Free library teleservices offer resources for a variety of needs
Overwhelmed by confusing medical paperwork? Need help with Zoom for a legal appointment or counseling session? Looking for work and don’t know where to start? The library’s Teleservices Program is here to help.
Social Service Specialist Judy Gnirrep works at the Lewes Public Library from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesdays. She said, “We can help people apply for benefits, go through the application process for Medicaid, SNAP, housing, food assistance. We can connect them with local agencies that are outside of the state facilities – the local food banks and neighborhood organizations that will help people if they need help paying some bills or they’re in a dire situation.” No library cards or IDs are required for using the teleservices, and there are no financial, residency or other criteria to meet.
Patrons can walk in or set up an appointment in advance. Gnirrep sits at an open table so people can find her easily, but sensitive consultations take place in one of the private study rooms nearby. There’s even a social service booth where she can set up a computer or Zoom appointment for a patron and then leave, so they have complete privacy.
“Sometimes people are overwhelmed because of a medical issue or age,” she said. “They come in with a pile of things they need to go through, and I help them organize it. I read through the documents and make sure they understand them, pointing them in the right direction.” She also meets people who are looking for a job for the first time in decades and don’t know about job-search sites, how to apply online, or the importance of LinkedIn and networking. Gnirrep’s MBA and business background come in handy, but she said she also was always good at organizing and connecting the dots.
There’s no typical social services client, but Gnirrep gives the example of a woman who had let medical documents pile up after her husband died.
“She had this big stack from two or three months’ worth,” said Gnirrep. “So, we went through and separated them – statements of benefits, actual bills, letters stating that some of the benefits had changed, and things she didn’t have to worry about.” Afterward, the woman thanked her profusely. “She had felt so overwhelmed, and when she left, she felt like she had a handle on her life again.”
Like most of the services offered by the Lewes Public Library, the teleservices program is free, funded by a grant from the Delaware Division of Libraries. However, many people don’t know that the library is not fully funded by state and county government, and must raise nearly half its own budget. To donate or to get information on library hours, programming and resources, go to lewes.lib.de.us.
In Sussex County, the Teleservices Program is available at libraries in Georgetown, Laurel, Lewes, Milford and Milton. Check each library for the specialist’s hours, as they vary. To reach Judy Gnirrep, email Judy.Gnirrep@lib.de.us.
