Our Home Library Service (HLS) is a wonderful service delivered by our dedicated Myli volunteers. This service includes the delivery of library materials to people who may be physically unable to visit their library due to illness, injury or who may be caring for someone else.
Library Program Officer of Volunteer and Community Participation, Donna has facilitated the HLS out of the Pakenham Library branch for over 10 years. She shared her experience of the HLS and what it means to the community:
“Home Library Service is a very appreciated outreach program for those in our community who are unable to access a branch of Myli.
It may be library staff, a family member, friend, neighbour, or lifestyle staff in assisted living centres who recommend the service.
Many of the recipients we now deliver library items to have been long-term members of the library and are very proud to share that they remember when the library first opened.
At some point, they accept the fact that, for any number of reasons, they need assistance to manage getting library items.
The opportunity to help continue their love of reading/listening/watching library items is facilitated by all who work and volunteer to deliver this service.
Currently, we have 90 HLS recipients in the Cardinia area, with 10 of those visited by our 3 wonderful HLS volunteers.
As you can imagine, we are always looking for new volunteers to support this rewarding service.
Part of my role is to match volunteers with HLS recipients, knowing a friendship will usually develop with a shared interest in reading.
Having a volunteer who delivers to them and has time for a chat is beneficial in so many ways.
The amazing thing I have discovered is that no two readers are alike; each HLS recipient has a file with reading preferences — this helps with selecting items.
Nearly everyone loves a new release, but many HLS recipients have favourite authors they like to revisit or an area of interest they enjoy reading about.
We take note of anything they say that can help keep their love of lifelong learning or satisfy their pleasure of curling up with a good library book.
For nearly ten years, I have been very fortunate to work with HLS recipients and volunteers.
Each has lived such interesting and varied lives, and this service helps them maintain a strong connection to their community and library.”
To get involved as a volunteer for this service, please submit an application form via this link: myli.au/volunteer-form
To register your interest in receiving our Home Library Service, please submit an enquiry for via this link: myli.au/hls-form
For more information about the Home Library Service, visit: myli.au/hls.
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