A new partnership between My Community Library (Myli) and Bass Coast Health will allow patients to take home books that they’ve started to read in hospital.
Pre-loved books have been placed around the Wonthaggi Hospital to give patients and their visitors including day patients the opportunity to enjoy and finish books they may have started in hospital.
Volunteers take a trolley stocked with books to the hospital wards and waiting areas to make the reading material easily accessible to all patients.
Each book has a sticker recognising Myli’s donation.
Kerry Redmond Volunteer and Fundraiser Manager at Bass Coast Health welcomed the initiative from My Community Library.
“These books are now available throughout the hospital and also residential aged care,” said Ms Redmond.
“Patients can take the books home with them.”
The take-home books are already proving successful according to Sabine Aeschlimann from Myli.
“Among the more popular books are crime fiction, romance and books from the current best sellers list.
“We have quite a few copies of new releases,” said Ms Aeschlimann.
“No need to return them to the library.”
Not having to worry about getting the books back to the library has been greatly appreciated.
“Myli has 16 libraries and two mobile libraries that contribute,” said Adam Dalzotto.
“It’s a pilot program we would like to expand further.
“Patients are encouraged to sign up to My Community Library,” he said.
“It’s very exciting.”
Bass Coast is the first region in Victoria to offer take-home hospital books.
For more information on My Community Library go to myli.org.au or look for myli_library
on Instagram.