Fremantle City Library is boosting its stock of large print books for the elderly and sight impaired thanks to a bequest of almost $40,000.
Rosalie Raven, a library member who passed away in 2007, left her estate to the library to increase the large print range and the first delivery of books has now arrived.
Fremantle City Librarian, Julie Caddy, said the generous donation has made a significant impact on the collection, allowing for a greater variety of titles.
“Large print books are expensive, which limits us in the number we can order,” she said. “But this bequest has given us the ability to purchase a wider range over time. The money has been divided across the three major Australian suppliers of large print books and will result in regular deliveries of new titles from each one over the next year.
“I know the addition of these new books will be much appreciated by the many people with sight disabilities, who depend on larger type to read.”
Julie Caddy said Ms Raven was a regular library user in the year before her death, and an occasional user for many years prior.
“She lived alone and had few material possessions,” she said. “Our staff were aware of her hearing disability and always accommodated that in their dealings with her. It is wonderful that Ms Raven obviously found joy in our library service and wanted to help others enjoy it after she had gone.”
Some of the new large print titles include Karen Kingsbury’s Someday, Beverly Lewis’ The Forbidden, Bradford Scott’s Raiders of the Rio Grande, Nancy Atherton’s Aunt Dimity Goes West and Christiane Heggan’s The Search, among several others.
For further information contact Julie Caddy on (08) 9432 9769.
