Diane Schofield

Posted by: Diane Schofield: On: 15 October 07; Hello there, my name is Diane and part of my job is to drive around Edinburgh taking books to children and adults in various different vehicles. There are three buses around 27 feet long and 11 feet high - I don't know what this is in metres but maybe you do? One is green, one is red and the third is multicoloured and called the Book Bus - we use this one just for visiting schools but the other two are for anyone who cannot get to a public library. Have you ever been on a mobile library? It's great fun driving about as long as I have a map with me, are you good at reading maps? I find it quite difficult sometimes.

During the Big Wild Read the schools were closed but we took the Book Bus to some special events and held storytelling and craft sessions. A lot of the stories were about where animals live, how they build their homes and what we can do to help them have plenty of food. I have a lot of thistles in my garden and when the flower heads have changed into fluffy seeds I leave them for the goldfinches to eat.
I also leave nettles for butterflies to lay their eggs on and keep a good supply of nuts hanging from the bird table. Last year a pair of woodpeckers brought their babies to the nuts and taught them how to pull them out of the net. It took them a while but eventually they could do it without falling off!

I live in the countryside close to Edinburgh; yesterday a red deer came to the fence around my garden and I often see foxes, pheasants and owls in the woods nearby. I love bird watching and always have my binoculars with me just in case I see something interesting. I keep a monthly calendar of all the different types of birds that visit my garden; maybe you could try it, you might beat my record of 23!

6 Comments Add your own

#1 Caitlin, from Mistley: I think your job is amazing. i would love to do it. You are a wonderful person
#2 Author: Thankyou for your comments. Yes, it is a lovely job and I am very lucky indeed. I'm sure you could do it too one day. Yesterday I was reading a book called Mr Gumpy's Outing to some children on the bus, it is one of my favourite stories, maybe you have read it too.
#3 C.J.K.: I think ur job is important cos without u drivin books around we might not get any atall and that would be terrible
#4 Author: Thankyou for your comments. I really enjoy taking books to children who can't get to a library on their own. We often arrive at a school and all the children are outside waving and shouting hello before we have time to even open the doors!
#5 Arefa, from London: I'd like to see a mulitcoloured bus
#6 Author: Hello Arefa
Thankyou for your answer to my blog. I hope you like the photo of the bus, as you can see it is very bright colours so can be seen from a long way away.

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