Need an idea for my elderly MIL

 How about a couple of magazine subscriptions? Reader Digest is always great for story readers.

honestly a Kindle would be just the thing for her.  Particularly if someone will sit down with her periodically and help her download some books.

 They have a lending library (you can only "borrow" one a month) BUT she can access their online stuff and you can get a TON of books for "free" and for $.99 if someone would help her peruse the titles occasionally. 

The Kindle Fire requires wi fi -- but just a regular Kindle that someone could set down with her and help her download what she wants.

 THEN she can read them in whatever font she wants!!!  The type gets pretty danged big and once someone gets it set up for her on the carosel -- when she's done reading she turns it off, and when she picks it up again it zooms straight to THAT page.  I do a whole lot more reading on mine than I ever thot I would

Since they don't necessarily have time to help her with an e reader maybe some sort of Book of the Month Club.  They've been around a long time and everything can be done by mail.

The magazine subscriptions is a good idea. 

 LOL, I had a Reader's Digest here for her when she was visiting, and she went through it in a day!

I did mention a Kindle to her, but she said she likes the feel of books.  She's not terribly adaptable.  The computer connections up there are very sporadic and slow, if they even get a connection.  I think they would have to go elsewhere to download anything, which really isn't unreasonable if you download a lot at once, but there is still the issue of whether she could get used to using it.  

I was trying to find a solution online....the perfect one is in NYC, where the library will mail you books and you mail them back.  Of course that is only in NYC, and I couldn't find anything like that close to her.

 Book of the Month Club!  That's a good idea, Jackie!  She has a birthday in November, and I could have them bill me, but she could pick the books.  One book won't last all month, but it's better than nothing, I guess.

I was thinking Book of the Month as well.  You could also supplement it with a couple of magazine subscriptions - Good Housekeeping, etc.

Also, I used to belong to a Mystery magazine that had a tons of short stories in it.  It was great.  The book plus the mags will definitely keep her busy.

Also, if you are looking for a bunch of books to send her, I could definitely dig some up and ship them to her.  Our library has $1 paper bag sale, which is basically $1 for all the books you can fit in a large paper grocery bag. 

 I honestly wouldn't mind and it would help me out, since this year I am trying to do something for someone I don't know each month.  The shipping wouldn't be much at all (media rate is slow but very cheap).  Please let me know if I can help out and if so, what kind of books she likes!

mrstjohnson

it would help me out, since this year I am trying to do something for someone I don't know each month

That's so nice of you, Lisa. :) 

JackieG

mrstjohnson

it would help me out, since this year I am trying to do something for someone I don't know each month

That's so nice of you, Lisa. :) 

I am trying to balance out my evil, witch side

It's too funny - David and I are both voracious readers -- both of us can read 3-7 books a week easily.  I'm the one who didn't want to use a reader -- TOO HEAVY (I have all sorts of trouble with my hands at times). 

I wanted the Kindle for the wireless portability.  But ... *grin*  I'm the one who reads on myu Kindle and David barely does at all -- he does other stuff on it (and uses it at work surprisingly)

Now I am NEVER without a book in my purse and I truly do *not* carry my Kindle b/c it's heavy.  It stays at home, or goes when David's along to help carry stuff.  But me, the book fiend, I like a reader far more than I thot.

That said -- my first suggestion was going to be the gutenbergproject.org -- FREE -- you can download books or just read them off their site -- completely free. 

However -- for "books" -- my first thot is garage sales -- or what's the sale/swap thing that everyone but me uses -- Craigslist!!! (I have to be the only mortal online who has never looked at Craigslist -- who me?  doesn't get out much?? *grin*)

Any used book stores locally?  They're still popular down here -- you take in books you want to trade and usually get 1/4 of the cover price or so in credit.  Then you can buy most anything on the shelves for half off (less whatever 'credit' you got for books you brought in)  If you do it often it's pretty cheap.  And often they have "distressed books" for $.25 that were too beat up to sell at half prices.

They must have some sort of local freebie newspaper that advertises stuff like this.

But honestly if she doesn't want to 'bother' someone to take her to the library-- which is the last "free" place on the planet to get most anything most anything is going to involve going somewhere to get something.  Even book of the month stuff -- tends to be high priced and you only get ONE per month.  I'd surely go broke *smile*

If she likes trash romances let me know -- like LIsa I'd be happy to box up a bunch and send them ... the stacks in my bathroom are growing alarmingly high.  My husband would consider it a favor! LOL

I'm not sure how her local library works, but I know that ours has a program to take books to the elderly, pick them up, and then bring them new books every so often.  I honestly haven't looked into it too much, but I do know that the program is there.

Maybe you can contact her library and see if they offer a similar program?  Or contact one of the local elderly assistance associations, sometimes they have programs like that as well.

One other idea, does she go to church?  Maybe her church would be willing to help her out, or they could organize a similar program together. 

crouchingcheese

Or contact one of the local elderly assistance associations, sometimes they have programs like that as well.

or maybe even a senior center?  I suppose that may be more an urban concept but usually there is some sort of organization.

 Everyone has already covered what I could suggest: senior center, church, library outreach program.

 The senior center may have someone who can go out and set up her stereo too.  Ours does.  Not all do, depends what volunteers sign up for what.

Check out half.com. You can find brand new, bestselling books for a few dollars and if you buy several from the same seller, the shipping is a bargain. I check there before I buy a book anywhere else and have had great luck with it.