Trucking the library way, Angel mosies through downtown Bardstown.Sixty-three year old Mary Nell Apollos, right, of Nazareth Villiage looks through "A Pictoral History of Bardstown, Nelson County," with bookmobile driver Angle Vales.
Wednesday lunch means a fill-up. Every week Angel stops at the same gas station and fills the tank with 26 or 27 gallons. She enjoys driving the bookmobile."It actually handles better than my car," says Angel.
"I love coming to the schools, but it's really demanding. You have to answer questions and help them find things all at the same time," says Angel, who was a fourth grade teacher for six years. She's now persuing a master's degree in Library Science online.
Polaroids of patrons decorate the walls and ceiling of the Nelson Country bookmobile.
Cleo Lewis greets Angel Vale at Almost Family, an adult day care. "It's nice," Cleo says of Angel's visits. Angel had been working on black painted paper plates and cutout legs that she brought for the patients to make into spiders for a Halloween treat. Jeannine Schaffner (holding child) began visiting the bookmobile in summer 2003. "It's been a great opportunity," said Jeannine, a preschool teacher. "It's been helpful with my schedule, and with the grandchildren." Jeannine and her grandchildren, Trevor, 2, and Connie, 2, check out 15 to 20 books each visit.
Angel relaxes with her parents, Alvin and Easter Vales. She keeps her hands busy working on cross-stitch patterns on her laptop while watching the film 'Pride and Prejudice.' Angel generally stays indoors. "There's bugs outside. I wouldn't want to garden and get stuff on my hands. Yuck."
