Celebrating 60 years of Mobile Libraries in Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire’s mobile libraries have celebrated 60 years of service, delivering books and much more to communities across the county.

The first 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.

On Friday 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 the 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.

Sixty years on the mobile libraries continue to serve our communities – and some of the 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.

Cllr Tom Sanderson, chair of the county’s communities, social mobility, and inclusion committee, 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.”

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.”