In 2015, the Alzheimer’s and Related Interest Group (IGARD) of ASCLA/ALA conducted its first National Survey of Current Practices (Excel spreadsheet).

Since that time, many more libraries across the country have begun offering programs and services directly to persons living with dementia in their communities.  IGARD would like to update its previous survey in order to get an up-to-date picture of what libraries are doing in this important area of service.

If you are one of these innovative libraries, please self-identify by completing this brief survey – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2017-library-dementia-survey.

If you responded to the earlier survey, we would appreciate an updated response.  Results of this updated survey will be accumulated and posted on the IGARD Web page before ALA’s Annual Conference in June.

If your library has not yet begun offering services to this growing segment of your community or is at the beginning stages, please note that IGARD is also hosting a Preconference before the Annual Conference entitled “Becoming a Dementia Friendly Library: Serving People Living with Dementia in Your Community”.  We are bringing in experts from the field of dementia care to provide background information and will be presenting several case studies of successful programs for this too often forgotten population. The preconference has been listed in the Conference Scheduler.

Thank you in advance for your assistance with the survey and for your good work improving the quality of life for those living with dementia!  Feel free to forward this message to any other colleagues who might be interested in responding to the survey.