New wheels for mobile library

A mobile library service is being relaunched in the Southwell area in an attempt to get more people to use it.

Southwell Library, which operates the mobile library, has a new van which it hopes will make the service more reliable.

The senior library assistant, Mrs Nicola Ellis, said the previous vehicle, which was nine years old, became so unreliable that they lost customers.

She said they wanted to reach more people with the new service.

“The people that use it really need it, but if it is under used there is always the chance of it being taken away,” she said.

The new van cost around £100,000 and carries 3,000 books.

Mrs Ellis said there was more space than on the previous vehicle.

It is one of seven public mobile libraries run by the county council.

It follows a fortnightly routine that takes it to areas of Southwell and the nearby villages of Edingley, Halam, Bathley, Fiskerton-cum-Morton, Eakring, Little Carlton, Kirklington, Hockerton, Halloughton, Staythorpe, Thurgarton, Oxton and Upton.

The service runs on weekdays and has nine different routes, with one day based at Southwell Library for restocking.

About 1,000 people use the mobile library each fortnight.

The van is at each stop for between ten and 30 minutes.

One of the mobile library’s most popular stops is Metcalfe Close, Southwell, which it visits every other Friday.

Among those browsing books last week was Mrs Sheila Webster (73) a regular user of the mobile library.

“The staff are very pleasant and helpful and it is easier than having to go into the town centre to get books,” she said.

Mrs June Robinson (74) worked as a librarian in Derbyshire and Nottingham before moving to Southwell after retiring. She said it was a very good service.

Mrs Joyce Swales (80) said: “It is very handy. We all meet here so it is a social thing as well.”

Mrs Agnes Skeen (78) said: “I used to go to the library in town but the books were so heavy to carry back.

“This service is very good and I look forward to it coming round.”

The residents are served by mobile library assistant Mrs Ritsa Russell and driver Mrs Elaine Boyd.

“People really rely on us in rural places,” said Mrs Russell.

“We get to know them and bring out books we think they would like. It becomes a very personal service.”

Mrs Russell said they had even made house calls in the past for customers who were housebound.

Mrs Boyd said the new van was fitted with a lift to make it easier for disabled people to use.

The new van will be in the Bramley Centre carpark for an open day on February 16.

Any member of a Nottinghamshire County Library or Nottingham City Library can use the mobile service.