On Bookmobiles, Many Stories Have Happy Endings

By JULIE BAWDEN DAVIS

Dec. 7, 1994 12 AM PT

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

When Linda Hanks recently broke her ankle and didn’t work on the Santa Ana Public Library bookmobile for several months, she received periodic calls from a library patron she’d gotten to know over the past five years.

“I was really touched to get calls from her,” says Hanks, who has worked 14 years on the bookmobile, an RV or cabin truck stocked with library books that travels to designated places regularly. “It made me feel good to know someone had missed me and was looking forward to my return.”

Such friendliness is common with people who are involved with bookmobiles, says Ninfa Duran, who is in charge of bookmobile services for the Santa Ana Public Library.

“Bookmobiles aren’t as intimidating to many people as the regular library,” she says. “They have more of a neighborhood atmosphere. People stop to chat while they pick out books.”

Today, Santa Ana, Fullerton and Anaheim city libraries have them. For 23 years, the county of Orange had several bookmobiles but put them to rest in 1982 when fuel costs rose and new branches opened throughout the county, says Helen Lotos, community relations manager for the Orange County Public Library system.

Santa Ana has two bookmobiles that each carry an average of 5,000 books and make a total of 31 weekly stops to schools and neighborhoods.

“Our bookmobiles fill a very real need,” Duran says. “They travel into predominantly Spanish-speaking, Latino areas of the city where many families with children and older individuals probably wouldn’t get books otherwise.”

Statistics show how popular Santa Ana’s bookmobiles are. In 1992, the city’s bookmobiles had the highest circulation in the state. In one year, they checked out nearly 350,000 books.

Because of the intimate atmosphere on bookmobiles, some relationships between workers and patrons become true friendships.

“All of the people at the bookmobile are very nice, but Linda (Hanks) is my special favorite,” says Liz Dietrich, 62, who lives in Santa Ana and visits the bookmobile on Thursday nights.

“Linda and I enjoy reading the same kinds of books, so she knows my taste,” Dietrich says. “She’ll set aside books she knows I’ll enjoy, and they’ll be waiting for me when I get to the bookmobile. She’s even let me borrow some of her books. Whenever I request a book, she also does whatever she can to get it for me.”

The two women also share information about each other’s lives, sometimes offering a sensitive ear.

“My daughter had a stroke three years ago, and I began taking care of her,” Dietrich says. “I would walk to the bookmobile and tell Linda about it, and she would have the time to listen. That was very comforting.”

Santa Ana bookmobile worker Teresa Davalos has also been missed recently. Because of surgery, she won’t be able to ride the bookmobile until January.

“I can’t believe how many people have missed me,” says Davalos, who has worked on the bookmobile for eight years. “All of the calls and messages have been wonderful.”

Davalos also enjoys the many friendships she has made on the bookmobile, like her relationship with the Castro family of Santa Ana. Maria Castro and her five children visit the bookmobile every week.

“They are a really nice family,” Davalos says. “The little children bring me flowers and drawings they’ve made. Whenever any of them request a book, I do my best to find it. I’ve really missed them during my absence.”

Castro has missed Davalos too, and tracked her down in the hospital to give her a call.

“It was very touching to get the call from her,” Davalos says. “She was worried and concerned about me.”

Castro, 39, says that she looks forward to seeing Davalos at the bookmobile.

“She is a very good person and has helped me a great deal,” said Castro in Spanish. “When my youngest child was an infant, she brought her some clothing. That was very thoughtful of her.”

Castro’s children also enjoy talking to Davalos.

“She’s really nice,” says Sylvia Castro, 14, who was 6 when she met Davalos. “Any time I call and ask for information for a school report, she always brings it to the bookmobile.”

Davalos says that she makes an extra effort to help children who come onto the bookmobile.

“I read children’s books so I can choose ones I think they’ll like,” she says. “We also regularly read books to classrooms.”

When she’s working in the main library, Davalos is often stopped by children who recognize her as “the lady from the bookmobile.”

“When I say I remember who they are, they get huge grins on their faces,” she says.

Marie Williams, who works on the Anaheim Public Library’s bookmobile, also enjoys interacting with the children. She especially enjoys watching youngsters develop a love of reading.

“I’ve seen one family grow over the past six years, and it’s been really wonderful to see,” says Williams, who has a special relationship with one of the daughters, Marivel Bermudez.

“I’ve known Marivel since she was 13. She’s always been interested in books and is now in her second year at UC Irvine. I’m very proud of her.”

Williams says that she and Bermudez have a close relationship.

“Marivel will come in the bookmobile, and we’ll chat about how her classes and part-time job are going. I’ve even invited her over to my home.”

Bermudez, 19, considers Williams “a really good friend.”

“She’s easy to talk to and often gives me advice about school,” says Bermudez, who lives in Anaheim. “On many occasions, she’s helped me with school projects and papers.”

Bermudez says that if it weren’t for the bookmobile, she doesn’t think she would have read as much as she has.

“The bookmobile has a better selection of books than the schools do, and it’s very convenient, because it’s right down the street. I’m an avid reader, and I think that has a lot to do with going to the bookmobile since I was 9 years old,” she says.

Those who have worked for bookmobiles never forget the friendly atmosphere and special patrons. David Hamdorf, a communications technician with the Orange County Public Library, worked for the county’s bookmobile for 10 years until it closed in 1982.

“We would go up into Trabuco and Modjeska canyons, and patrons would ride up on their horses to the bookmobile,” he says. “Some people would even bring their dogs on to the vehicle, but we didn’t mind.”

For Hamdorf, working on the bookmobile full time was very rewarding.

“I look back on those years fondly,” he says. “It was an excellent way to spend time. We met a lot of really nice people.”