BRRL - Magic Bus

Discover the BRRL's Patrick County Bookmobile TB, Magic Bus.

• If you could, please note where you discovered it.

FYI: No need to tailgate the bookmobile; you won't find the TB on the back.

The Magic Bus Travel Bug is attached to the Blue Ridge Regional Library's (BRRL) Patrick County Bookmobile, which brings the magic of books to the far reaches of Patrick County, Virginia.

Patrick County is quite large and mountainous, with only one Library to serve its many communities. The Bookmobile visits areas of the county that are 15, 20 or more miles from the library. Senior citizens, schools, Headstart, parents and homeschoolers all use the Bookmobile regularly. Many of these people are not able to get to the library, so they use the Bookmobile exclusively.

The Bookmobile came into service during 1946. It, along with a collection of books, was provided by an appropriation from the State, on the condition that the library budget was raised from $2,000 to $3,000. The forward thinking school superintendent realized that the one and two ­room schools throughout the county which had no libraries could use this service. As soon as the bookmobile was put into service, circulation greatly increased. In those days the Bookmobile went out 5 days weekly, but without enough budget to operate both the library and the Bookmobile, the library opened at about 3:30 each day. The volunteer help at that time was from the National Youth Administration (a part of the Works Progress Administration.)

Nowadays, the Bookmobile is driven 4 days a week, stopping at schools, stores, community stops and community centers. (On Fridays, it is garaged at the Patrick County Branch Library in Stuart, Va, while the driver is busy with the usual things librarians do - shelving books, catching up on record keeping, finding materials requested by patrons, etc.)

The Bookmobile makes regular stops at 7 of the area schools for the students and teachers. During the school year the Bookmobile has an average patron count of over 1000 visitors a month. Scheduled stops for the Bookmobile last from 30 minutes to 2 hours.  The Bookmobile stops at the 7 elementary schools and various other locations in Ararat to Claudville to Meadows of Dan to Woolwine to Charity to Patrick Springs, traveling approximately 8,000 miles a year, with average circulation of approximately 3000.

Current Bookmobile schedule can be found here: * LINK * .