2. Physical Characteristics of a Mobile Library Vehicle Consideration should be given to the following: Length of Vehicle Vehicle turning circle Height of chassis above ground Engine power and braking system in relation to surface conditions, steepness of hills, width of roads, sharpness of corners
3. Local Provision Maximum daily distance should not exceed 200kms No more than 5 stops per day An average of one hours driving to one hours service delivery is optimal, less is better Ideally the ratio should be 5 stops per day with an output of 50 issues per hour and an operating staff of one driver to one library officer. (IFLA Mobile Library Guidelines 2010)
4. Which Vehicle? Choice of Vehicle should take into account: Cost Local Availability Terrain/Road Conditions Stock Capacity Anticipated Usage IT requirements
5. Vehicle Types There are four mobile library/outreach vehicle types Van Truck Bus/Coach Semi- Trailer/articulated
6. Mobile Library Van Smallest mobile library type Easy to manoeuvre and drive Specialist licence not required Good for nursing homes, housebound deliveries and specialist use incorporating other Council services Use of awnings at the side of the building may allow for some extension activities Effective for communities up to 1500 residents and less.
8. Truck Type Mobile Library Effective vehicles in a wide range of situations Usually between 8.5 to 11 metres long Book capacity of 2500 – 4000 volumes depending on weight Available in various drive and axle combinations appropriate to terrain Lower licensing requirements for drivers
10. Bus/Coach Type Mobile Library Good for general purpose mobile library service Generally approximately 10 metres long Book capacity of 3,000 to 4,500 volumes Bus chassis is very low Allows for large spacious area inside vehicle Suitable for townships up to 5,000 Limited turning space
12. Semi-Trailer Type Mobile Library Length may be in excess of 15 metres with a capacity of 5,000 volumes or more Interior allows for a wide range of resources to be effectively displayed Allows for extension activities and enhanced features such as internet PCs Suitable for townships with populations up to 7,500 Size and weight preclude use on narrow or twisting roads Low structures or overhanging branches can be a hazard
14. Further Consideration Consider assigning mobile costs on a usage basis The mobile collection should be based on a per capita Mobile services should only be made available to communities outside the 25km catchment area of static libraries It is reasonable for patrons to travel 20 to 30 minutes to access a library Library service points should be located not further than 35 km from permanent communities with a resident population of 250 Where communities are more than 35km from a static library a mobile library service point should be created
15. Further Consideration Mobile library service points should be limited to approximately 20 A minimum of 15 kms should be maintained between mobile library sites. Sites should be selected to serve the general community rather than specific such as schools or nursing homes (an outreach van could accommodate sites such as nursing homes) Minimum patronage standards should be maintained to justify provision of service – i.e. 50 transactions and 10 patrons per hour open.
16. References Australian Library and Information Association. Beyond a Quality Service: Standards and Guidelines for Australian Public Libraries. 2011 International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. Mobile Library Guidelines. 2010 Liddle, J. Taking services into the future: a manual for country library services. 2003
