Mobile Library Service 50th Anniversary Commeration |
02 September 2002 |
The first mobile library visits in the Western Isles took place in the week beginning 25th August 1952.
Alasdair Macrae, Chairman of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s Arts & Leisure Committee said:” This is a significant anniversary for the mobile library service, and one worthy of commemoration.”
Introduction
A library service caters for the educational, recreational, cultural, and information needs of all members of the community.
Bob Eaves, Chief Librarian said: “The mobile library service in the Western Isles plays a vital role in meeting the library and information needs in the more rural parts of the community on a three weekly cycle of visits, and to those less able to visit static branch libraries. In addition to meeting the needs of the general public, the mobile library also visits schools, and circulates book boxes between schools on behalf of the Education Development Centre Library located in Stornoway.”
Background
Lewis
A mobile library service for Lewis was first considered by Ross & Cromarty County Council in 1950: “to find some method of giving a better service of books to people in the rural areas.” By April 1951 a vehicle had been ordered with an expected delivery time of 8-9 months. In September of that year, plans were being drawn up for the Burgh Librarian to go to Glasgow or Edinburgh to select and purchase books for the new mobile library.
The new mobile library vehicle arrived in Stornoway in April 1952, and in the same month the Stornoway Public Library Committee agreed to advertise for an assistant librarian, and a junior assistant librarian.
Applications were invited from male assistants with an upper age limit of 35 years, from a good educational background, with a knowledge of Gaelic desirable, experience of driving and maintaining a heavy vehicle, and being of strict sobriety.
A sub committee drew up the short leet in May, and interviews were held on 19 June 1952. Alex Murdo Morrison of Upper Barvas was appointed as first assistant librarian, and Calum J Shaw from Swordale as second assistant.
First mobile library routes in Lewis
Week beginning 25 August 1952
Monday: Aird area, Point.
Tuesday: Tong, Back areas except Gress.
Wednesday: Grimshader, Fidigarry, Luerbost.
Friday: Cross PO to Port of Ness.
Week beginning 1 September 1952
Monday: Knock, Bayble areas.
Tuesday: Gress, North Tolsta.
Wednesday: Barvas to Cross.
Friday: South Lochs.
Week beginning 8 September 1952
Monday: Achmore, Lochganvich, Garynahine, Crulivig, Earshader.
Tuesday: Callanish to Carloway.
Wednesday: Brue to Shawbost.
Friday: Keose to Airidhbruach.
Uig: included in Lewis routes from Thursday 29 January 1953.
Bernera: included once bridge opened in July 1953.
In January 1953 the Lewis Mobile could report issuing 15471 books in the previous quarter, 3856 of them to children, and enrolling 2100 new readers.
Lewis Mobile : 1952-1975
Alex M Morrison 1952-59
Calum Shaw 1952-55
Norman Macleod 1955-56; (post held during his National Service
56-58); 1958-64
Willie Macleod 1956-63
Norman Macleod, Ranish 1964-81
Neil Dan Maciver (Larry), North Shawbost 1962-80
Angus Maclean 1981- date.
Alex Murdo Morrison
Alex Morrison became Burgh Librarian in 1959, then District
Librarian in 1964 under Ross & Cromarty, and Chief Librarian
for the Western Isles in 1975 under Comhairle nan Eilean after
local government reorganisation. He retired from the library
service in 1987.
Alex Morrison said that in the 1950s there were very few other services visiting the rural areas. Few people had cars or telephones, so the mobile library was quite literally a community information service. In an interview given at the time of his retirement, Alex recalled: “The mobile library was almost a mobile tigh ceilidh bringing news of happenings in other villages and in town.” He said it was ironic that the mobile library was also accused of killing off the traditional ceilidh, because people were staying at home to catch up on their reading!
There were few cattle grids in the early days, Alex recalls. Between Stornoway and Habost, Lochs and back again for example, 14 gates had to be opened and closed to complete the journey.
Alex recalled more recently that Shawbost was the busiest run with up to 500 books being issued in a single visit. A lot of readers worked at the Mills. When asked about reading tastes, Alex remembers Romances being more popular in North Lochs than anywhere else. “In Carloway it was Westerns!” You couldn’t meet the demand.”
