Clayton Library Makes Sure No Reader Is Forgotten

CLAYTON, N.C. – When Mardia Jacobs arrives at Blanche Connell’s home, she brings a bag filled with library materials. But over time, Jacobs has come to deliver something that cannot be checked out from a shelf: friendship.

Connell is one of nearly a dozen homebound residents currently served through Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library’s Books-to-Go program. The outreach service brings library materials to people who live within the Town of Clayton limits but cannot regularly visit the library because of illness, accidents, transportation challenges, a disability, or other mobility issues.

For Connell, the monthly visits have become something to look forward to. Her daughter, Sandra Smith, could see how much her mother enjoyed that time with Jacobs and how much the connection meant. She eventually stopped by the library to share something she felt staff needed to hear: these visits were making a difference in her mother’s life.

“It gives me peace of mind knowing someone else is checking in on my mom,” said Smith. “When you know someone is taking the time to visit and really cares about her, that means a lot.”

That time together is an important part of Books-to-Go. Jacobs, a Library Associate, knows that being unable to leave home can feel lonely. A conversation at the door, a familiar face, and a new stack of materials to enjoy can brighten a day spent mostly at home.

“Sometimes that short visit and human connection mean just as much as what is inside the bag,” said Jacobs. “Everyone should have the chance to enjoy what the library has to offer.”

Applications for Books-to-Go are available at TownofClaytonNC.org/787/Books-to-Go. Once an application is approved, library staff will contact the patron to discuss the delivery schedule, learn more about their interests, and help them get started.

Once enrolled, patrons generally receive a delivery once a month, depending on staff and resource availability. They can request specific titles by phone, email, or through the library’s online catalog.

Books-to-Go is specifically for residents who are unable to regularly visit the library. It is not an on-demand delivery service, but another way the library can reach people who might otherwise miss out on what it has to offer.

“We get to know what people enjoy,” said Jacobs. “They become more than a name on a list. You learn what they like, you talk about what they have been reading, and over time, they can start to feel like family.”

Patrons can receive most library materials through Books-to-Go with the exception of technology items. Each delivery is limited to one bag. But for someone spending much of their time at home, what arrives in that bag can offer so much more than something to read or watch.

A mystery can offer an afternoon of suspense. A romance can provide company. A movie can bring laughter. A new author can give someone a place to escape for a while. That is why Jacobs sees Books-to-Go as more than moving materials from the library to someone’s home.

“The library doesn’t stop at our walls,” said Jacobs. “We are part of this community, and sometimes serving our community means going out to meet people where they are.”

That care has become part of Jacobs and Connell’s relationship. Smith especially remembers the little things Jacobs has done during her visits, including bringing Connell flowers. They were not part of the delivery. They were simply a kind gesture from one person to another.

“It’s the little things that stay with you,” said Smith. “Mardia didn’t have to bring her flowers. That showed me that my mom wasn’t just another stop on her route. She had become someone Mardia truly cared about.”

For Jacobs, every delivery is another reminder that a public library’s work is not limited to the people who can walk through its doors. Sometimes, the people who need that connection most are the ones who cannot.

And sometimes, bringing the library to someone starts with a bag of books and grows into a friendship.