Bookmobile finds

I'm always on the lookout for bookmobile ephemera and history. I came across both on blogs this weekend, each providing its own interactive experience for viewers who have an interest in bookmobiles and traveling libraries.

The Book Patrol blogged yesterday about a paper bookmobile model that I thought was creative and interesting--something I might forward to my younger nieces and nephew to play around with. The architect behind this clever piece of paper art is Bob Staake.

Of course, I had to try it for myself. It looked easy enough. Just print out the design on Staake's site and start cutting.

Easy, it is not. It's been too many decades since I played with scissors and paper. After about a minute, I grew tired of the exercise. But I managed to complete the obstacle course of tabs and tires without snipping off anything essential.

The next challenge presented itself in short order: Fold and tuck the tabs and glue the whole thing together. Again, easier said than done.

I didn't have the glue, so my "finished" product looks like something headed for the automobile junk yard.

Or road kill.

 

And here's what it should look like, according to the image below from Staake's Web site:

Another interesting find over the weekend was from the Exile Bibliophile, reporting on an idle bookmobile that functions as a model, of sorts, for traveling library history. It's an old rail car that transported books to readers in Montana timber camps in the early 20th century. Read about this fascinating historical exhibit, its current restoration status, and where to visit. From the photos, it appears visitors can interact with this railway bookmobile, too, by simply walking into the rail car and stepping back in time. You won't need to cut, fold, tuck, or glue anything.