Meet Sally
Books by Mail user Sally has lived in the Rochester area for 64 years. Her home is filled with pictures on the tables and walls, anywhere they will fit, including the surface of her refrigerator, sandwiched between notes and messages from loved ones. Her granddaughter once counted 323 photos spread throughout the house.
Sally reads one to two books a week and, unsurprisingly, biographies feature frequently because “you get to learn about past people’s families.” In addition to reading, Sally loves a puzzle, and even has a room in her home dedicated solely to tackling the 500-750 piece puzzles sent directly from RHPL.
Said plainly, Sally is busy. But keeping up with her reading and hobby pace wasn’t always easy. Sally has difficulty leaving home without assistance, and even a short visit to the centrally located mailbox in her neighborhood was difficult. After hearing about the service, her granddaughter took her to the library and signed up for Books by Mail. Sally said her family became immediate fans: “I enjoy reading and doing puzzles, and the library helps in every way they can. They’re very accommodating, and I love it. It’s a marvelous service, I think. There are a lot more people who would benefit from it if they knew about it.”
“I enjoy reading and doing puzzles and the library helps in every way they can. They’re very accommodating and I love it. It’s a marvelous service, I think.”
RHPL offers Books by Mail to Rochester, Rochester Hills, and Oakland Township residents who experience either temporary or permanent hardship that affects their ability to leave home. Eligible patrons work with Outreach librarians to share reading preferences, request recommendations, and choose the frequency of delivery, whether on-demand or ongoing. Selections are checked out to patrons and sent at no cost through USPS. Books by Mail materials have extended due dates to account for mail delays, and nearly any material can be requested, so long as it is allowed to be sent using USPS Media Mail (items with batteries, such as hotspots or Library of Things items, cannot be sent). When patrons are done, they simply put the books back into the bag they were sent in, and mail them back for free.
Outreach librarian Kathryn Borton manages Books by Mail patrons and keeps notes about everybody she picks books for, from subject preference to favorite genres, authors, and even format (patrons can also request Audiobooks and Music CDs). Because Sally isn’t able to come to the library on her own, this was the first time the pair met in person instead of chatting over the phone. Kathryn said matching a person with a book is “one of the best parts of my job, and it’ll be even easier now that I've met Sally in person! I know her even better now. Sometimes I pick out books for somebody for years without ever meeting them, so it’s fun to have this opportunity.”
Is there a person in your life who may benefit from this service? Patrons can apply for Books by Mail service online at rhpl.org/outreach. In addition to serving homebound patrons, Outreach is extending the service to patrons whose library visits are complicated by the upcoming renovations. Learn more from our article, Books By Mail - The Library at Your Doorstep.
