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Libraries have an impact on the community

Sechelt Library at Home
library
Sechelt chief librarian Shelley Archibald (left) and library technician, resource sharing and volunteer coordinator Beth Dodds with a basket of eligible items for lending for the Sechelt Library at Home Program.

Isobel Smith (not her real name) had a nasty fall, leaving her homebound for six weeks. She frequents the Sechelt Library daily, as part of her routine. Reading is her passion, but now she will be stuck at home. Her daughter, who lives off the Coast, is just as distraught as her mom, as reading keeps her mom mentally active and helps to stave off cognitive decline.

This is not an uncommon story on the Sunshine Coast and is one of the many reasons the Sechelt Library and the Sunshine Coast Community Services Society-Better at Home program have joined forces in assisting folks with the delivery and pick up of library materials.

The Better at Home program in our community already assists folks with friendly visiting, transportation and other non-medical services. The Sechelt Library and the Better at Home program have collaborated to make this new program at the library a reality. Better at Home will provide the volunteers and the library will connect volunteers with patrons who need assistance.

Sechelt Library at Home program offers library books, magazines, DVDs, CDs, audio books and any other library materials to be picked up and delivered to folks who are homebound due to illness, mobility or visual impairment. 

Shelley Archibald has been at the helm of the Sechelt Library as the new Chief Librarian for just over two months. Her remarks confirm the importance and impact of a library in a small town: “It has been incredibly heartwarming to see how much people in the District of Sechelt love their library. People here are very involved in their community and have a real understanding of the value the library brings to Sechelt. 

“I have felt very welcomed and sense a community spirit that is completely unique to this place. I feel very lucky to be here and have let people back east know how special this place is.

“What we’ll be working on over the next year is demonstrating the impact the library has in Sechelt – to show how we change lives for the better and build a stronger community. Economic impact studies already show that for every dollar invested in the library, communities receive back between $4 to $6 in return. We know we’re a sound economic investment. Moving forward, we’re going to get some figures to demonstrate the educational and social impact the library has in Sechelt. We want people to truly understand the full impact our library has.”

Watch for a new Personal Growth Collection coming soon, in collaboration with the Gibsons and District Public Library and Vancouver Coastal Health Mental Health Unit on the Coast.

Drop by the Sechelt Library or call to register for the Sechelt Library at Home program or to meet chief librarian Shelley Archibald with your thoughts on the impact of the library in our community.

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