Island History: The Lighthouse Libraries
In 1876 to help prevent lighthouse keepers from becoming bored, the United States Lighthouse Establishment created rotating libraries to move between different light stations.
By rotating the books roughly every 6 months, lighthouse keepers and their families had ample opportunity to not only read lots of books but had a constant supply of new reading material. Each library could hold somewhere between 40 and 50 books and was packed in a 2-foot box to make moving easier. At the library’s peak, there were roughly 700 libraries in rotation.
In 1950, the first bookmobile was purchased by the county – a green Willys Jeep converted to a traveling library to service folks who were geographically isolated and lacked recreational facilities.
While there are no longer rotating libraries coming to park sites today, there are two park bookstores: one at the Bodie Island Light Station and one at the Hatteras Light Station. Both bookstores provide a wide selection of books related to the lighthouses, wildlife, and history of the Outer Banks appropriate for all ages.
