The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library delivery truck serving seven east-side branches, including Madeira and Mariemont, now has a name: the Big Read Machine.
CHPL announced the winning name Wednesday, Sept. 9, wrapping up a campaign this summer that drew more than 16,000 votes cast online and at branch locations. Angela Hursh, CHPL's brand and communications director, shared the results in a library blog post.
The Big Read Machine serves Anderson, Loveland, Madeira, Mariemont, Madisonville, Mt. Washington and Symmes Township branches.
Staff members submitted the original name ideas earlier in the summer. Branch and regional managers narrowed those entries to three finalists per truck before opening the vote to the public. Voting was available online and on paper ballots at participating locations. It closed at 1 p.m. on Aug. 26.
Four other CHPL trucks also received names: Checkout Chariot for the West Region, Story Runner for the Central Region, Bookie Monster for the Mid-City Region and It's a Hardback Life for the Outreach vehicle serving the Downtown Main Library. The Outreach vehicle will skip the celebration tour. CHPL said it is "busy traveling throughout the community."
The library operates 41 locations across Hamilton County. A single hold request can send a book from one end of the county to the other before it lands on a pickup shelf. Behind that system is a network of staff, sorting equipment and delivery trucks connecting branches every day, Hursh wrote when the campaign launched in August.
Residents can see the Big Read Machine up close at a Customer Appreciation Day event Sept. 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Symmes Township Branch Library. The day also features a toddler and preschool dance party, bracelet making, a tattoo booth, button making, MakerSpace tours, a scavenger hunt for kids and refreshments while supplies last.
Upcoming community events
- Sept. 19, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. — Customer Appreciation Day and Touch-a-Truck, Symmes Township Branch Library
