Recollections of the service provided by the book buses were shared at an afternoon tea at Dunedin City Library on Saturday to mark the 60th anniversary of the service.
Trisha Julin, daughter of the first book-bus driver, Bruce Coughlan, said she could remember her father naming the first bus Gertie and then deciding the second bus looked more regal; hence it was named Victoria.
"Myself and my older sisters used to get taken out in the school holidays in the bus."
Her father's love of books rubbed off on the entire family, she said.
He died about 20 years ago.
"It's something he instilled in all of us: his love of books."
Cr Paul Hudson said the first book bus was fitted out in 1950 and could carry 1000 books, mostly directed at "housewives" and what mothers could read to children.
In 1991, two new buses were commissioned which could carry 2500 items each.
They made 49 stops a week.
The buses were used by more than 95,000 people and lent out 150,000 items; 9% of the city's library issues.
A user of the service, Heather Forss, thanked all the book-bus staff on behalf of all the patrons.
"I do not know what I would do without it."
