Toulouse: the Bibliobus comes to meet readers in neighborhoods far from libraries
Every Tuesday afternoon, four times a month, the nomadic library truck parks on the church square in Saint-Simon, south of Toulouse. On board, Patrick, Véronique and Isabelle welcome reading enthusiasts, DVDs, CDs, etc. who come to restock.
While Patrick, in addition to driving this 3.5 tons, checks the sanitary steps of the users, Isabelle scans the books and Véronique ensures the reception, the advice and the restocking of the shelves.
Here, on board the truck, the atmosphere is very friendly, it is not uncommon for the people who board the truck to be greeted by their last names. “We come here every week where we have a good fifty readers,” says Véronique. As a result, the team was able to identify everyone’s tastes for lean advisers among the 3,000 documents in the truck.
The Bibliobuses travel as a priority in neighborhoods far from libraries and metro entrances. Toulouse has two, with 24 deserted points, “which represents 47 tours per month”, specifies Amandine Minnard, the manager.
Here in Saint-Simon, the truck is positioned in the heart of the district, in front of the bakery and the tobacco shop. The location is always strategic. “We have schools, nurseries, shops all around”, slips Isabelle. If retirees are the first to use the Bibliobus, like Michel who has just transformed his three thrillers, they are then followed by them at the end of school.
“In a normal year, bookmobiles welcome 14,000 people, which represents 837 subscribers, of which 57% are under 18 and we lend 50,000 documents,” concludes Amandine Minnard.