Montclair Library Reaches Out To Seniors With ‘Activity Kits’

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the Montclair Public Library. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

The Montclair Public Library has more than doubled the number of “Senior Center in a Box” activity kits available to senior citizens since their initial launch in September 2021. These free, thoughtfully curated kits are focused on specific activities and themes, which seniors can do on their own or with minimal assistance, and can be borrowed with an MPL library card.

The initial launch featured 165 kits with themes such as knitting/crocheting, coloring, puzzles, birdwatching, exercise, board games, and book-and-DVD combinations. The current total is 350 kits, with new activities such as:

• cookbooks with measuring cups and spoons
• painting (including watercolors, palette, brushes, easel, and canvas)
• weaving, macramé, and embroidery kits
• 3-D puzzles (including airplanes, ships, cars, and famous landmarks)
• fishing lures and fishing stories

“We are very grateful to the Township for providing financial support for this innovative way to reach our seniors,” says Library Director Janet Torsney.

Each kit can be borrowed for 28 days, with a maximum of three kits borrowed at a time. Seniors can visit montclairlibrary.org/adults/seniors/kits to browse available kits and reserve them, or call 973-744-0500 ext. 2232 for assistance. Once reserved, kits can be picked up from the Main Library or (upon request) from the Bellevue Avenue Branch. Kits can also be delivered through H.A.S. (Home Assisted Services), an MPL service in which library materials are delivered to Montclair residents who cannot visit the Library in person due to age, mobility issues (chronic or temporary), or other reasons.

In addition, the Library will launch a Senior Craft Club every Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. starting September 13. Senior citizens can gather to knit, crochet, color, work on puzzles, and more by borrowing a “Senior Center in a Box” or bringing their own supplies. Participants can join in-person at the Main Library or virtually via Zoom; registration is required at montclairlibrary.org/events.

Senior Center in a Box was funded by the Township of Montclair through federal CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) funding provided by Essex County.

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