~#18 Tidbit The Bookmobile

Hello Everyone:

As the weather changes, our reading takes us from inside by a warm fireplace on a dreary rainy afternoon, to the out of doors with the warmth of the sun upon our faces.

Many relatives, as well as friends of mine, whom I have interviewed over the course of my research, all remember Dora showing up with the big green bus, the Bookmobile. Children, families and adults were welcomed by Dora. She was also responsible for a shut-in service. This service reached private homes and hospitals, rest homes and nursing homes. With a clientele of over 200 people, the eldest reader was 99 years old and the youngest was only 7.

Dora was also in charge of the book depot in Brentwood Bay until her retirement.

A long standing colleague reminisced on the first day of work with Dora. They were meeting at Dora's car where they would drive out to the bookmobile located that day in Saanich or Central Saanich. When he got to her car, Dora said: 'I have to move things around before you can get in.' The back seat was occupied by a chainsaw, the front seat had chain oil, tackle and a pile of rope. He told me he was immediately set at ease by this down to earth woman who was fearless. Many years later when Dora was 87, she relinquished that chainsaw to him as he built his log cabin. She told him she no longer needed it!

Typically, the Bookmobile consisted of a clerk at the back and one at the front checking books out. Dora was constantly on the run, doing exactly what a branch librarian would be doing at headquarters but in a much smaller confined space. She answered questions and took requests. If a requirement for research was asked of Dora, she consulted the many library reference collections she had with her at all times: almanacs, encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, etc….Deep research questions would carefully be noted and when the Bookmobile returned the following week, you could count on Dora to have investigated it and provide an accurate answer.

Dora's love of children took her to one of her favorite stops, the native reserve which had high priority because at that time, those kids had no access to children's books and relied on her.

Snow, sleet, rain, wind or hail never stopped the Bookmobile. A couple of dramatic spots, 10 Mile Point and Gordon Head had precarious streets especially in snow and many times they would be stuck and have to dig their way out. But they would free themselves and carry on with the days work.

One day, the driver joined them in the back for lunch. They were sitting at the top of a hill in Central Saanich enjoying the summer sun when they looked up to see scenery whipping by at a high rate of speed. They were rolling down the hill backwards! The driver dove for the emergency brake but the whole break handle came out by the roots. To save them he had to drive the tires against the curb until the friction pulled them to a stop.

Life was never dull on the Bookmobile.

The service of the Bookmobile stopped when a branch library came to be a very short time after Dora retired.

She was after all, the Bookmobile.

LisaBri