Cincinnati Public Librarybranch truck

Handwritten on reverse: "County service Library Truck with children selecting books, near Cincinnati, Ohio." The Cincinnati Public Library “book wagon” was first begun in 1927 to provide service for county schools and eventually to “bookstops” around the county. It was a simply a one-ton truck with bookshelves covered by glass lift-up panels, on the outside. The Bookmobile Service grew steadily, especially through the 1930s and 1940s. By 1988, the Bookmobile was undercut; its need was slowly decreasing as new suburban branches opened and better transportation allowed people better mobility. The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is now one of the largest and busiest public libraries in the world and operates 41 branch locations. It began in 1802 as a subscription library. The legal birthday of the Cincinnati Public Library is March 14, 1853 with the passing of the Ohio Common Schools Act, though it was of little importance at the time. In part, the act established funding from taxation for school libraries. In 1856, the library was called the “Common School and Family Library” and shared an office with the Office of Public Schools. It wasn’t long before it became obvious that the library would need more space and better access, so in 1857 a partnership was formed with the Ohio Mechanics Library to occupy the second floor of their building at Sixth and Vine. An official Public Library building was finally completed in 1874, having been designed by architect J.W. McLaughlin. The building was considered the "the most magnificent public library in the country." It was located at 629 Vine Street, on the west side, between 6th and 7th Streets, it is now referred to as "Old Main" Public Library. It was demolished in 1955 when the “New Main” building opened at 800 Vine Street. The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is now one of the largest and busiest public libraries in the world and operates 41 branch locations