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Library’s Outreach Services helps homebound seniors

One day each month, Martha Gordon is visited in her home at the Ravine at Central College by a Westerville Public Library staff member.

The staffer brings her books, movies and other items as part of the library’s Outreach Services.

Gordon is one of about 400 homebound seniors the Westerville library serves through the program, which helps provide materials and support to this specific population.

The library makes deliveries once a month to each of the homebound seniors enrolled in the program, says Julie Kerns, outreach manager for the library.

“We call them a week ahead of time,” she says. “We try to make it as personalized as possible.”

Seniors also can call the library on the Outreach Services line and leave messages with book or movie requests, says Kerns.

In addition to visiting private homes, Outreach Services visits 19 senior facilities in the area, including Gordon’s.

“It makes it easy that I don’t have to ask somebody to take me to the library,” Gordon says. “I just call Julie up and ask them if they have the books and stuff.”