There is plenty of demand for mobile libraries in Tampere
Kosmos, one of two mobile libraries, has left for its school tour at 8.30am. The schools in Hatanpää and Olkahinen and the Christian School are in the queue. After half past midday, Kosmos turns back to the Metso loading dock and driver Mika Kulmala has time to chat during his lunch break.
Kulmala's morning shift has started at seven o'clock, when he has picked up his car from the rental garage in Multisilta, refuelled it and driven to Metso. There, the car was loaded at the book storage and the journey to the first destination could begin. Three schools are visited each day.
- The evening shift ends at eight. Shift work suits me and these working hours are humane, says Kulmala.
Plenty to do in the car and at the book storage
When the cars arrive in Metso in the morning or after the morning round, the warehouse starts buzzing. The truck has three mobile shelves, the contents of which change according to the clientele. The school tour includes material of interest to children and young people. In the evening, shelves of literature for more adult tastes are taken from the warehouse.
The driver of the car arriving from the tour will start handling bookings and the collection and return of magazines, among other things.
- We also assemble ready-made book packages for the kindergartens. They are delivered by van, says Kulmala.
The route of the trucks can be followed in real time on the Pirkanmaa libraries' Piki mobile library service.
The cars drive to the loading bay tail first, as they are loaded and unloaded through the rear doors. The Kustaa is made on a bus chassis and the newer Kosmos on a lorry chassis. As the current buses have an engine at the rear, it is not possible to build a rear-loading mobile library on their chassis.
- There are two manufacturers in Finland who make mobile libraries by order, says Kulmala.
It's a warm day for interviews, and you can feel it especially inside the old Kustaa. Kosmos has modern air conditioning, but the same cannot be said for Kustaa, according to the drivers.
There are hardly any downsides of the job
Kulmala is one of eight people working exclusively in mobile libraries at Tampere City Library. There are also three people who work half in vans, half in home services. In case of illness or other obstacles, other staff can be brought in to help out.
There are usually two people in the car, but sometimes only one on evening shifts. Lunch is sometimes eaten in the car.
Kulmala became a mobile library driver by chance. He was working as a bus driver, but applied to Valkeakoski to train as a library clerk. Eleven years ago, after graduation, the traineeship and substitutes were replaced by a permanent position. With a lorry driver's licence already in his pocket, mobile library driver was a natural career choice.
Kulmala can't think of many bad things about his job. Of course, you have to be careful in traffic, but on the other hand, there is some flexibility in schedules, for example in case of traffic jams or bad weather.
- The best thing is the customers and colleagues. Time passes quickly at work and the work is diverse, he says.
Kulmala himself was not a mobile library customer as a child, but customer of the library institution since he has always lived close to the library.
There is a need for library vans in Tampere
Although the number of mobile libraries in Finland has fallen well below its peak, perhaps by less than half, there is plenty of demand for their services in Tampere. The city is vast and there are not libraries in every corner. There is no shortage of customers in a growing city.
The most popular materials are children's easy-to-read books and picture books, which are also lent to kindergartens. However, there is also a strong demand for grown up's material. The current best-selling books for young people can be found in the car at the beginning of the school route, but no longer at the end.
During the summer, of course, there are no school tours, but instead the cars circulate at various events, such as the city's park lunches.
The maximum number of loans per customer at any one time is three hundred.
- Yes, there are customers who borrow almost the maximum amount, Kulmala reveals.
