'The Magic Bus'

Worcester Mag

In a Worcester Mag cover story, writer Matthew Robert boarded the Library Express— a state-of-the-art, traveling library, which is affectionately known as “Libby”—on the second day it was in operation to give a first-hand account of what it is like aboard. 

He writes: "The kids perused the shelves like sophisticated shoppers, checking out copies of books like “Stink,” and “High School Musical 2.” As the classes moved progressively from oldest to youngest, the kids grew smaller, but the enthusiasm and armloads of books stayed the same, until they appeared all but hidden behind their finds, like caricatures of college coeds.” 

Edward Augustus, director of government and community relations at Holy Cross,  told the writer “that this partnership between the city, the Worcester Public Library Board of Directors and College of the Holy Cross, which has pledged $80,000 annually for five years to support maintenance, fuel, technology and staff, will ensure that Libby is around for a long time.”    City Manager Michael V. O’Brien added that “the Library Express is a means for the library to reach out to neighborhoods to make services, including technology, more accessible to our citizens. Access to technology,” he says, “remains one of the most critical needs of city residents.”

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Cristal Steuer.