The new “Memory Care Collection” at Hubbard (Ohio) Public Library (HPL) is for patrons with dementia, Alzheimer’s, other related cognitive concerns, and their care partners and families. The collection includes books specifically written, illustrated and created for people with memory and cognitive-related conditions (e.g., Memory Care books by Emma Rose Sparrow), games for individuals and their families and care partners (e.g., OuiSi® photo card games), and five Memory Care kits.
These Memory Care kits include two sock matching activity kits and three different game kits. Each kit comes with a binder full of information on how to use the kits and much more. These items can be checked out from the HPL “Library of Things.”
This collection has been created with the support and guidance of Dementia Friends Ohio and Ohio Council for Cognitive Health. Program resources are also based on research and recommendations presented in the free guide “The Dementia Inclusive Public Library Guide." This guide is a free resource developed by the Ohio Council for Cognitive Health to help public libraries and community organizations create dementia-inclusive spaces and programs.
Advanced Planning
Plans for the “Memory Care Collection” have developed and evolved over recent years. In particular, the Adult Services Team at HPL had been receiving requests for these types of materials, e.g., including resources on what is dementia, Alzheimer’s and other cognitive/memory-related conditions, and how to address the needs of individuals, including family members with these conditions, and more. In particular, requests began with a patron asking for short, large-print stories for her mom who was experiencing memory loss and struggling to focus on novels. The HPL Director and staff take great pride in their proactive approach and attitude toward meeting the community's traditional, ongoing and new needs.
The Adult Services staff continuously identify, assess, evaluate, innovate and evolve to meet changing community needs in order to serve patrons and community members and expand resources and services offered. The “Memory Care Collection” and associated training sessions for staff and awareness presentations for the public were among initial efforts to ensure that HPL is a ‘dementia-friendly’ and inclusive environment. Creation and implementation of the “Memory Care Collection’ provides a unique, powerful and beautiful resource for this community.
Such a program is a beautiful, accessible, curated, high-quality resource at any time. This new program is particularly timely as the community ages, and families strive to find additional at-home books, activities and resources for family members who may be experiencing memory care issues. Approximately 236,200 Ohioans aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD), representing an 11.3% prevalence rate that exceeds the national average of 10.7%. [Nelson and Menne, Innovation in Aging (12/2023)]
Marketing
Prior to the creation and implementation of this “Memory Care Collection” program and resources, the library offered a presentation, “What is Dementia?” to the community, as well as a training session offered to library staff. The intent of these public awareness and staff training sessions was to help move the library toward being a warm and welcoming place for individuals with dementia and other memory/cognitive conditions, and to create a ‘dementia-friendly’ and more inclusive library.
Following the creation of the “Memory Care Collection” and acquisition of the initial offerings (books, games, Memory kits), this new program was announced and promoted widely, utilizing print, digital, video and other media formats. Photos and videos were posted to HPL’s Facebook page, HPL's website and the Hubbard Friends of the Library Facebook page; news releases appeared in local and community newspapers. In addition, the promotion of these new “Memory Care” resources and programming has been and will continue to be accomplished on an ongoing basis via usual library publicity and announcement outlets, including the Library webpage, social media and more.
Most recently (October 2026), the Library Director made a presentation about this new “Memory Care Collection” and related activities at the Ohio Library Council’s 2026 Annual Conference to share this program with other Ohio Libraries.
Budgeting
Space for this new and permanent “Memory Care Collection” was reallocated and repurposed from its previous usage and required no renovations. All that was needed was shelving and display space. The collection is located to attract attention and for ease of access. This space is ideal because it is in a highly visible location within the library's Adult Services Department. The primary costs associated with the program are the materials, including books, selected memory-care-related games (e.g., OuiSi® games), and Memory Kits.
If cost-cutting is necessary, the number of these resources could be reduced. In particular, a “Memory Care Collection” could be started with a small number of such resources, and additional resources can be added as costs and budget permit.
Day-of-event Activity
Two programs, one presentation to the general public and one training session focused on training for the library staff, were held. No special set-up was required. The presenter for both of these sessions provided them at no charge to the library. This service is provided by the Ohio Council of Cognitive Health. The Ohio Council for Cognitive Health is a growing network of care partners, health partners and community members dedicated to transforming life for those living with dementia, their loved ones and their communities.
Our approach ensures scalable, sustainable transformation across systems, within communities and throughout our state. The information session for the public was well attended, and library staff participation in the training session for library workers was outstanding.
Program Execution
As stated previously, the “Memory Care Collection” is a new, ongoing and long-term addition to the programs and services offered by Adult Services and HPL. The items available for circulation are already in demand, and clearly the need for this program will continue to grow. This program will expand through additions to the collection of materials available for circulation to patrons.
The materials offered are a much-needed and welcome resource for patrons and others who wish to better understand dementia and related conditions and to have resources to use at home for family members or others with dementia and/or other memory/cognitive conditions. Informal feedback, including patrons' requests for specific items and positive comments, demonstrates the success of this venture.
Our goal is to provide a carefully curated collection of quality, engaging and educational/entertaining hands-on resources to facilitate family participation and human interactions for those with dementia and their families and care partners. It is also noteworthy that this program has already attracted designated donations for its ongoing growth and expansion. This is yet another indicator of the success of this program and its activities. Our goals have been achieved, and this program and its associated resources will continue to grow. In addition, other libraries have already expressed interest in replicating this program and collection at their libraries.
Advice
Our most important advice would be ‘now is the right and perfect time’! The time, efforts and resources involved in developing and implementing this “Memory Care Collection” are completely merited, needed and worthy. Thus, do not wait, begin now. You can ‘start small.’ It is not necessary to have hundreds of items for circulation.
Plan for and have the numbers and types of items you can offer based on your library’s resources (financial, space, personnel, and other).
It is also important to consider the time-consuming nature of some items in a “Memory Care Collection.” For example, non-book items (e.g., games, Memory Kits) have very different storage, handling and other considerations than books. These include: inventory; check-out and return of items that may have multiple pieces; storage of these diverse materials; and cleaning and sanitizing, to name a few. Also, as with any new program or resource, it is important to collaborate with all departments within your library to ensure success.
Support of all library departments and associated staff is essential to the success of any new venture. As libraries and programs, services and resources continue to evolve to meet growing and changing community needs and challenges, ‘non-book’ collections, resources and services will certainly only expand!
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