Your county council has launched a new campaign appealing for home library service volunteers to help less able people in their community by choosing and delivering books to those who cannot get to a library.
Who benefits? Anyone who cannot get to a library, including the elderly and many disabled people across Oxfordshire who need a volunteer to bring library services to their door. They need a friendly face who can stop by once every three weeks to bring them some new books or CDs and stop for a little chat.
Is the home library service really so important? Yes – the home library service brings entertainment, pleasure and human contact to people, where they may otherwise have none.
Could you spare a little time? Schedules can work around you and you can organise the drop off times directly with the people you deliver to, meaning you can fit it around your busy life. Expenses are reimbursed and you can do as many or as few journeys as you wish.
Visit www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/homelibrary or contact your local library to find out about volunteering for the home library service and helping people near you.
I sat down and imagined how I’d feel if I was totally housebound. I know the importance of having literature and company in my life now I’m living alone, so I thought it’s important to reach out to others who may not have much contact with the outside world. […] It’s fulfilling and very rewarding. The ladies I deliver to are keen to chat and talk about the authors and the plots.
Gracie, 76, Faringdon – volunteer
The Home Library Service means a lot to me, it’s a real lifeline. Having reached this age of 88, I hadn’t realised how alone you are. […] It makes me appreciate the Home Library Service more than ever.
Edna, 88, Banbury – service user