As early as 1928 LAPL has provided bookmobiles or “libraries on wheels” to bring books to patrons outside of the library. Some of our earliest mobile libraries were part of  a Service to Shut-Ins program run by our branches. The program visited hospitals and convalescent homes bringing books to share with patients and residents who had no other way to visit our libraries. 

Around 1949 LAPL bookmobiles began taking books to the  disadvantaged, low-income areas, or the outlying sections of the city where community libraries had not been established. The Los Angeles Public Library’s fleet was comprised of 3 large vans usually loaded with 4,000 books, and a smaller one known as “Little Toot” that usually carried 3,000 books. They had 28 scheduled stops each week to such places as housing developments, shopping centers, parks, and schools that varied anywhere from an hour to three hours. It is estimated that these Traveling Branches circulated almost 250,000 volumes a year.

While our classic bookmobiles have been retired for some time, LAPL has added a book bike. This tiny library on wheels resides primarily at the San Pedro Branch Library and rides around Los Angeles to special events and schools giving away free books and signing people up for library cards!