What’s that? You didn’t know that today, April 13, 2011, is the second annual National Bookmobile Day? Well, now you know.

If the Everett Public Library’s Outreach Services staff have ever visited you or your family at your home, preschool, senior center, nursing home or somewhere else, then you know what how great the bookmobile is. It helps take the library to those who can’t come to us.

You can join the bookmobile appreciation party by listening to our podcast “Peggy Roars Again.” This 10-minute recording tells the story of Everett’s old Model-T bookmobile, the first bookmobile in Washington State!

For a quick read about another very special bookmobile, check out Audrey Niffenegger’s The Night Bookmobile. Although it looks like a children’s book, this graphic novel is for grown-ups. One night, Alexandra goes out for a walk and discovers a wayward Winnebago. She goes inside and discovers a kindly old librarian and a collection of every book she’s ever read, including her diaries.

After that evening, Alexandra becomes obsessed with finding her own personal bookmobile library. It is years before she finds it again. Meanwhile she slips into a life of solitude spent reading and working as a librarian. She hopes to get the job of working on that magical bookmobile, even though that job comes at a very steep price. This is a haunting little story that is sure to capture the imagination of anyone obsessed with books and reading (and, of course, bookmobiles).

Mindy