June 16, 2025 – Ever since she was introduced to “Anne of Green Gables” at age 11, Carolyn Wilson has been hooked on reading. And even though she has trouble visiting the library these days due to health issues that limit her mobility, she read 150 books last year – thanks to the library’s Books by Delivery program.
Wilson made a career working in libraries, first in Hopkinton, then volunteering at the library in Fairfax and finally working at the Ely library. She returned to her childhood hometown of Cedar Rapids when she retired a few years ago, moving into her parents’ former home on the southwest side.
“I would go quite often to Ladd Library. But I just can’t do that now,” she said. “I was at Ladd with my cane one day and was putzing along pretty slowly, and a librarian there asked if I had ever heard of Books by Mail.”
Books by Mail is for patrons who are not able to visit the library because of a temporary or permanent disability. The program sends books, audiobooks, and DVDs directly to homebound patrons, either via mail or a new volunteer program, Books by Delivery.
With this expansion of the Books by Mail initiative, patrons are paired with a volunteer who brings books to them. That visit also provides an opportunity for conversation and social connection.
Expanding the Books by Mail program is just one way library staff are focused on serving seniors in the community. Other recent initiatives include outreach to bring programs to senior living facilities, as well as programs at the library aimed at older adults, including Chair Yoga, Tai Chi, Bingo, craft days, and book clubs. The library also has Reflections Kits available to borrow. They are designed for patrons with dementia or memory loss and their caregivers and loved ones and are meant to spark conversation and connection.
Most recently, the library was certified as a “Dementia Friendly Organization” by Dementia Friendly Iowa after staff underwent training to be “Dementia Friends.”
Dementia Friendly Iowa promotes change and education in communities to create a more welcoming, safe, and respectful space for people living with dementia and their caregivers.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, at least 62,000 people are living with dementia in Iowa, and this number is expected to continue to increase as the population ages.
“Everyone is welcome at the library, and becoming Dementia Friendly Certified is one way we can make sure our library is accessible to all,” Cedar Rapids Public Library Director Dara Schmidt said. “We also want to make sure our staff have the tools and training they need to best serve all members of our community.”
Patron Services Specialist Michele Prostine coordinates the Books by Mail program, getting to know the patrons and selecting books she thinks they will like if they don’t have specific titles in mind. She and Volunteer Coordinator Jessica Link also help pair volunteers with patrons for Books by Delivery.
Every other week, library volunteer Sue Graham-Cummings brings Wilson a stack of books. When Graham-Cummings arrives, they sit and chat, and sometimes a few hours have passed before they realize it, they said. That is a boon not just for Wilson, but for her as a volunteer, Graham-Cummings said. She also volunteers with the Friends of the Cedar Rapids Public Library.
“I just love being around people, and I love reading,” she said. “My mom took my older sister and I to the library from the first week we were out of the hospital. We went to church and the library. So, when I retired from teaching, I started volunteering at the library, because I just needed my people fix.”
Wilson said, for her, the program has been a lifeline.
“Reading is kind of what saves me, because I’m pretty much house-bound now,” she said. “Reading takes you to all kinds of places. You can read about places you’re never get to go and situations you’ll never have to face.”
Learn about services for seniors at the library, including Books by Mail and Reflections Kits, at CRLibrary.org/seniors or by calling the library at (319) 261-7323.
OPEN+ Magazine
This blog post was first published in the spring 2025 issue of the library's OPEN+ magazine.