1
Justin Chrysostom
LIS583, Dr. Bindeman
Homebound Delivery Service
The demographics of Clarence’s population leans heavily senior, and the library caters
well to this large target market. Maintaining partnerships with local senior centers and regularly
publicizing senior-oriented library events encourages library visitation and use. Based on
patronage from this local senior community, the library currently enjoys healthy and optimistic
annual usage reports on a regular basis. Some of this success is due to the ease with which
seniors can physically visit the library. Although some senior customers use personal vehicles to
travel here, many others take advantage of alternative transportation. Many local senior living
communities, for instance, have partnerships with free or low cost transit options such as the Erie
County Going Places Van, or Rural Transit. The nearby Clarence Senior Center even has a nocost 14 passenger van provided to them by the town.
Community need
However, even with such a large and mobile senior community, there’s little doubt of an
existing senior population that is currently underserved by the library: Those who are
homebound. Customers who cannot leave their home have no physical access to our library, and
as a result, cannot avail themselves to our collection of books and media. There is anecdotal
evidence that such a population exists due to incoming phone calls, emails, and remarks by other
senior visitors. A recent increase in these inquiries has prompted us to more formally identify the
extent of this population and create a proposal for a service to fulfill that population’s needs.
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The library’s mission to enrich, enlighten and entertain its community obligates us to
undergo this process and make our services more available. In this case, users who are
homebound as a result of physical limitation require a service that can reach them in their own
home. A library delivery service can meet this need. So, we present the “Homebound Delivery
Service”.
Homebound Delivery Service
Based on informal preliminary research and evaluations of comparable communities, we
expect a homebound population ranging anywhere from 30 to 250 in the Clarence community. In
short, our proposed Homebound Delivery Service will make library materials available to these
customers who are unable to pick them up themselves due to physical limitations. Members who
require this service can contact us by phone, email, instant messaging, and the website to register
and request library materials. Library staff will then locate and reserve these materials for
delivery. Materials will be accounted for in the library system by designating the loans as
“homebound” and specifying the delivery service used. Delivery services may be outsourced
through other agencies, completed by library staff and volunteers, completed through the postal
system, or a combination of these. Delivery runs will be made once every two weeks, with a
limit of eight items per person per delivery period. Materials can be returned through the delivery
service or by mail.
A small side note: We considered other names for this service, such as “Library Delivery
Service”, but we realize that wording might be easily confused with established inter-library loan
delivery services. The library does not anticipate any negative connotations or stigma
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surrounding the term “Homebound” in the title. Rather, the wording seems clearly descriptive
and straightforward. Still, we happily welcome suggestions!
SWOT Analysis
The current lack of an outreach service like this is one of our internal weaknesses. Most
of our programs and services are relegated behind our own library doors. So for those that can’t
make the trip here, there’s no way for them to access materials beyond the electronic catalog.
Potential customers are cut off from every part of the library’s physical collection. Luckily, one
of our strengths as a library is that we are one of the largest branch libraries in this system. As a
result, we enjoy the rare luxury of having just a little bit more budget to play with than
neighboring branches, meaning implementing new services like the Homebound Delivery
Service is a realistic prospect.
The Town of Clarence provides us with a unique opportunity to remedy our current
outreach weakness. Our Town has all the features that can make this service a success: There’s a
substantial senior population within our small, easily navigable borders, which also contains
reasonable population density. It also has easily identifiable senior centers and senior living
communities at first glance. Still, one of the challenges we face in Clarence is a simple lack of
information. We just don’t know how many people are homebound in our community, and
estimates range wildly, making this proposal either a walk in the park, or an extremely
troublesome math problem. The population question is one we will be investigating. This is a
needed service, we just have to find out the extent to which it’s needed and scale accordingly.
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Target population
Now, based on our initial evidence, this program will primarily target perpetually
homebound senior individuals due to our demographics and information from our visitors and
staff. However, this service will not be limited to this population. Thankfully, the nature of this
program will make it available to anyone, young or old, who happens to find themselves
permanently or temporarily homebound due to illness, surgery, or other circumstance.
We will be sending out a survey to potential populations and institutions in order to
identify needs and enroll a preliminary customer base. This will help us broadly determine the
initial scale of our delivery operations. After this initial solicitation, we will roll out an ongoing
marketing effort directed at raising awareness of this new service and enrolling more members.
Enrollment
Customer participation will be limited to those who have a genuine need for the service.
We do not currently see a need to require official documentation of physical limitations, so we
will initially (and watchfully) rely on the honor system and common sense. However, it would be
prudent to publish a policy which reserves our right to require formal documentation. For
instance, if there are suspicions that the service is being exploited by customers who are
otherwise physically capable, it may become necessary to implement that option going forward.