“The most popular book in the 50s and 60s? Probably The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat”, Alex thought.
Alex remembers that the mobile library staff were responsible for their own servicing in the early days. Their skills were put into practice the first time they visited Cromore, when their first customer asked if they could patch his wellington, which they duly obliged. Alex said that they just didn’t know what to expect when they first set out on their runs. Clearly some customers weren’t sure either!
With the inception of Comhairle nan Eilean in 1974/75, responsibilities for library services extended to Harris, the Uists and Barra.
Harris
Murdo Angus Macleod became the first library assistant/driver
to serve Harris in 1975, operating this service alone. 45500
books were issued in 1977/78, peaking at 51500 two years later.
Subject to weather conditions, the mobile library also visited
Scalpay by the vehicular ferry after the branch library was
closed.
The Harris mobile has always been based in Stornoway, and this has involved mobile library staff staying overnight in Harris, originally for 3 nights at a time. Murdo John Mackenzie from Cross took over the Harris routes in 1980, and Murdo Angus became the relief driver based in Stornoway when Neil Maciver left. Murdo John operated the Harris mobile service alone at first, with Angus Maclean as second assistant and relief driver from 1981, then with Angus (Angie) Fraser from 1982, until Donnie Morrison joined the service in 1995 on Angie’s retirement.
Until the opening of the new library in Stornoway in 1999, the Harris mobile held the record for the largest single day’s issue of books (700 items) of any branch in the Western Isles, static or mobile.
To maintain some equality of duties and routes, the Harris mobile also serves communities in Lochs, the Newmarket and Breasclete areas, and provides a housebound service in Stornoway.
Uists
Duncan Maclellan was the first library assistant/driver to
serve the people of the Uists in 1973 when the mobile service
was set up under Inverness County Council. The mobile library
also visited Berneray and Eriskay once the vehicular ferries
came into being, weather and other prioritised traffic permitting.
Records show that 40300 books were issued in the Uists in
the first year of service under Comhairle nan Eilean. Alex
remembers accompanying Duncan on his first visit to Berneray,
and customers asking for a lot of Gaelic books.
Donald Joseph Macdonald from Kyles Flodda took over in 1988 when Duncan retired.
Barra
The mobile service in Barra started in 1976. Vatersay, previously
served by deposit collections of books, was included once
the causeway was completed in 1991. Issues hit a peak of almost
16000 in 1978/79, a respectable total for a part-time service.
With the opening of the new full-time school and community
library in 1984, issues eventually declined to under 1000
by the time the mobile service was no longer viable in 1997.
Hector Macneil was the sole library assistant/driver on Barra,
although his wife sometimes acted as relief driver.
Review of Current Mobile Library Services
Bob Eaves reports: “Nationally leisure and reading habits have altered considerably over the past 50 years, and there are now additional outlets for leisure and information needs such as television and the Internet. Road and transport links have improved, and the population is generally more mobile. Employment patterns have changed, and there are additional and improved branch library facilities.”
Local authorities have to be more accountable, and ensure that the best possible services are made available in the community. Consultants were appointed by the Arts & Leisure Committee in 2001 to review the mobile library service in Lewis and Harris “with a view to enhancing the service.”
The consultants’ Review made recommendations under the
following headings:
Management of the service.
Staffing and manning levels.
Specification and replacement of vehicles.
Survey of users and non-users of the service.
Routes and scheduling of visits to communities.
Services to schools and children.
Promotion of service to users.
A report in response to these recommendations, expanded to include mobile services in the Uists, went before the Arts & Leisure Committee on Tuesday 27 August 2002, which will help to define and shape the mobile library service for the future.
Display
There will be a small photographic display of former mobile
library staff and vehicles in Stornoway library for 2 weeks
beginning Monday 9 September 2002.
CNES Contacts
Nigel Scott, Communications Officer. Tel. 01851 709389
Bob Eaves, Chief Librarian. Tel 01851 708631
Bill Houston, Depute Director Leisure. Tel. 01851 709548
ENDS
Nigel Scott
Communications Officer
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Tel: 01851 709389 (Work)
Tel: 01851 706412 (Home)
Tel: 07884 236103 (Mobile)
email: nscott@cne-siar.gov.uk
