Shawn Bliss Oral History Interview

Oral history interview by Mary Heers with Shawn Bliss. Topics include:Driving a Bookmobile for Cache and Rich Countries; An upcoming change to driving a Bookmobile for Utah County; Funding issues and concerns; Driving a different route each day of the week to cover all the areas; Different locations the Bookmobile stops; Providing library services to underserved populations in rural areas; Offering materials for all ages; The number of items carried on a Bookmobile at one time; Services offered such as placing holds and making requests online and inter-library loans; Selection of materials and differences between different Bookmobile materials based on the areas they cover; Changes in technology for the Bookmobile over the past ten years; Environmental controls on the Bookmobile; Learning the best places to stop for food and restrooms; Watching young readers develop a love of reading and grow up over the last ten years; Participating in reader's advisory interviews to assist patrons in finding a book they will like to read; Books now being available in print, e-book, and audio book formats; Libraries cultivating freedom of choice in literature and being investments in a future common good and a Bookmobile serving as a community gathering place.

Mr. Shawn Bliss lives in Smithfield, Utah. He is the Bookmobile librarian for Cache and Rich Counties (and has been for ten years), soon to transfer to be the Bookmobile librarian for Utah County. He talks about the Bookmobile program, its importance (especially in small, rural towns), and his passion for libraries and helping people find books. He discusses his philosophy that libraries are a place of choice and freedom.