Evening star., 1951-06-30
Nobodys Late for the 'Pornossus-8'
By Mary MeGrory

mobile has become almost as popular a
feature Of suburban life as the ice-cream
truck It's weekly appearance In eight
neighborhoods that have no branch Ii
braries calls out droves Of young and old
alike.
For many of its patrons. the novelty
of curb-service in books has yet to wear
of.
Its like Showboat,' said one little girl,
summing up its charm for the younger
set, who from the first have been avid
patrons
Actually. public response to the Book
mobile has exceeded anything that Pub
lie Library officials enviSioned. It reg
ularly plays to standing room -only at
Congress Heights and Fairfax Village,
and rain-or-shine clients have been
known to stand in the lines that Capital
residents naturally fall into--as long as
half an hour outside. -
Since its first run on May Is. 1850, it
has steadily increased its registration,
and this past May, its average hourly
circulation-129K books-topped that Of
any of the Districts IA branch libraries.
Library officials point out that despite
its convenience, the Bookmobile cannot
take the place Of the regular branch,
since advisory service is necessarily at a
minimum and reference work is out of
the question. But they know it delights
the home-reading public, and they find
it an excellent protesting device" to
ascertain the library needs Of any given
area.
The Bookmobiles collection divided
between adult and children's fare-con-
sists of some 1000 books which are
regularly rotated. They stand on shelves
lined with rubber and slanted to pre-
vent falling on a rough ride The books
are classified, and the regular staff con-
sists Of two children's advisers and two
adults. so that nobody need be at a
loss for guidance.
Browsing is not exactly encouraged.
nor is it always possible when q crowd
gathers Children always like to sit
on the floor to ponder their selections
and adults have to pick their way care
fully. But II quarters are cramped. the
atmosphere is intimate and good
natured. with the grownups, visibly
gratified by the young bookworms' in
terest, always making way for them.
Mrs. Norma Passage, Bookmobile
librarian. keeps sharp watch for reg
ular customers whose tastes she knows
From her perch behind the charge desk
at the back OF the van, she points to
books she thinks might appeal to them.
1t helps to keep things moving. It also
helps to make Bookmobile patrons feel
catered to.
This personalized service does not
stop with books. Charlie Gardiner.
genial chauffeur r-clerk OF the Bookmo-
bile. Is always happy to watch over
babies parked in carriages outside or to
reach brawny arm out the window
to hold dogs leash.
Early circulation figures showed that
children accounted for 85 per cent of
the books taken out. Now their num-
ber has dropped to IS per cent. But
since there has been no corresponding
drop In circulation. the staff wonders
II perhaps the youngsters are not lead
ing their parents to the Bookmobile
More and more evening visits have be-
come family affair.
Some OF the youngsters barely reach
over the top OF the counter behind the
drivers seat where John D. Crummett,
desk assistant. and Mr.. Gardiner
check in books being returned and col
lect fines. One of the youngest regulars
is 2l2-year-old Carol Van Etten, 2o5
South Elmira street S.W. Last Mon
day afternoon, at its first stop at
Nichols and Raleigh streets, Carol Ann.
clad in frilly rompers and a sun
bonnet. purposefully boarded the Book
mobile, and made straight for the low
est shelf where the picture books are
kept
Brushing aside offers of help from
either the children's librarian, Mrs
Peggy Van Sickler. or her mother, Carol
Ann sat down on the floor, carefully
culled about six books, picked out
three, handed them silently to her mo-
ther and headed for the charge desk.
This goes on every week.
AS the big gray and green van rolled
up to its stop at Congress Heights. a
little band of faithful customers were
awaiting its arrival. One of them. Ed
ward Distad. 8, of 1876 Chesapeake
Street, had been standing In the sun
for an hour. Edward, a ve-books-a-
week man. never misses a Monday. He
likes the Bookmobile because he can
rlQe 10 meet 1t on his bicycle, while
a trip to Anacostia, the nearest branch.
has to be made on the bus.
Mrs. Michael Putcakulish and her
two children, Michael and Mary Ann,
stepped up next. Mrs. Putcakulish
called out as Mary Ann headed for the
shelves, "Only three this week. Now.
remember" She is trying to cut down
on her daughters reading, which is
five books week, the limit allowed
children on the Bookmobile.
Among the younger set. the most
popular books are the Freddy" series
by Walter r. Brooks. The adults favor
"The Disenchanted" by Budd Schulberg
in fiction, and in non-fiction, Thor
Meyerdahl's "Kon-Tiki."
Certain stops have distinct personali-
ties. In the Northwest, at the Thursday