Before COVID-19, the museum would regularly work with assisted living homes, senior centers, and other similar residencies to welcome older adults for tours and activities
It isn’t news to say that the past several months have been challenging. Because of the pandemic, we have all had to spend more time at home with less interaction from our family and loved ones. As a result, many of us have taken to television, the internet, hobbies, and reading to pass the time.
Before COVID-19, the museum would regularly work with assisted living homes, senior centers, and other similar residencies to welcome older adults for tours and activities. Now, museum staff is well aware that this community, in particular, has been isolated by the pandemic. As a result, we have been working to find unique ways to serve this audience that we love so much.
When we closed our museum store in 2019, the McClung Museum was left with a surplus of books about art, culture, and archaeology. Within this surplus, museum staff saw an opportunity to match our elder communities with new and interesting content that can be shared outside of a virtual environment.
Our hope that this small token provides some respite until we are able to welcome our elders back into our galleries safely.
We developed the “Little Libraries” program. Staff collates packages of eight to ten books. Those packages are then gifted to senior, rehabilitation, and assisted living residences. The books can serve as an ambassador for the things one might see at the McClung.
Though we have not seen our older adult audience in a while, we have not forgotten how important they are to our museum. Our hope that this small token provides some respite until we are able to welcome our elders back into our galleries safely.
So far we have gifted five Little Libraries to communities or enters around Knoxville. Would you like to learn more or get involved? Contact Katy Malone at katy@utk.edu.
Or if you would like to make a monetary contribution to this program and others like it, then please click below.