The Horseback Librarians Who Delivered Books to Rural Counties in Kentucky as a Part of FDR’s ‘New Deal’

UntoldEdu recounts the history of the New Deal–funded Pack Horse Library Project, which put dedicated female librarians on horseback to deliver books to rural Appalachian counties in eastern Kentucky between the years 1935 and 1943. This initiative was put in place to ensure that every America had the ability to read and was very successful during its lifespan.

The initiative employed around 1,000 book women as mobile librarians. paid less than a dollar a day…in just one year they reached 50 000 families and 155 rural schools.

Horse Riding Librarians

via Nag on the Lake

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.