Spotlight Series: The History of Kentucky Bookmobiles with Wayne Onkst

Thursday, August 18, 2022
7:00 pm

Kentucky is home to the largest fleet of bookmobiles in the United States, a title the Commonwealth has claimed for decades, according to data from the American Library Association. The Bluegrass State’s relationship with these vans—mobile walk-on libraries that allow patrons to check out materials—dates back to World War II. It’s a history that Wayne Onkst,the former state librarian, knows well.

Onkst’s presentation covers the development of outreach services, from the packhorse librarians to the book wagons and the earliest bookmobiles. It also focuses on the bookmobile drive on the 1954 statewide campaign to raise funds for the purchase of 100 fully-stocked bookmobiles.

Wayne Onkst

Wayne Onkst is the former State Librarian for Kentucky.  He has previously spoken at CCPL’s Spotlight Series on his book Presidential Visits to Kentucky, which is available in our collection. View in the catalog. 

Newport Branch