10/08/2025
True Rotarian spirit. Rotarians support literacy for all.
They were called the “book women,” and from 1935 to 1943, they delivered stories and hope to the most isolated corners of Appalachian Kentucky.
Part of the Works Progress Administration, the Pack Horse Library Project hired around 200 women to serve as traveling librarians during the hardest days of the Great Depression.
These were not easy routes. The women often furnished their own horses or mules, riding 100 to 120 miles each week through treacherous mountain terrain where roads didn't exist. 🐴
They followed creek beds and narrow trails in all weather, carrying donated books in burlap sacks or whatever else they could find.
For this difficult and sometimes dangerous work, they were paid just $28 a month, which is around $500 today. It was a small sum, but for many families, it was a lifeline.
In communities that were wary of outsiders, some librarians would gain trust by reading passages from the Bible, a testament to shared faith in hard times. 🙏🏻
The books themselves were all donated. National drives collected Bibles, classic novels, children’s stories, and magazines, which were then sent to the mountains. 📚
By the time the program ended in 1943, these determined women had served over 50,000 people, leaving a legacy of literacy and resilience that is still remembered today.
Sources: WPA Archives, Smithsonian Magazine
