This Library Creates Community for Older Residents

The West Tisbury Public Library in Martha's Vineyard, Mass., is a popular gathering place for older adults with enhanced programming, reports Next Avenue . Three years ago, the library conducted a survey to gauge patrons' needs, and three-quarters of respondents were 51 and older. Last year the library issued a strategic plan which envisioned the place as "a community center where life-long learning happens in a blended environment of quiet and collaborative space allowing self-discovery and connections between people." "We share a campus with the Up-Island Council on Aging, and most of our patrons use both services," says West Tisbury Public Library Director Beth Kramer. "On Tuesday mornings, they host a popular discussion group, and after that's over, many people come over to the library to read the paper, check out books, or just visit with each other." In 2016, the library and the Up-Island Council established a small core group of locals who met regularly to talk about hat they were interested in learning about aging and healthy lifestyles. "Rather than offer a dry series of presentations, we wanted to feature programs that were really of interest," Kramer notes. To improve the library's comforting ambiance, coffee and biscotti are available at minimal cost, while quiet rooms have been set aside for writers to work.