91´«Ã½

CHICAGO – A bookmobile birthday party. An open house on wheels. Free book giveaways. These are the ways that libraries across America will celebrate the second National Bookmobile Day on Wednesday April 13, 2011.

National Bookmobile Day honors the nation’s bookmobiles and the dedicated professionals who provide valuable and essential mobile library service every day. It is an opportunity for bookmobile fans to make their support known—through thanking bookmobile staff, writing a letter or e-mail to their libraries, or expressing their support to community leaders and decision makers. Supporters can also join the National Bookmobile Day Facebook page, .

“The bookmobile was my first library,” said 91´«Ã½ president Roberta Stevens. “Each week I looked forward to its coming to my neighborhood and being able to check out books that opened up a world of adventure for me. For many people, the bookmobile is a vital link to information and a spark for their creativity and imagination.”

Library staff can share their plans for National Bookmobile Day and learn about other communities’ celebrations by visiting the National Bookmobile Day Facebook page, .

In Colorado, the High Plains Library District (Greeley, Colo.) will be hosting a bookmobile open house at its Lincoln Park branch, making use of . “We will have bookmarks, bookmobile cutouts, magnets, stickers and books to check out, of course,” said Skipper Lindenmayer of HPLD’s outreach department. “It should be loads of fun. “

On the East coast, The Harford County Public Library in Eastern Maryland will use the occasion to celebrate their bookmobile’s “birthday.” Known as the Rolling Reader, the vehicle serves schoolchildren from pre-kindergarten through middle school with stops at after school programs and is planning a “road trip,” where the Rolling Reader will tour the system’s 10 branches on National Bookmobile Day, serving snacks and offering bookmarks and activity sheets to visitors along the way.

The Massillon Public Library in Massillon, Ohio will be distributing free books to patrons at its bookmobile stops on National Bookmobile Day. The library typically keeps discarded or old books to give away to kids in need. Thanks to a grant from an anonymous donor, the bookmobile will be able to deliver brand new books. The books will feature a sticker acknowledging National Bookmobile Day and the donor whose gift made the giveaway possible. During the day, staff will dress up as characters from their favorite books.

2011 National Bookmobile Day festivities are led by Honorary Chair Audrey Niffenegger, library supporter and acclaimed author of "The Time Traveler’s Wife," "Her Fearful Symmetry" and the illustrated novel "The Night Bookmobile.” Materials for National Bookmobile Day 2011 are available for download at . The free and customizable resources include bookmarks, sticker templates and flyers.

Held on the Wednesday of National Library Week since 2010, National Bookmobile Day (NBD) recognizes and celebrates the role of bookmobiles and direct-delivery outreach services in fulfilling the mission of libraries. An integral and vital part of library service in the United States for over 100 years, bookmobiles have delivered information, technology and resources for life-long learning to Americans of all walks of life.