In March, 2024, Whiting Library was selected as one of 310 libraries to participate in round two of Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities, an American Library Association (ALA) initiative that provides community engagement and accessibility resources to small and rural libraries to help them better serve people with disabilities.
The competitive award came with a $20,000 grant that will help the library make improvements to the library for accessibility and to develop programs for community members with age-related disabilities.
We held three community conversations before beginning this project and the overwhelming consensus of participants was that they hoped for a place to hold free and accessible programs.
Some of the items purchased with grant funds include:
- Auri Bluetooth assistive listening devices,
- Blinds for the community room so that we can better control the lighting,
- Movable tables and chairs for the community room so that we can offer a wider variety of accessible programs.
These improvements allowed us to offer two highly successful programs using grant funds:
- A eight week chair yoga series taught by Tamasin Kekic, owner of Equipoise Occupational Therapy,
- A six week Creative Aging Art Workshop on Telling Stories and Collage Making. This workshop series was taught by artist Evie Lovett.
Participant testimonials:
Although I couldn’t be there for every class, I really enjoyed the ones I did attend as well as the privilege of meeting you and the other ladies. Such a wonderful experience! It was such a pleasure to drive down to Chester every Friday for the class.
I was so appreciative of the creativity and camaraderie we all shared there in [the library’s] wonderful space.
Other improvements brought about through this grant include new dementia friendly carpeting at the entrance of the library and an in-house walker which is available for patrons to use while at Whiting Library. You can call the library at 802-875-2277 if you would like a staff member to bring the walker to your car.
We also purchased serval games, puzzles, and manipulatives and have developed a new Memory Care Collection. We are also now offering dementia friendly programming such as movie, book programs, and art activities.
As a result of this grant, the library invited the Vermont Center for Independent Living to do an accessibility audit of Whiting Library. We now have a work plan for other improvements.