Additionally, if populations numbers are simply much higher than anticipated, it may be more
cost effective to require this additional documentation. This can help ensure only those who
genuinely need the service get it, reducing unnecessary and misdirected expenses.
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Partnerships
In order to make the most effective use of taxpayer dollars, we will explore the possibility
of partnering with existing transportation venues used by our senior population. In this way, the
library may be able to reduce delivery costs by outsourcing some or all of the physical
transportation of materials. Transportation services (like Rural Transit and the Erie County
Going Places Van) that already make routine trips to high density senior communities may be
hired to make homebound deliveries to these communities. Additionally, it would be sensible to
inquire about the routes and destinations of the local Meals on Wheels facility and explore the
possibility of a similar delivery partnership, since there may be overlapping customers. Of
course, for this to work, the costs associated with these potential partnerships must be favorable
when compared to library expenditures (in both time and money) without said partnerships.
Deliveries to outlying destinations –those beyond regular routes of service of these
potential partners- may have to be fulfilled by library staff, volunteers, or simply mailed with
return postage provided. The amount of mailed material will rely heavily on postage rates and a
cost/benefit analysis compared to local library delivery.
If, however, there is little enthusiasm by these transportation venues to participate in such
a partnership, the library may have to go it alone until another opportunity presents itself. The
library would then wholly rely on its own staff and resources to fulfill deliveries. Based on actual
homebound population numbers, this may present an easily achievable collateral duty, or a larger
obligation which requires more creative delegation and budgeting.
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Marketing and promotion
In order to market this new service to the community, the library will issue a press release
to local news. The Clarence Bee in particular is a highly valued newspaper specifically targeting
our town and our primary demographic. We will also post in-house flyers describing our service,
encouraging visitors to “Tell their friends back home!”, as well as posting perpetual notices on
our website and social media platforms. Local senior living communities will be targeted for
flyers and posters describing our service, as well as local healthcare facilities, physical therapy
offices, and the nearby “Main Mobility” handicapped vehicle dealership. Furthermore, in order
to more proactively identify homebound users, the library will regularly consult with local senior
centers and senior living communities to determine their level of need.
Implementing and marketing this service, like all other library services, cannot be a oneshot effort. The effectiveness of this service relies on consistent promotional effort. Marketing is
a part of this: Periodic follow-ups with regard to site visits and the distribution of promotional
materials must be maintained over time.
Implementation
Implementation of this service may take several months before we rollout this service.
Identifying and registering an initial homebound population, establishing delivery venues,
installing infrastructure, implementing procedures, and training staff will take some time.
Timetables follow for implementation estimates.
Once the system is up and running, there are some scenarios to study with regard to
additional time commitments: If conservative estimates of Clarence’s homebound population are
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considered, additional pressure on staff time will be minimal once the system is in place. If, for
instance, there is a small homebound population of 30 individuals, and assuming they all take
advantage of the Homebound Delivery Service, we can expect negligible additional in-house
processing. Staff will be engaged in collecting materials, marking “Homebound” status and the
delivery service used for the material, as well as packaging and addressing it. This process would
take approximately 15 minutes a day. Delivery of materials, if wholly completed by library staff,
can be estimated to take approximately one and a half to two hours every two weeks. Given the
minimal demands of this delivery schedule, the library may suggest above average mileage
reimbursements as incentive for staff or volunteers to use personal vehicles for this task. These
are very reasonable expenditures and do not strain existing schedules or budgets.
If, on the other hand, we assume there is the larger homebound population of 250 people,
all of whom use the service, in-house processing may take an additional hour and half every day.
Library delivery (depending on population clusters and routes) could take as much as twelve
hours every two weeks. This population is, of course, the extreme other end of the spectrum, and
would certainly stretch our current capabilities to the limit. If we find ourselves facing this
scenario, additional staff and delivery partnerships could make this number much more realistic
and achievable. The library may even consider purchasing its own dedicated delivery vehicle, if
it is determined to be appropriate and cost-effective.
Evaluation
From our initial efforts at implementation and promotion, to the official roll-out and
beyond, we will continuously evaluate this service. To ensure the success of this program for the
long term, what’s important is consistently re-evaluating the program’s effectiveness and cost
effectiveness.
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One of the most direct measures we will use to evaluate the program’s effectiveness is
the number of customers using the service. We will analyze usage trends and investigate whether
change in participation has any correlation to marketing efforts, our delivery schedules,
customer/delivery staff interactions, and/or population changes. We will periodically send out
surveys to individuals asking how we can improve our services. We’ll interview institutions
asking them about their residents and soliciting for leads on other potential delivery service
beneficiaries.
