A FAMILIAR face to bookworms young and old, Kay Dickenson has made her final town visits as the Shire\u2019s mobile librarian.<\/p>\n
Joining Geelong Regional Libraries in 1999, she began driving the Golden Plains Mobile Library truck the next year, and retired just before Christmas.<\/p>\n
A former farmer, Mrs Dickenson was inspired to join the profession one day in Meredith.<\/p>\n
\u201cI used to visit the old library, a semi-trailer, when it went there, and I really liked the idea of it. I love reading,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI realised that was what I wanted to do, so I got my truck licenses, and when there was a vacancy, the library put me on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since the turn of the century, book stocks and mobile library stops have come and gone, catalogue systems have varied, but the social side of her role has never altered.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love meeting the people. It\u2019s a basic, friendly and very personal service out in Golden Plains, and it\u2019s a social outing for us all.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen a lot of school kids grow up. One of the children from Linton was six-months-old when I met her, and she\u2019s just about to go to high school now,\u201d Mrs Dickenson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve gathered a lot of knowledge over the years of what people like, so if I see something that\u2019s right for someone, I\u2019ll save it for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Being a \u201ccountry girl,\u201d Mrs Dickenson has \u201cthoroughly enjoyed\u201d the extensive rural driving, initially travelling 1200 kilometres around the Shire each fortnight, before she began making weekly visits to her book borrowers six years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love driving in the countryside, and you see a lot from the height of the truck. I\u2019ve enjoyed watching the different seasons, the crops, the sheep, cows and haybales,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a bit like the Pony Express through all weather conditions. I\u2019ve had to double back after trees have fallen on the road. I\u2019ve parked up at places and it\u2019s snowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve listened to thousands of hours of audiobooks in the truck with CDs, and I\u2019ve moved onto BorrowBox on my phone, which is fabulous for audiobooks too. I listen to everything, so I am able to recommend things.\u201d<\/p>\n
In recent times, Mrs Dickenson has regularly visited Cape Clear, Dereel, Enfield, Grenville, Haddon, Linton, Meredith, Rokewood and Smythesdale.<\/p>\n
Depending on the town population and clientele, stops have been three quarters of an hour long, up to one hour and 45 minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn my last Friday working I got to Smythesdale and a couple of people gave me gifts and organised a card for the rest of the people to sign along my run. That was very precious,\u201d Mrs Dickenson said.<\/p>\n
Looking ahead to 2021, her head is \u201calready in holiday mode.\u201d She\u2019s excited to spend more time with her six grandchildren, and to knit and crochet.<\/p>\n
But the Golden Plains Mobile Library won\u2019t disappear from her thoughts.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will gradually think about people, the ones I won\u2019t see, the friendships I\u2019ve formed over time, and the different interests I\u2019ve discussed with them, from gardening to knitting.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been brilliant,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A FAMILIAR face to bookworms young and old, Kay Dickenson has made her final town visits as the Shire\u2019s mobile librarian. Joining Geelong Regional Libraries in 1999, she began driving the Golden Plains Mobile Library truck the next year, and retired just before Christmas. A former farmer, Mrs Dickenson was inspired to join the profession […]<\/p>\n