Librarian Scott is voted king of the road
Glenlyon Primary School pupils greet their favourite mobile librarian A Highland Perthshire mobile librarian has been named the UK’s favourite for his cheery customer service.
Scott Brown covers 22,000 miles a year in his brightly coloured van, bringing the joy of literature to people living in far flung glens and windy lochsides.
Scott , who has driven a mobile library van for 15 years, has beaten hundreds of other mobile librarians to be named Mobile Library Champion of the Year 2017.
To deserve the honour Scott – whose route takes him from Kinloch Rannoch to Glenlyon, Blair Atholl to Spittal of Glenshee – has braved all weathers and some flat tyres, and even provided his own roadside assistance while delivering library books.
He was nominated by Perthshire school pupils, including pupils from Glenlyon Primary School who learn their lessons 18 miles from the nearest library.
Pupils said Scott is always smiling and has something for everyone on the shelves of the van. They loved him letting them help with stamping books and sorting library cards.
“He always makes me happy,”said Alice O’Flynn, a P7 pupil at Glenlyon Primary.
Scott declared himself“chuffed to bits” to receive the award.
“Working on the mobile library is a very satisfying job,”said Scott.
“The scenery in Highland Perthshire is simply stunning. It’s great now that the mobile libraries do a specific schools route and to see so many kids wanting to read books. At one of my stops there is a lady who is 100 years old, who still comes to the mobile library.”
He added:“I just try to help everyone and do the job to the best of my ability. It’s great the customers think well of me enough to nominate me in the first place.”
Morag Kelly, head of libraries for Culture Perth and Kinross – the cultural body which oversees the region’s libraries – said: “The hard work and dedication of staff like Scott are the backbone to our success at Culture Perth and Kinross, which has seen impressive results in our libraries. There has been a 65 per cent rise in child library members.”
Scott’s boss Karen Mackay, libraries supervisor at Breadalbane Community Campus, said:“Scott goes above and beyond the call of duty.
“In one incident last winter, he was able to assist a motorist and his companion who were stranded in remote Highland countryside after their vehicle broke down. They were extremely grateful for transport to the next village in the warmth and safety of Scott’s mobile library.”