Cost effectiveness is an additional critical and complicated part of this process that must
be continuously re-evaluated. There is a balance that needs to be maintained with regard to
outside and in-house services. Partnerships with transportation venues are only valuable if they
provide a more cost effective delivery solution versus the library’s own processes. The cost of
mailing material must also be compared with delivery services and the library’s own process. If
costs or circumstances change, the library must be ready to change delivery processes or
agreements to shift to more cost effective options. Of course, all of these changes must be
weighed and considered with the customer in mind; Disruptions to delivery services must be kept
to a minimum. Periodic audits of the Homebound Delivery Service will accompany regular
research and cost evaluations of existing and alternative delivery processes.
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Timeline
Date
2/1/17
2/2/17
2/16/17
2/17/17
2/21/17
2/22/17
2/23/17
2/25/17
2/27/17
3/1/17
3/2/17
3/3/17
3/15/17
3/16/17
3/17/17
3/18/17
3/19/17
3/20/17
3/21/17
3/25/17
Event 1
Compile list of initial
survey recipients
Send initial surveys
with SASE
Compile survey
answers
Analyze survey
answers
Complete proposal
Initial contact with
local transportation
services
Draft Homebound
library policy
Event 2
Compile Survey
Draft delivery service
in-house procedures
Purchase hardware and
materials
Formal Consult with
transportation services
Formal Consult with
Meals on Wheels
Inquire about reduced
postage rates at USPS
Formalize
transportation
agreement(s)
Receive and install
technology and
hardware
Staff training
Staff training
Dry run and test of
delivery process
Publish Homebound
library policy
Open for business!
Assess technology
needs
Evaluate
implementation process
Event 3
Email initial surveys
Use data to determine
scale of service needed
Present proposal
Initial contact with
Meals on Wheels
Begin writing initial
plan
Implement proposal
Draft promotional
flyers, posters
Draft Homebound
applications and
literature
Possible deal?
Possible deal?
Inquire about reduced
postage rates at UPS
Inquire about reduced
postage rates at FEDEX
Implement delivery
service in-house
procedures
Send Homebound flyer,
poster design to printer
Create Homebound
application
Visit local senior
communities,
businesses, post
literature
Adjust
Publish Homebound
literature online
Issue press release,
contact local news
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Budgets
Staff time will be included in the following budgets only if the associated tasks fall well
outside of existing routine library scheduling. For example, some routine in-house actions, such
as website and social media updates are not included as measurable budget expenses. Additional
“reasonable” time obligations imposed by this proposal will likewise fall under routine work. It
is further understood that some “one time” expenditures may incur additional future costs for
restocking purposes, adjustments, etc. These future expenses are infrequent and inexpensive
enough to be considered insignificant for our purposes and the library’s current budget. Our
purpose here is to provide general expectations, not exact numbers. More exact numbers will be
forthcoming after initial population surveys. Three budget scenarios follow:
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1) Budget scenario if resulting homebound population = 30 individuals @ 100% participation,
with library and postage delivery.
The initial cost of this service will total approximately $610. After the delivery service is
implemented, recurring costs are expected to average $270 per month.
One time
expenditure
Ongoing
monthly
expenditure
X
X
X
Category
Initial survey mailers
Printing services
Mailing materials
X
X
X
X
Postage
Software adjustments
X
X
Other hardware
X
X
Transportation (self)
Description
Flyers, posters
Reusable bags or
containers
Disposable bags
or containers
Address labels or
tags
Including SASE
In-house library
system
Website, social
media updates
Existing cubby
for Homebound
holds
POV mileage
reimbursement
(50 miles
at .40₵/mi)
Staff time
Cost
50
100
100
10
10
250
70
20
Totals:
$610 initial cost
$270 recurring monthly cost
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2) Budget scenario if resulting homebound population = 250 individuals @100% participation,
with library and postage delivery.
The initial cost of this service will total approximately $3,754. After the delivery service
is implemented, recurring costs are expected to average $2,534 per month. Even if this is an
acceptable expense, there is a significant time obligation. At a minimum, one staff member will
be required to set aside 12 hours every two weeks to make deliveries. Finding volunteer drivers
will help reduce these significant expenses.
