The Warrington Perambulating Library has been described by historian Ian Orton as "one of the most revolutionary library advances of the nineteenth century". Among the earliest mobile libraries

Bookmobile

A bookmobile or mobile library is a large vehicle designed for use as a library. It is designed to hold books on shelves so that when the vehicle is parked the books can be accessed by readers. It usually has enough space for people to sit and read books inside. Mobile libraries are often used to...

 in the UK, it was set up by the Warrington

Warrington

Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...

 Mechanics' Institute

Mechanics' Institutes

Historically, Mechanics' Institutes were educational establishments formed to provide adult education, particularly in technical subjects, to working men...

 in Cheshire

Cheshire

Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...

, England in 1858. Keen to increase borrowing from its library the institute determined in the summer of that year to raise money for the purchase of a one-horse van, which it planned to fill with books and send each week "to every door in Warrington and the vicinity".

The idea was taken up enthusiastically by local residents, who organised a flower show and bazaar to raise funds. An October 1858 account in the Warrington Guardian

Warrington Guardian

The Warrington Guardian is a local newspaper that has been published in Warrington, England, since 1853, originally published weekly on Saturdays...

reported that:
The event raised £250, allowing the perambulating library to begin touring the streets of Warrington on 15 November 1858. It was an immediate success, and resulted in the number of books borrowed from the institute's library increasing from 3000 a year to 12,000. The service continued until 1872.