Smaller library vans bring books to more Derbyshire doorsteps

A boy in Derbyshire thought the van outside was selling ice cream. When he discovered the books, his mother signed him up for the library instead.

Driver Rob Davenport’s encounter is one small sign of renewed interest in the county’s mobile libraries. Two smaller vans have replaced unreliable lorries, and revised routes include 30 new stops.

The change also solved a staffing problem. The vehicles can be driven without an HGV licence, allowing the council to fill a driving vacancy that had remained open for more than a year.

Onboard shelves hold fewer books, but readers can request titles from across the county. The council’s service information explains that visits and loans run on a four-week cycle. A small entrance step means the vans will not suit everyone; a home library service offers another option.

Davenport says the first weeks have brought new members and busy stops. For people far from a library building, a familiar van now brings the next book closer.

Sources

• BBC — new vans and readers’ early experiences
• Derbyshire County Council — mobile library loans, visits and accessibility