The Pikes Peak Library District Foundation’s sole mission is to raise and manage funds to assure excellence in the Pikes Peak Library District by funding the expansion of programs, services, and facilities beyond what is directly supported by the residents of the District. PPLD received a grant from NextFifty to increase capacity of the Mobile Library Services to better serve our aging population. The Pikes Peak Library District’s Lobby Stop service provides library access to older adults living in Independent, Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory care throughout El Paso county. NextFifty Initiative’s grant for a new lift gate on the Lobby Stop will allow the Lobby Stop staff to continue to provide patrons with access to book carts filled with materials to browse. Many patrons describe how browsing materials allows them freedom of choice which can lessen in care facilities, provides a shopping experience, and offers resources they would not otherwise have access to as most no longer drive.
Granted funds will be used for:
- A new lift gate for the Lobby Stop vehicle
- Storage cupboards and desk, installation, electrical for desk lighting: The storage provided by proposed cupboards affords the Lobby Stop staff space for more materials that patrons can access during each stop.
- Williams Sound FM ADA Compliance Kit seed money: FM systems amplify sound in smaller meeting and study room spaces. Up to four patrons who are hard of hearing can use the receiver and headphones included in this kit, or can have sound transmitted directly to their hearing aids via a receiver and neck loop. A lapel microphone is included as well as a table mic. Currently, PPLD is equipped with only one kit to use throughout the entire district. With an additional kit for the district, the Lobby Stop staff will be enabled to bring a kit to the assisted living facilities it serves to use during programs. Furthermore, the library district will have more kits available to offer patrons to use in the Pikes Peak Library District’s meeting room spaces.
- Large print book club collection seed money: Medical research shows that social interaction allows people to enjoy healthier lives. Social isolation increases dementia and cognitive decline after retirement. The Pikes Peak Library District’s Mobile Library Department, which includes the Lobby Stop Van Service, gathers books for thirteen book clubs every month. Most of the patrons participating in these book clubs require large print to participate. Currently, staff comb the catalog to find large print titles with enough copies, place holds on all the copies and monitor the holds which become available at different times. With a book club collection that is strategically developed with large print books already collated into a set that can be checked out all at once (along with book club discussion questions, DVDs, Playaways and/or CD book), wait times are decreased and the library district’s capacity to meet the demand (currently a long wait list) for large print book club collections increases, ultimately increasing number of patrons who benefit from the service.