I am so proud of our work towards making Scarborough Public Library more accessible to older adults. In addition to the library services we offer, we are thrilled to share that we are one of 310 grantees (out of 3,600+ applicants!) selected to receive a 2023 AARP Community Challenge grant from AARP Livable Communities and AARP Maine. We plan to use this grant to improve our walking paths through the municipal campus, adding additional benches and distance markers, so that those who want a rest along the path can take one, and those who are weary but motivated can know when there’s a half mile left to go.
Did you know that the library has a walker and a wheelchair that can be taken out for a walk, or for use inside the library? It is freely available to anyone who needs it and is located right inside our front door. We also have a regular book delivery service for those with transportation issues or who are otherwise housebound.
For those who are comfortable with electronics, we have two different ebook and audiobook services: cloudLibrary and Libby. To use these services, all you need is a device connected to the internet and a library card to access free ebooks and audiobooks. We’ll bring the books to you in more ways than one. For those of us who need some technology support, our staff is here to help. And we frequently offer “beginner” classes on various services and devices.
We like to keep older adults in mind when we schedule library programming as well. You’ll notice from our events page on our website that we host a monthly matinee movie, a morning book group, social opportunities for artists and knitters, and other programs during the daytime. Of course, many older adults attend our evening programs, but we like to be aware of possible transportation issues and limited evening driving that effect so many of our Scarborough residents.
Other “older adult friendly” services include our vast DVD collection, free movie streaming through Kanopy, our collection of park and museum passes, and our large print book collection. We have recently added accessibility features to our website for those with visual impairments. As our population grows older, we grow wiser and more inclusive.
Happy summer!
Nancy E. Crowell
Library Director