One time
expenditure
Ongoing
monthly
expenditure
X
X
X
Category
Initial survey mailers
Printing services
Mailing materials
X
X
X
X
Postage
Software adjustments
X
X
Other hardware
X
X
Transportation (self)
Description
Flyers, posters
Reusable bags or
containers
Disposable bags
or containers
Address labels or
tags
Including SASE
In-house library
system
Website, social
media updates
Book cart for
Homebound
holds
POV mileage
reimbursement
(500 miles
at .40₵/mi)
Staff time (24
hours at $9.75)
Cost
50
100
800
80
20
2000
70
200
200
234
Totals:
$3,754 initial cost
$2,534 recurring monthly cost
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Dedicated vehicle option for scenario 2:
Purchasing a dedicated vehicle for deliveries (rather than relying on personal vehicles) might
result in a lower average delivery cost over time. While the initial cost would climb to $18,554,
lower vehicle use costs would drop the monthly average to $2,394. Despite the initial up front
expense (less for something gently used!), this may be more just more cost effective for the long
term.
X
Transportation (self)
X
Dedicated
vehicle
Vehicle
maintenance/fuel
15,000
60
Totals:
$18,554 initial cost
$2,394 recurring monthly cost
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3) Budget scenario if resulting homebound population = 250 individuals @100% participation,
with a combination of delivery methods.
The initial cost of this service will total approximately $3,198. After the delivery service
is implemented, recurring costs are expected to average $1,978 per month. Because the townprovided van makes regular trips between the library and one senior center (located only 2 miles
away), the town has already extended a small gesture of generosity: Once every two weeks, the
van’s driver has volunteered to transfer Homebound Delivery materials from the library and the
senior center during his regular route, at no cost. Rural Transit may also offer their services in a
similar manner, but for a small monthly fee. Rural Transit has only four consistent destinations,
however they are dense target populations which may contain many potential customers.
Unfortunately, this means that there remains a significant outlying population that would require
individual costly library delivery or postal service delivery. Still, these partnerships are slightly
more cost effective than going it alone!
Again, enlisting (very enthusiastic) delivery volunteers will help reduce financial and
scheduling burdens on library staff.
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Budget scenario 3
One time
expenditure
Ongoing
monthly
expenditure
X
X
X
Category
Initial survey mailers
Printing services
Mailing materials
X
X
X
X
Postage
Software adjustments
X
X
Other hardware
X
Transportation (self)
X
X
Transportation (Venue 1)
X
Transportation (Venue 2)
Description
Flyers, posters
Reusable bags or
containers
Disposable bags
or containers
Address labels or
tags
Including SASE
In-house library
system
Website, social
media updates
Book cart for
Homebound
holds
POV mileage
reimbursement
(200 miles
at .40₵/mi)
Staff time (10
hours at $9.75)
Town van (1
destination)
(Rural Transit, 4
destinations)
Cost
50
100
800
80
20
1500
70
200
80
98
200
Totals:
$3,198 initial cost
$1,978 recurring monthly cost
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Conclusion
All of these budget outlooks use population numbers that reside on opposite ends of
broad estimates. Initial reports suggest our number may be on the lower end, and a budget
situation resembling scenario one seems likely. However, it is important to prepare and plan for
all reasonable possibilities. Preliminary surveys will be sent out shortly to establish more
concrete population estimates. After this, we will have a much better idea of where we stand, and
can plan accordingly.
This is an important service that has been lacking for some time. We look forward to
extending our reach and serving our community better with the Homebound Delivery Service.
As we move forward with this process, we will keep our lines of communication open and
active, so both the library’s staff and the community we serve will be aware of the services we
provide and know how to utilize them. We welcome and encourage your input and your
assistance in making this opportunity a reality!
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Works consulted:
ALA. (n.d.). Ideas and models for offering programs. American Library Association. Web.
Retrieved from: http://www.ala.org/ascla/asclaissues/101ideasserving
Buffalo and Erie County Public Library. (1996). Mission statement, vision statement, core
values, principles. Retrieved from: https://www.buffalolib.org/content/librarysystem/mission-statementvision-statementcore-valuesprinciples
Buffalo and Erie County Public Library. (2014). Clarence public library 2013 annual report.
Census, U.S.. (2011). Profile of general population and housing characteristics, town of
Clarence. 2010. Retrieved from:
http://www2.erie.gov/clarence/sites/www2.erie.gov.clarence/files/uploads/supervisor/201
0%20Census%20Profile%20of%20General%20Population%20and%20Housing%20Characteristics.pd
f
NTLP. (2011). Homebound program toolkit. Not Typical Library Partners. Web. Retrieved from:
http://nottypical.org/downloads/FY2011/homebound/HB%20Toolkit%202011.pdf
Prentice, A. (2011). Public libraries in the 21st century. Libraries Unlimited. Santa Barbara, CA.