We are fortunate to have a small room that we have dedicated to a resident library. Over the years books have been donated to the facility and merely left in boxes. We now have a designated room and eight fairly large matching bookshelves that fill two walls. It has been a slow evolution but well worth the time. As people have become more aware of the growing library, they have become even more generous in their donation of books and in their donation of bookshelves!
Books are categorized by genre and authors are alphabetized in each section. Books in large print are designated with a yellow sticky dot so they can be easily located. Residents and their families are encouraged to utilize the library by relaxing there and reading or by taking books out to read. There is a comfortable arm chair in the library with a standing floor lamp.
Each book is labeled with a “please return to AMV Library” sticker so that patrons will be reminded to return the book when they have finished reading it. Usage of the library has grown as it has become a more visible part of daily life.
Specific genre found in the library might include romance, westerns, inspirational, humor, light reading, novels, mystery/thrillers, historical, regional, and Amish. There are also shelvse of specific authors including Mary Higgins Clark, James Patterson, Danielle Steele, Debbie Macomber, Louis L’Amour, Larry McMurty and others.
We also have a collection of Christmas novels, light reading, and inspirational stories that are placed on the shelves through the month of December. This adds a new and special touch to the library that is attractive to readers.
Should you decide to build a library, I believe procuring books would be a simple matter of spreading the word through volunteers, staff, and family members. The more difficult task would be locating a space visible and easily accessible to residents but it is well worth the effort.
