Sarah Rowe
GP Sarah Rowe knows the value of her local library in Torquay in both her and her family's lives. But she also recommends one of the services provided at the library to her patients – the free blood pressure monitors.
"We lend them as a practice but require a deposit as few got returned," said Sarah, 45, who lives in the town with her partner and four-year-old daughter. "The library removes that financial barrier and I hope may open up a new world to patients too."
Sarah grew up in Torquay and is a lifelong library user. "I have fond memories of it back then. I completed the 'book track' as it was back then to read 100 books. In order to get a stamp you'd have to tell the librarian a bit about the books you'd read. I loved reading as a child, whether it was Enid Blyton or Ronald Dahl or, as I got older, fiction based around WW2 and the way ordinary young women navigated that time."
During her studies at Manchester medical school, Sarah was still a library regular, albeit swapping her love of fiction for medical textbooks. After 10 years of training she qualified as a GP and moved back to Torquay, where she's now been working in a local surgery for 15 years.
"My non-fiction reading dipped significantly in my 30's. I'm not quite sure why – I think it was a gradual process of working long hours and smart phones and social media getting in the way, and the time to read reducing.
"I rejoined Torquay library in 2021 when pregnant as I knew I wanted to bring my daughter to the library from a young age. I first brought her there when she was just a few months old. Since then as well as borrowing books we've attended a couple of craft events and book readings. She also loves the stay and play area.
"At home I read books to her every day. I'm pleased to say she is a book worm! School starts soon and she will actually be learning to read herself. At the moment she enjoys picture books that have a mischievous part to them or ones that make her laugh. She likes books about 'baddies' when the baddies get caught, such as the What the ladybird heard series by Julia Donaldson. She is also a fan of princess books, and, when she was a bit younger, Peppa Pig."
Sarah has in recent times enjoyed borrowing audiobooks from the library, finding they fit very well into her busy lifestyle.
"With audio books it's sometimes the narrator that is as important as the author. I like crime thrillers. Audio books take me away from the stresses of the day and I can combine them with housework or when I'm at the gym, going for a walk/run or when I'm driving."
The library's expansion from book services into offering a wide variety of community support has been welcomed by Sarah.
"I mainly tell patients about the library when I need them to do home blood pressure monitoring. Some cannot buy their own monitors. I've occasionally mentioned to them about the computers at the library.
"As a regular library user, I think the library is a fantastic community resource. It offers everything from traditional books to audiobooks, making reading accessible for everyone, even when you're on the move. The children's activities, including Stay & Play sessions and Saturday Lego Club, make the library a fun place for families while encouraging children to discover books. It also provides valuable services such as blood pressure monitors and access to community support, making it much more than a library and a real hub for the whole community."
