Senior Services Overview

The Farmington Community Library offers programs designed to meet the information needs of underserved or inadequately served target groups, such as disabled, homebound, senior citizens in independent/assisted living and nursing homes.— Outreach Services Department, Philosophy of Service.

The Farmington Community Library provides services to older adults at the William Costick Activities Center and at over twenty-five senior residences including nursing homes, assisted living and independent living facilities. These services include book deliveries for deposit collections, and non-deposit collections, monthly book clubs, senior stories, memoir writing, poetry workshops, Book Buddy visits, and computer classes.

Outreach Services has one full-time librarian, Emma DeCenso (248) 848-4311, who determines the monthly book and media delivery schedule, plans programs at the many sites visited, orders large print books for both the Main Library and the Branch, weeds the collections and selects books and other media for each deposit and non-deposit site visited. Volunteers assist the Librarian to expand services that could not be done alone, due to limited time and schedule limitations. Volunteers are greatly appreciated by the Librarian. Recruitment of volunteers will always be ongoing.

Books Delivered To You

The Outreach Librarian selects materials, delivers books in both regular and large print, CD and other library materials. At many of the sites, the librarian meets with patrons to help with their selection of materials, and at other sites, known as deposit sites, the librarian leaves books and other media, which are then exchanged on a monthly basis.

At the non-deposit sites, the librarian has the opportunity to meet residents at many sites, become acquainted with patrons, converse with them about their reading interests as well as other things. The librarian and the residents both look forward to the library visits, sharing books, stories and friendship with many people.

Other sites, known as deposit sites, the librarian will take two to three crates of books, specially selected, consisting of sixty to ninety books. They are placed on shelves for residents to enjoy. Each month, new selections of books are delivered.

During 2012-2013, three hundred and eighty-eight site visits were made, reaching an estimated five thousand six hundred and seventy-eight persons. This accomplishment was possible with the assistance of a very dedicated group of volunteers.

Book Buddies

Book Buddies is another approach for homebound seniors who want to obtain library services. Book Buddies was instituted in 2005. A book buddy is a volunteer whose primary function is to visit a homebound patron and personally deliver books. The intent is for a friendship to develop between volunteer and recipient. Currently, there are twelve book buddies making deliveries each month to their assigned patron or patrons. We are always looking for more Book Buddies.

Large Print Books

Many new books—fiction, non-fiction, and even best sellers—were added to the large print collection during the past year, and over 30,000 were checked out! They were distributed three ways; Main Library, Farmington Branch and “traveling books“ delivered to senior centers, assisted living facilities and nursing homes. Best-seller large print books are ordered in multiple copies, often more than two.

Other Available Services

Book groups are held monthly at select sites. Facilitators of both groups have a list of books held by our library in multiple copies for book discussions and they are encouraged to utilize them.

Senior Stories are programs held each month at various sites visited by the Outreach Librarian. The Librarian, or a volunteer reads stories to residents. Programs vary from site to site depending on the residents being served. Sometimes, art projects are included at the visits. The Librarian has shared beautifully illustrated books that received Caldecott awards. The Librarian talks about the author and illustrator of these titles.

During National Poetry Month, a poetry program was planned where residents read their own poetry and the librarian or a volunteer read a variety of poems. Such programming is an enjoyable element of Outreach Services and it also draws residents at many sites to come and see the variety of books that are brought to them each month.

Making Memories into Memoirs started early in 2009 at McAuley. This class was very well received and the consensus was that writing memoirs was a wonderful tool for reminiscence therapy. This program was expanded to a few other sites in addition to adding a monthly class at the Main Library.

Bi-Folkal Productions produces multi-sensory kits, used for triggering memories and transmitting information. Our Library owns ten of these kits which have been used for programming. Each kit has a theme, and each theme has props used for generating activities and conversations. Friends of the Farmington Library purchased DVDs to replace the slides and audio tapes that were used in previous years. These have helped to greatly enhance the quality of the kits. They are being used frequently at sites by both the Librarian and activity directors.