Elizabeth Taber Library Director Libby O’Neill was reminded of her childhood while thinking of ways to help Marion residents take greater advantage of the library’s services.
“I used to volunteer for Meals on Wheels with my dad when I was young,” said O’Neill during a discussion about Taber’s new Homebound Books program. “That’s where the thought to partner with their organization came from.”
The library has joined also with the Marion Council on Aging to deliver books to residents unable to visit the library.
“The idea is to enable those with short-term or long-term illness, disabilities and physical difficulties, to call the library, have a short conversation with me about what they like – it could be large-print or audio or mystery or romance, or whatever genre people like to read – and bring them books, as long as their library card is in good standing,” said O’Neill, who worked in community outreach at the Boston Public Library earlier in her career. “They can make specific requests, but that may take a little longer. In most cases, the program will focus on areas of interest.”
While most books are due back in two weeks, the Homebound Books program will allow for a month-long checkout.
“I know this was tried here before and wasn’t very popular, but I would like to try it again,” O’Neill said. “There’s a population who can’t make it in to the library to enjoy what we offer to the community.”
The Homebound Books program will launch in November. For more information, call 508-748-1252.
In other Taber Library news:
Technology Tuesdays continue on October 22, 11:00 am, with “Using the SAILS Library Catalog – Enterprise”; on October 29, 11:00 am, with “Using Your Electronic Device to check out Library eBooks and Audiobooks”; on November 5, 11:00 am, with “Getting Good With Goodreads”; and November 12, 11:00 am, with “Saving Recipes With Ziplist.” You can call or visit the library, or go to www.elizabethtaberlibrary.org, to register.
Also on October 22, 7:00 pm, the library will present “Cape Cod Chef’s Table: Extraordinary Recipes From Buzzards Bay to Provincetown” author John F. Carafoli at the Marion Music Hall.
By Shawn Badgley
