On Friday (12 July) Cambridgeshire’s mobile libraries celebrated 60 years of service, delivering books and much more to both rural and urban communities across the county.
The first ever recorded mobile library stop in Cambridgeshire was in Longstanton. The nearest postcode and current stop in Northstowe is now one of the service’s most popular stops and was a fitting place to hold the celebration.
Last Friday local residents, councillors and members of the library service, past and present, gathered at Northstowe’s library stop to celebrate this milestone, with balloons, cake, a photo display of library vehicles through the ages and a few words from Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council, Cllr Sebastian Kindersley.
In 1964 “Can't Buy Me Love" by The Beatles was the UK’s biggest-selling single, Mary Poppins packed out the cinemas and mobile libraries were making their first ever rounds in Cambridgeshire.
60 years on and our beloved mobile libraries have been serving Cambridgeshire’s rural and urban communities ever since – and some of our mobile librarians have been part of the team for more than half that time! Each library carries more than 3,000 items of stock, with the service issuing around 4,500 books each month.
Our three mobile libraries visit more than 400 locations in around 100 villages each month, stopping at care homes, primary schools, playgroups, day centres, housing shelters, campuses, science parks and retail parks.
Mobile libraries enable potentially isolated people and those in rural areas to stay connected and independent by borrowing books, audio books, magazines and jigsaws, buying stamps and reading glasses and even collecting free walking stick ferrules and hearing aid batteries.
Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee, Councillor Tom Sanderson said: “For 60 years Cambridgeshire’s mobile librarians have served our residents with distinction, providing a vital service to hundreds of communities across our county.
“When mobile libraries visit a community they bring so much more than books – they bring social connection, support and opportunities to potentially isolated people. Mobile librarians are on the front line of reducing inequality in our county.”
Cambridgeshire County Council’s local member for Longstanton, Northstowe and Over, Cllr Firouz Thompson added: “I’ve been on site here many times when the mobile library has visited our growing community. It’s hugely valued here and always lovely to see the engagement with people of all ages – especially young children.”
Jane Grant, a retired mobile librarian of 15 year’s service, said: “Our readers also became our friends – and occasionally I was the only person they saw that week. Driving the library was about community as much as books.”
