Wade Zelenak, who drives the supersized bookmobile for the Pima County Public Library, helps Barbara Geschwinder find what she wants. Zelenak, 48, has been making the book runs here for 13 years. "That's one of the best things about this job is my love of reading and the volume of books I read, which allows me to really help customers," he says.

James S. Wood / Arizona Daily Star

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For some, Wade Zelenak is the equivalent of the ice cream man when he pulls up with his bus full of books.

Zelenak, 48, has been delivering library books to Pima County's rural residents for 13 years by way of the Bookmobile-Readrunners Library Services.

He's an avid reader himself, so he said the job is a delight. He gets to discuss books regularly with readers and make recommendations, too.

"That's one of the best things about this job is my love of reading and the volume of books I read, which allows me to really help customers," he said.

Pat Suhocki of Corona de Tucson agreed that it's like having candy delivered when Zelenak arrives with the books she'd ordered earlier online.

Suhocki and her husband, Bob, 71, have been living in Corona de Tucson since 1982. They discovered the bookmobile within their first years.

The closest library is 15 miles away, so having the books delivered is very helpful, she said.

"Wade has been super. Everyone who has ever served on that bookmobile has been outstanding," said Suhocki, 69. "Wade has gotten to know what I like and will recommend a book if I miss a certain title."

Vail resident Cindy Ramey said her husband and two of their children regularly order books online for delivery.

"They almost always have them there for us to pick up," she said. "They go beyond what they really have to do, I think."

Ramey, 52, said it would take about 25 minutes to drive to the nearest library, on East Golf Links Road.

The bookmobile is much more convenient, she said, especially with her teen daughter's appetite for books.

Sara Ramey reads constantly.

"Oh, I love books," the 15-year-old said. "I read everything: mystery, science fiction, fantasy — a little bit of everything."

Zelenak said the bookmobile was started in the mid-1960s as a trailer hitched to the back of a truck. It gradually progressed to what it is today: a library on wheels with an average of 3,000 items, including books, music and DVDs.

In addition to making stops at different rural spots, Zelenak delivers to retirement and assisted-living homes, leaving boxes of books there for a few months at a time.

After 17 years in more ordinary library jobs, Zelenak decided to apply for the job of driving the bookmobile. He said it's the best job he's had.

"You meet a lot of interesting people. We have elderly folks, we have kids, we have home-schoolers," he said.

Al Marshall of Marana said that even though a new library opened near his home, he wants to keep Zelenak as his librarian.

"He's very accommodating," Marshall said. "We go in on the Internet, order a book, and then Wade would have it on the mobile the next time."

Marshall, 73, said that while his wife, Janice, likes fiction, he enjoys reading non-fiction.

He often checks out DVDs of shows from the History and Discovery channels.

"I'm a realist. I don't like fiction, quite frankly. I usually read research," he said. "The older I get, the more I want to know what's going on in the world."