Anywhere Library comes to Maple Lane Campus
The visits allow patients to access books, CDs, and more
This spring, the library is coming to DSHS’ Maple Lane Campus in Centralia.
The Anywhere Library, a project of Timberland Regional Library, is a mobile services branch in the form of a cargo van loaded with carts of books and other media. It provides traditional library services to those who face barriers to access.
Timberland Regional Library covers five counties stretching from the Washington coast to the base of Mount Rainier, so often, those barriers are simply living in a rural community without a nearby library branch.
“But that could also mean people without transportation, people with mobility issues, people who are at work all day long,” noted Amoreena Harpole, Anywhere Library specialist for Thurston County.
Anywhere Libraries come to schools, senior centers, food banks, and other gathering places for people who may not otherwise be able to access a traditional library. The visit to Maple Lane Campus appears to be the first visit to a behavioral health facility by Timberland’s Anywhere Library.
“This is a great example of people with barriers to access,” said Harpole. “This is exactly the kind of population we want to reach.”
Harpole conducted a site visit first before bringing the Anywhere Library to campus.
“We always like to plan for a visit by checking out the location ahead of time. In the case of Maple Lane, we needed to make sure we understood the restrictions on residents and the security requirements for coming onto campus.”
On the day of the visit, the Anywhere Library arrived stocked with carts full of books, along with other media including CDs and DVDs. Residents were also able to put holds on books that could be picked up on future visits. Several residents also showed interest in Playaways, which are audio players preloaded with audiobooks.
“Libraries are available for everyone,” said Ashton Turner, a psychiatric social worker. “And for our residents who don’t have access to resources or family nearby, this gives them a chance to access books, movies, and music that they might not get otherwise.”
Turner was the person who first recommended bringing the Anywhere Library to campus, and he wrote the proposal that led to the approval of the Anywhere Library partnership.
Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Liz Bolinger, who helped finalize plans for the Anywhere Library visit, was enthusiastic about the new partnership.
“In the community, libraries can serve as havens where people from all walks of life can gather together, share knowledge, and engage in educational and informational pursuits in a safe, welcoming space. We hope that, by bringing Anywhere Library to the Maple Lane Campus, our residents will have the chance to experience the benefits of the library environment and discover new interests and hobbies or gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.”
Because residents were checking out books using Maple Lane’s institutional library card, they were limited to one book each. Several residents applied for their own library card, which would allow them to check out more items in the future.
“Getting your own library card gives someone a sense of responsibility, which is so important for residents,” noted Turner.
Harpole noted that the first visits to any new site are an opportunity to learn about patrons’ interests and prepare for future visits.
“We got a whole list of requests for CDs, which we’re going to have to stock up on. We also saw a lot of requests for nonfiction books — self-help, science, history, economics. People wanted books to learn new skills — how to play chess, how to play guitar.”
The Anywhere Library will continue to make monthly visits to Maple Lane Campus. Once the education building is complete, the Anywhere Library will use that as its base of operations during its visits. Until then, it will continue to visit individual units, offering books, media, and inspiration for residents.
