"If you can't come to the library, the library will come to you."
That's the motto of Tauranga's mobile library service which will celebrate the start of a new era on March 15 when their bigger, better and brighter new library bus takes to the road.
With room for a whole classroom of school children, the modern new bus is largely a local creation, having been assembled by Tauriko's Kiwi Bus Builders.
Resplendent in colourful graphics and photos depicting stunning views of Tauranga Moana, it has been designed to be highly user friendly and can carry up to 3500 books. The colourful exterior was designed in conjunction with Tauranga's Marathon Visual Media and a local kitchen company supplied cabinetry housing extra books to top up the shelves.
Users will notice major improvements over the mobile library's 20-year-old and somewhat tired predecessor. The new design has a front entrance with lower, broader steps to make it easier to get aboard. Inside there's a sloping flat floor with no steps, making the back of the library more accessible. There's a comfy seat to sit on, and a new magazine display - and even an air conditioning unit.
The service will have the same friendly drivers who have built a strong rapport with their regular customers. At some neighbourhood stops, customers bring fruit and baking on board for staff.
Operated under the umbrella of the Tauranga City Council's library service, the mobile library visits 42 locations on a fortnightly roster, which includes schools, rest homes, retirement villages and shopping centres. The selection of books changes regularly, with new books bought and items returned from other libraries added to the Mobile Library's collection.
"It means people using the mobile library can access books other people like," says Library Service Delivery Team Leader Michelle Anderson.
She says the bus visits communities where there's no library within easy distance, such as Papamoa East and Welcome Bay.
"It visits six schools to give children extra access to books and reading, plus rest and retirement homes where people may no longer drive.
"Many customers walk or drive a short distance to the community stops, such as the Cherrywood shops or outside Brookfield New World. They appreciate the drivers' reading recommendations, and the fact that they don't have to drive or bus across town to get their library books."
More than just a library, the service is something of a community centre in itself.
"When staff were researching replacing the mobile library, we noticed many New Zealand libraries were getting smaller vans for their mobile services," says Michelle.
"But keeping a big bus meant there was enough books on the mobile for a class of 25 children, and they could all get on board at the same time – no-one was left standing outside. And there was room for a number of adults choosing books at the same time. In fact, people often meet and chat to their neighbours aboard the mobile library!"
The mobile library drivers issue and return items and give reading advice to customers looking for their next good read.
"Staff often use recommendations from previous customers, who wanted to share what a great thriller/mystery/romance they have just read."
To view the mobile library timetable visit www.library.tauranga.govt.nz.