A Real Circulating Library.
Page 10
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TE DISADVANTAGE of the erage public library is its inaccessibility to a large proportion of readers, especially those in country districts. For this reason there seems to be an opportunity for the use of motorvans, suitably equipped to carry books to readers who reside at a considerable distance from the library itself. This idea is not a new one, but, nevertheless, the procedure adopted by the Free Library of Philadelphia makes a distinct step forward in providing its more distant members with improved-facilities.
The library authorities use a 2-ton Autocar for the purpose of making weekly visits to the playgrounds of schools situated at some distance from their headquarters. On arrival a few minutes are necessarily spent in getting the van ready. The doors at the front and rear are opened, the stairways let down from inside the van, the table and its paraphernalia set out, and the tapes untied which are used for keeping the books on the shelves. Then, working on a schedule that permits only an hour and a half at each playground, the two library assistants who accompany the van have to work quickly to get all the children supplied with books.
By the time the equipment is ready a long line of children has usually formed at the table. Here the books taken out the previous week are handed
B26 in. Each child is given a slip showing that the book has been returned, and then he moves into the other line, awaiting his turn to go through the van and pick out the book he wants. Six children are allowed in the van at one time. A second library assistant sits just inside the front of the van and makes a record of each book as the children pass out. The van is also used for transferring books to branch libraries.