Promoting library resources in Age Concern day centres

In this report, an experiment to test the effectiveness of library resources with frail elderly people is described. Four day centres run by Age Concern Leicester were selected: two which cater for mentally frail clients, one for physically frail but mentally active people, and one for those with a mental handicap. A series of group sessions using library resources was run by the librarian in each centre, and the results observed. Frail elderly people were found to be a potentially enthusiastic group of library users, with a special need for assistance in gaining access to resources. Guidelines for librarians planning similar sessions to promote their stock are presented.