Good things come in a canvas bag thanks to Library Delivery Services, a free program that brings books, movies, music and magazines to Arlington Heights residents who are homebound due to physical limitations or illness.
“It’s like Christmas morning. You open up those bags and can hardly wait to see what’s in them,” says Pamella Davis, a voracious reader who twice a month receives five canvas bags filled with books, about 50 titles, delivered to the Arlington Heights health care facility where she lives.
Library Delivery Services is available to any Arlington Heights resident who is unable to visit the library, either long term or for a shorter timeframe due to a setback in health or mobility. Eligible participants meet one-on-one with a reader’s advisor from the library to share their tastes in books, movies and music. Staff then carefully select materials to match these preferences to create a customized reader experience. Materials are personally delivered to individuals living in their own homes every four weeks, and every two weeks to residents residing in local health care facilities.
“I like a book that reads fast like a movie or TV show…thrillers, romance, westerns,” says Arlington Heights resident Susan Klich who reads 20 books each month. “I have the library’s phone number memorized. I’ll call over and say ‘can you add this to my list please?’ And they do!”
Each month Library Delivery visits nearly 100 homes and health care sites and places more than 800 items into the hands of what may be some of the library’s most grateful customers.
“It’s a mental thing really that keeps me going on the positive side of glass half-full,” adds Klich. “It just makes me so darn happy.”