5 Questions and Answers
Butler County is filled with a variety of people doing interesting things. This weekly feature offers snapshots of some of them and their interests by asking them five questions. The latest installment appears below.
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Some readers visit libraries. Some libraries visit readers. People like Laura Sue Stewart transport them. Stewart, 52, of Kittanning has been driving the Butler County Bookmobile for nine years. Here are a few details her patrons may not find on the traveling shelves:
QUESTION: How many books do you transport to how many clients?ANSWER: Surprisingly, we got bored one day so we counted (the books). There are roughly 2,000 books that are stored on the bookmobile. We have five stops. They are all located in the northeast corridor of Butler County: Chicora, Karns City, Petrolia, Bruin and Fairview. In a month we have roughly 100 patrons.
QUESTION: How are the books transported?ANSWER: We have shelves that line both sides of the vehicle. It's a big, RV type bus, 32 feet long and 8 feet wide. It has a Cummins 290 hp (diesel) engine.
QUESTION: Do you need special training to drive the bookmobile?ANSWER: It would be helpful to be familiar with large vehicles. I did drive tractor-trailer for 20 years. You have to be familiar with air breaks and how to get a large vehicle around small places.
QUESTION: Has funding affected your service hours?ANSWER: Oh yes. It has changed drastically. At one point we went out six days a week. We are now down to one day a week.
QUESTION: Have you ever been in an accident?ANSWER: I have not hit anything. I have not been in an accident. I was only stuck the one time.This isn't a big thing, but when the substitute driver had it up at a friend's garage: On the way home he hit a bear —which for us was kind of amazing.All we got on the bookmobile was a little bit of a dented bumper and some hair.
