The Richmond Sentinel, Jim Gordon (JG) went on location to the Richmond Public Library and sat down with Isaac Lai, who is the senior librarian to talk about a new pilot program for Seniors.

JG: Isaac, you have a great program called Senior Connect Box, (camera pans the display on a nearby table). 

Tell our viewers a bit about what it is and what you're expecting to accomplish with it.

IL: As we have on display here this is Senior Connect Box and is the new library resource designed to connect seniors to our library resources and are challenged with access to getting out to the library. This also applies to seniors in a care home facility. The pilot project is aimed for the library to assess this critical underserved population.

JG: And it's interesting too, you've got a wide variety of games, puzzles and reading materials. Isaac, you’re on the front line going out to these different senior locations. In fact you were just at one of our sponsors, Hamilton High Street Senior Residence and that’s how we found out about the pilot. Can you walk us through what you do when you go into a place like that?

IL: We deliver the box earlier before the visit. We tailor make the games for the Seniors with big tags and many games that are easy to touch and not easy to fall down.

JG: So the seniors can easily start learning and playing the games.

IL: We work with the staff to bring out the game to the common area, and encourage the Seniors to connect with each other through the fun and the playing and talking about the games.

JG: What are some of the reactions you're getting from the seniors? Are they hesitant to join in or are they anxious, keen to learn more? I mean, it's great for the mental skills, of course but what about the social aspect. Please share with us the results so far. 

IL: When I visit, I let them know that we're not taking the game away, they have plenty of time to enjoy the challenge and the social aspect that goes with it. Our plan is to leave the box at each site for six months and then refresh the contents. They can use the box as often as they like. 

When we visit the sites, our findings have been, that the seniors are very interested to learn and to connect.

It’s interesting to note that after they have the game for a while, they start learning and they start discussing about the strategy, about what game they like or they don't like. So in the end we are there to learn from them as well. We work with the staff to gather statistics and compliments so that we can modify the games to suit the majority.

JG: It’s good to hear that the seniors are interacting and competitive and that you interchange the games after a while.

IL: Actually the initial box in the beginning, has 17 games and we focus on challenging their brain activity, eyes and hand cooperation.

After a period of time, we have an evaluation form for the staff to fill out plus we visit frequently to follow up on how the program is doing and we take into account the staff’s input because they are on site and see first-hand what games are popular. Keeping in mind that we are a multicultural society and there are games that seniors grew up with in their homeland that may not be known here so tracking these games down can be a challenge.

Multicultural is one of our first priorities we had to think about before we created this pilot project taking into account different language instructions.

JG: Let's talk about another service you offer which has been around for a few years now and that’s the home service delivery.

I understand it’s the delivery of library materials to customers who are confined to a private residence, residential facility or a hospital because of a disability, illness or an injury lasting a few months and this is a service for everyone. Can you explain how people can qualify and how they can find out more information.

IL: First of all, they have to be living in Richmond and they have to get a Richmond Public Library card. We have an online form or you can phone in and register for the home service project.

As you said Jim, they have several criteria, you’re homebound and you're unable to come to the library. We have a whole collection selected by the librarian. You can also give us your reading interest in the application form whether it’s a mystery or romance we can pick a book for you.

Every two or three months our driver will go to your house, ring the door, leave the box for you, that's it. If you are already a customer, you bring out the old box and we exchange with the new box. You have the option of a print copy or an audio book and the thing is, we have a really good supplier who tailor made the audiobooks with one disc, one book.

So you don't need to worry about flipping the disc in and out, and you don’t have to worry that if one of three discs goes missing and you can’t finish the book this method of one book, one disc is great.

You can also borrow the equipment for a whole year and if you have an issue with the equipment you just give us a call and we’ll handle it. We will give you a new one or we can talk you through on the phone, how to fix it.

JG: I can't really say how many towns, cities in the lower mainland offer these two services we were just talking about, but I hope if you're watching in another part of the lower mainland or around the rest of the country that you investigate in your community if you have these services because I think they're very valuable.

Libraries need to be creative in their services and they need to be able to reach out to people and Isaac the staff must be doing this because library is just full of people today. So where can people find out more information?

IL: They can go to our library website, rpl.yourlibrary.ca or call any of our four branches: Brighouse, Steveston, Cambie and Ironwood.

To watch the video interview in full go to richmondsentinel/videos