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Miami-Dade library outlines free Talking Books and home-delivery services for homebound older adults
Summary
A Miami-Dade Public Library representative told the Miami Lakes Elderly Affairs Committee about two services — Talking Books and Connections — that mail audiobooks and other library materials to homebound seniors at no cost, including Spanish-language materials obtained under the Marrakesh Treaty.
At a Miami Lakes Elderly Affairs Committee meeting, Jennifer Shipley, a library staff member who oversees Talking Books and Connections, described two library services that deliver reading materials and devices to homebound older adults.
"Everything is free. That's 350,000 titles, unlimited copies," Shipley said, describing the Talking Books collection, which she said can ship audio books to patrons with return postage paid and with no waiting lists. "We can make a custom cartridge with up to 25 books on it... we can make 100 copies of the same book and send it out the same day."
Shipley said the Connections program separately sends any Miami-Dade Public Library material to a patron's home, and that the library also loans mobile hotspots and tablets by mail. She described a readers-advisory or concierge service that selects titles based on a patron's preferences and noted Spanish-language large-print and talking-book materials obtained through an international agreement. "There's something called the Marrakesh treaty... we've gotten thousands of foreign language books, especially Spanish," Shipley said.
Joseph TruBlue, identified in the meeting as the branch manager for the Miami Lakes Library, appeared with Shipley and was described as coordinating with the committee on in-person events and renovations updates.
Shipley left brochures and contact information for committee members and said the library can register homebound patrons by phone. She asked committee members to help distribute printed materials for seniors who lack internet access and offered to work with the committee on a planned older Americans Month series of arts classes in May.
The library representative advised committee members to direct seniors to the printed brochures or the library phone line for enrollment; she also said more information is on the library's event calendar. Committee members and the library agreed to follow up by email to schedule art-class dates and to coordinate outreach to homebound residents.
