Senior Citizen Outreach The Huntsville-Madison County Public Library
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Rodney C. Lawley; Information Submitted by Mandy Pinyan With Alabama’s senior citizen population expected to increase by 82.4% between 2010 and 2040 (ADPH, 2021), the demand for library services from senior citizens is sure to increase. Meeting this need will require innovative strategies from public libraries like the one initiated by the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library (HMCPL). Their proactive outreach services offer a helpful blueprint for addressing this issue.
HMCPL librarians recognized long ago that senior citizens do not stop learning when they retire. For this reason, the library developed a “Senior Services” program that provides intellectual and social stimulation for elderly residents who are unable to visit the library. HMCPL works with over 40 nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and senior living communities, to serve immobile seniors, and the number of these facilities needing assistance is expected to increase. According to Mandy Pinyan, HMCPL Outreach Services Manager, librarians contact residential staff prior to their visits to evaluate the needs of senior residents. In this process, they often discover necessities that extend beyond simple access to library materials and demand interactive programming for emotional and social support. Senior Services Coordinator, Ms. Elaine Leffel, reminds residents of upcoming visits, records their book requests, and works to brighten the day of senior citizens who sometimes lack needed support networks or receive infrequent visits.
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