Lady’s Island delivering books from the Laura Towne Library at Penn Community Center to African-American residents.
Mrs. Olive Fordham (from 1962-1965) a Winthrop college graduate and native of Mullins, SC was the first bookmobile librarian for the Beaufort County Library system. A former Beaufort Elementary School teacher and wife of a businessman, Mrs. Fordham took the job seeking a way to “keep busy” and remained in the job until she retired in 1965.
The second bookmobile librarians were Mrs. Maisie Pugh (from 1965-1970) replacing Mrs. Fordham and Mrs. Agnes Sherman (1965-1973) who worked at the Laura Towne Library and continued bookmobile service on St. Helena.
Natalie Lane manned the bookmobile from 1970-1981. Rosa Cummings teamed up with Natalie Lane in 1973. Lane maintained the southern Beaufort County route while Cummings maintained the northern Beaufort County route.
Paul Sayers was hired in 1981 to replace Natalie Lane.
In 1983, Paul Sayers resigned and Rosa Cummings was promoted to another position. Jeanette Parker, a children’s librarian, and Sharon Mosley staffed the bookmobile from 1983 until bookmobile service was suspended in 1993.
In 2016, Amanda Brewer was hired as bookmobile librarian. Community response was so strong that a second bookmobile was added in March 2019. Amanda Brewer Dickman continues to be responsible for the Bookmobile Services and became the Assistant Director of the Library system in 2019. She served as Interim Director, October 2020 - March 2021, when she became Director.
Sources used by Brewer:
Barnwell, Hillary S. "'Book Outposts' became Bookmobile." Beaufort Gazette [Beaufort, SC] 19 Apr. 1985: no page.
Beaufort County Library Corporate Archives, Beaufort District Collection, Beaufort County Library.
Beaufort District Collection, Beaufort County Library (SC), vertical files: "Beaufort County Library - Bookmobile Services" and "Beaufort County Library - History."
"Beaufort Pleased with Bookmobile." News and Courier [Charleston, SC] 10 July 1962: no page. Print.
"Bookmobile Achieves Tremendous Response in its Early Stages." Beaufort Gazette [Beaufort, SC] 16 Aug. 1962: no page. Print.
"Library gets new Bookmobile Unit." Beaufort Gazette [Beaufort, SC] 1 Dec. 1966: Sec. A, no page. Print.
Newcomb, Ralph Jr. “The Library will even come to you.” Illustration. Beaufort Gazette [Beaufort, SC] 22 April 1977: Sec. B, no page. Print.
Nolen, E. C. "Bookmobile Librarian Job is one she wouldn't trade." Beaufort Gazette [Beaufort, SC] 22 Apr. 1965: no page. Print.
Zachowski, Julie. “Bookmobile and Book Money Status”. Memo to Library Board Members. Beaufort County Library Corporate Archives, Beaufort District Collection. Beaufort, SC. 11 June 1993. Print.
Additional Resources:
"Bookmobile Services Suspension", Beaufort County Library News, 13 March 2020, https://www.beaufortcountylibrary.org/single-post/2020/03/13/Bookmobile-Services-Suspension
"Your Newest Bookmobile has Arrived", Beaufort County Library News, 21 March 2019, https://www.beaufortcountylibrary.org/single-post/2019/03/21/Your-Newest-Bookmobile-Has-Arrived
"Bookmobile Ribbon Cutting", Beaufort County Library News, 24 May 2017,
https://www.beaufortcountylibrary.org/single-post/2017/05/24/Bookmobile-Ribbon-Cutting
Additional Resources:
"Bookmobile Services Suspension", Beaufort County Library News, 13 March 2020, https://www.beaufortcountylibrary.org/single-post/2020/03/13/Bookmobile-Services-Suspension
"Your Newest Bookmobile has Arrived", Beaufort County Library News, 21 March 2019, https://www.beaufortcountylibrary.org/single-post/2019/03/21/Your-Newest-Bookmobile-Has-Arrived
"Bookmobile Ribbon Cutting", Beaufort County Library News, 24 May 2017,
https://www.beaufortcountylibrary.org/single-post/2017/05/24/Bookmobile-Ribbon-Cutting
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