We still have a book magazine cart.  We no longer go to patient rooms unless they or the nurses call.  The volunteers deliver to the lobbies and lounges.  I send out an email yearly to employees asking for donated magazines telling them we would like to have donations that are less than a year old.  The latest I have asked for is anyone who has a free subscription not to let it go to waste.  Feel free to send it to the hospital and put Volunteer Services on it.  We have quite a few employees who donate that way.  We gather magazines through out information desk since they are the drop off site that is convenient for visitors.  Others leave them by our department.  We all know there are some magazines that are always good like Southern Living, National Geographic and we do keep more of those.  Anyone who calls we tell give them the same information when they are cleaning out their closets--less than one year.  We also take books.  The volunteers enjoying trading them in and out because they are reading them too.  We keep Bibles from the Gideons and distribute those in lobbies.  Any Bibles that go to the patient rooms are now shrink wrapped.  I have thought many times about the magazines and how many people do touch them but not ready to get rid of them yet.  To me one of the major issues as far as infection control would be the handling of money and we sure can't get rid of that--well not yet anyway.  I have actually had doctors tell volunteers they would prefer them not to work with money because of compromised immune systems.  I hope this helps you some. 

We discontinued ours many years ago, and like you have had recent pressure to reinstate it from Nursing Admiistration and the RN's.  After going to the inpatient tower and the areas where longer outpatient procedures are performed, it became obvious we will not reintroduce the service.

Unit Secretaries shared:

     Patients are generally stay such a short time or are too sick/involved in care activities to need or want reading materials.

     Longer term patients are bringing laptops and tablets.  In the outpatient areas we actually have       loaner tablets and an agreement with the library to provide them with e-literature the patient chooses.

     There already are magazines and books available in waiting areas and the Gift Shop.

Infection control:

     The vehicle must be sprayed down with VIREX after each shift on which it is used. This then must be air dried before it can be used again (and is then sticky, they told us). 

     No materials can be returned to the cart by any patient or visitor

But most of all, the volunteers did not support this at all, one even saying it was a "1950's activity".  When this is added to the "who will clean, where will they be stored, where is the reading material coming from" issues this one is just not a winner any longer.