It may have been more popular during the height of the pandemic, but a home-delivery library service is still important for people who face barriers to leave their homes or access spaces or transportation.
“This has been a great opportunity for us – we love doing it,” Jagroop Rai, support worker with Semiahmoo House Society said in a Surrey Libraries press release.
“My clients come to me on delivery day and they’re excited to go out into the community and to meet with the people they’re helping.”
Semiahmoo House Society, a partner of Surrey Libraries, supports people living with different abilities and also helps fill volunteers for the Home Delivery Service. Through the program, community members are able to get a selection of library material delivered to their home that staff co-ordinate and volunteers spend their time fulfilling.
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Each Thursday, volunteers pick up the library orders and deliver them to the patrons who would otherwise not have the ability to access books and other library materials, or have a very difficult time doing so.
““They make connections with the people they deliver to, they help us to provide the home delivery service, and they develop life and work skills. Plus, our patrons are really happy to see these volunteers, too, so it’s win-win all around,” said David Kerr, manager of Community Connections at Surrey Libraries.
One of those volunteers is Rajminder Jagpal who says that delivering the orders to the residents is “fun, getting out and it’s something new.”
In addition to the Home Delivery Service, the library also offers other programs under their Accessibility Services, which can be found on Surrey Libraries’ website. South Surrey locations include Semiahmoo and Ocean Park.
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