Volunteering

I always knew that I would volunteer when I retired, but I wasn’t sure where. Opportunities abound for both one-time volunteer jobs as well as continuous ones. A wise friend suggested that I take my time and wait at least a year before I commit to anything. So I did. I talked to many people about their volunteering and even visited the places that I thought I might try. There are several local organizations that I would like to support: Lancaster Art Museum, Fulton Opera House, Habitat for Humanity, the animal shelter, and the public library. The one thing I knew I didn’t want to do was anything related to teaching.

In the end, I chose to volunteer at a small branch of the public library. It is close by, parking is free, and the volunteers are permitted to do many different tasks because the library staff is limited to one director and one librarian. So we can check in or out books, shelve books, look for books on hold, renew books, and work on projects. Ironically, during this recession when people need library services the most, funding to libraries has been greatly diminished. According to our local paper, last year when library circulation was up 9% and visitors up 11%, the state’s library subsidy was cut 21%.

Many of us take having a home computer or even multiple computers for granted. Imagine how disenfranchised people who have no computer access would be. Last year when in-library computer use was up 19%, the state’s Library Access funding (for electronic resources) was slashed 73%. The four computers at our small branch that are available to the public who have library cards are constantly busy. People use the computers to hunt for jobs, apply for jobs, connect to family members who are far away, etc.

The public libraries offer extensive summer programs for children in addition to a summer reading program that encourages reading with wonderful incentives. Those who complete the summer reading program earn tickets to local events, amusement parks, restaurants, and more. It is a way for families to afford what might be a great extravagance for some.

From where I sit in my volunteer position, I see families with children taking out piles of books, tapes, DVDs, and even passes to local museums. Of course teens and adults also take out books, magazines, and DVDs. A surprising number of people check out books on tape or CDs. I am curious about what they do while they listen. Are they commuting, traveling, sewing, knitting?

I grew up in a house that was only one block from a public library in Massachusetts. So I have been a lifelong library user. I estimate that using libraries has saved me somewhere between $15,000 and $20,000 in lieu of buying all the books that I have read in my life so far. The reality is that were it not for libraries I probably wouldn’t read as much as I do. Of course I buy some books and borrow some, but mostly I like to use the library. Today it gives me great pleasure to see six-year-old children smiling proudly when they receive their first library cards. Volunteering can be very rewarding. The other bonus is that I almost always find something to bring home each week when I volunteer—a book, magazine, or movie. So I guess it’s a good thing I’m not volunteering at the animal shelter!