Love Libraries – Mobile libraries a treasured ‘lifeline’ for island communities

Mobile libraries are a “lifeline” for people living in the Western Isles. For some residents in rural villages, the friendly face of the driver delivering their books might be the only person they see for days, or even weeks, at a time.

Two such drivers are Iain Mackenzie, who has been a support and friend to the customers on his routes in Lewis and Harris for 13 years. He visits about 300 people each month. His colleague Calum Joseph “CJ” Macphee covers Berneray to Eriskay.

Iain said:

“There’s no doubt the service is a lifeline. You’re one to one with nearly all your customers and they all become friends. You get to know people so well, especially what they like to read.

“Driving the mobile library is such a worthwhile job. The people really make it special. They become like part of the family. I really love the job.”

CJ added:

“We go to people in pretty remote places. They really look forward to our wee ceilidh with them as we are probably the only people they might see that week.

“I love meeting all the people who use the van, having all sorts of blether with them. The customers are very friendly and make us feel part of a family.”

Community

People usually take four or five books. Some receive up to 12 at a time. For people living in very rural areas and those with mobility issues, travelling to their nearest library can be difficult or extremely time-consuming and expensive. Iain said:

“The service is especially good for those who don’t have a huge network. Some people don’t bother with television, so a lot of their life is just reading.

“Even before Covid there was a lack of community, people visiting. That takes away human interaction for a lot of people. We drivers might be the only person a lot of people see day to day. They might see the Postie but that’s like a five-minute thing.

“We tend to spend a bit of time chatting to people, making sure they’re OK, comfortable and happy. People enjoy that. They appreciate the service.

“Everyone offers me tea but I couldn’t possibly accept it all – I’d never finish my rounds!”

CJ added:

“It is vital to the community that this service keeps going indefinitely. I love my job. Some days I do more hours than allocated and I don’t mind as long as my customers are happy.”

Isolated

Iain’s longest run has him set off at 7.30am and he returns to the main library about 4pm. He goes from Stornoway then down round the Bays of Harris. He believes this is probably his most important route because while he will see fewer people on this day, they are some of the most isolated residents of Harris.

He said: “These communities don’t have anybody. There’s no mobile shops really any more. A baker van goes round regularly but no butcher or fish van. So it’s good to stop and chat for a wee while, even about the weather – we all moan about the weather.

“Another thing people really appreciate here is that I’m bilingual, a fluent Gaelic speaker, so I can converse in English or Gaelic.”

Iain also visits care homes and schools, with people able to board the van and choose their own books. A lift allows access for those in wheelchairs.

CJ’s oldest customer is 97 “and still loves to come out to the van with a bit of assistance”.

Bond

Iain covers about 15,000 miles a year in his van, named Lexy. CJ’s van is Lachaidh and both vehicles were named by local schoolchildren. The move helped them form a bond with their mobile libraries as part of efforts to foster a love of reading.

Iain said:

“It’s so important. We have a good selection of books and change the junior books often. The young ones like the library.”

CJ added:

“It’s very important for the young ones to take books. It helps them in their education and they get to know the library system.”

Iain praised his former colleague, Donald Ewen, as an example of how valuable the service is. Donald was awarded the Mobile Library Champion of the Year award by CILIPS in 2013 for his work in the community in Uist, including getting emergency care for an elderly customer who had fallen.

There are more than 28,000 registered mobile library users across Scotland, with services offering everything from books and films to information booklets. Some even provide replacement NHS hearing aid batteries. Most local authority websites have information about services near you.

To learn more about Western Isles libraries, visit wilibraries.org.uk.