Wyoming Libraries Serve Seniors

Libraries in Wyoming are experiencing hardships because of budget cuts and recent protests regarding specific library materials. It’s easy to generalize libraries as buildings full of books, but it’s important to realize that they provide essential services to community members, including senior citizens.

Here are just a few library services for senior citizens and why you should support Wyoming libraries. 

Accessibility

Libraries provide inclusive and accessible materials to senior citizens, especially since they make up a significant percentage of library visitors. Senior citizens may live with visual and auditory impairments and other disabilities. They may utilize mobility aids that require an accessible library space and assistance from library staff. 

Thus, libraries provide accessible means of obtaining information, such as computer screen readers, clear pathways, large-print books, and more. The Laramie County Library along with several others in the state provides many of these resources. Visit your local Wyoming library’s website or give them a call to discover their resources for senior citizens 

Free Resources

One of the most significant benefits of libraries is their ability to provide free and affordable access to public information. For many senior citizens, libraries may be one of their most accessible ways to use computers, learn about essential services, and participate in lifelong learning. Libraries can provide all of these services and more. 

They can even offer free courses targeted explicitly toward senior citizens to provide them with further resources that help them succeed. For example, the Natrona County Library in Casper and Edgerton, Wyoming has a program called Creative Aging. For eight weeks, senior citizens in the community get the opportunity to learn how to watercolor from a local artist. 

Community and Connection

Books-by-mail libraries are essential in building community, especially among senior citizens. Thus, some libraries expand beyond their walls and come to senior community members. Other libraries offer courses encouraging seniors to meet and interact with other community members. 

Homebound Services

Senior citizens require homebound library services to obtain essential materials and resources. Thus, many libraries include programs that bring library materials directly to them without them needing to enter the building. For example, many programs let citizens request library materials for checkout for the comforts of their homes. 

Other outreach programs like bookmobiles, home visits, and institutional visits involve staff members bringing their materials to senior citizens without mail delivery. The Campbell County Public Library based in Gillette, Wyoming is just one of many that offer all of these services. However, this library offers a personalized approach to this service by having patrons call their outreach specialist and schedule an interview to discuss reading preferences.