Titania impresses Stratford College students
A group of students with learning disabilities have checked out one of Warwickshire’s mobile libraries at Stratford College.
The eight students, including one in a wheelchair, were given a guided tour of onboard facilities by mobile driver Vicky Wood.
Vicky explained that Warwickshire County Council has five mobile libraries that are really just like branch libraries - but on the move. They have computers and internet access (signal permitting) and carry a range of fiction and non-fiction books for all ages and interests. Each of the five mobiles covers a different part of the county, making around 500 timetabled stops every three weeks.
The students, who were accompanied by their tutors Ruth Foster and Bob Mills, visited the mobile library as part of their ongoing Independent Living Curriculum. They asked many questions and were particularly interested in large print and illustrated titles, ‘talking books’ available on tape or CD, and DVDs - which are not carried by the mobiles but can be ordered for the next visit.
Nicholas Blinkhorne, who used the mobile’s wheelchair ramp to get onboard, is a keen cook and wanted to know if the mobile carried recipe books.
Stephen Icke and Anthony Tilling were interested in the vehicle, whether it was easy to drive and how many miles it travels each day.
Sandra Simmons asked: “Do you have many books with pictures and not too much writing?”
Vicky explained that each of the five mobile libraries has a different name from a Shakespeare play. The one they were on was Titania and the others were called Romeo, Hamlet, Othello and Cleopatra.
At the end of their visit, the students presented Vicky with a card they had made for her. They and their tutors thanked Vicky for bringing Titania and telling them about the mobile library service.
Janet Everett, Mobile and Community Services Manager for Warwickshire Library and Information Service, said: “This was the second group of Stratford College students with learning disabilities to be shown the mobile library.
"Both visits were a great success and have hopefully helped the students with their Independent Living coursework.”