Miskatonic University PressThere’s a bookmobile in “Book Worm,” an Archie story first published in Life with Archie 225 (August 1981), which I read in Archie (Jumbo Comics) Double Digest 292 (November 2018). But there is no connection given to the Riverdale library! This is very curious, because of course it would be the town library that would organize a bookmobile.
Things begin with Archie and Betty going around getting donations of books.
They go to Titus Titewhad’s house and ask him for a donation, but Mr. Titewhad gets unreasonably upset at this mild request and has a heart attack. Archie and Betty save him by taking him to the hospital. He’s so grateful he gives them a rare first edition to sell to fund the bookmobile.
As a librarian I think many colleagues would find this kind of donation to be, as we say, “problematic.” A rare first edition deserves to be in a special collection in a library where everyone can have access to it. On the the other hand, a successful bookmobile would bring delight to people all over Riverdale. It’s a shame Mr. Titewhad couldn’t donate the first together with some money.
“Book Worm” was written by Frank Doyle, pencilled by Stan Goldberg, inked by Rudy Lapick, lettered by Bill Yoshida and coloured by Barry Grossman. It is copyright Archie Comic Publications.