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Arlington Public Library

volunteers: what do they do?

What Volunteers Do: Give American Girl Dolls a Bath

Bath and Laundry Day

One of the mother-daughter teams who help take care of our American Girl Doll collection recently blogged about their latest adventure.

American Girl Doll Cleaning 1

Jannah-Rae undresses American Girl Dolls for washing.

Volunteer Ranya Mike writes,

When we picked up our first group of dolls, we were handed a bag. It contained our supplies: a box of baking soda, a dry-cleaning kit, a brush and a comb, and Clorox wipes. We were also handed specific instructions on what to do and how to do it. It all seemed simple enough, until we actually had to do it!

We had ten dolls in our first group. Ten dolls each wearing an outfit complete with underwear, anklets, socks or leggings, shoes, and belt. Some girls had eye glasses, hair bows, and shoulder bags. Each of these outfits needed to be taken apart, sprayed with stain remover where stained, disposed into the dry-cleaning bag and run in the dryer. We decided to do the dry-cleaning all in one batch. This later provided us with a challenge and a learning opportunity…

Once naked, the dolls needed to be “washed” and groomed. A bowl of baking soda mixed with warm water and a soft washcloth constituted their bath. Their hands, legs and faces were carefully wiped down. As they were drying off, we tended to their hair; and did the best we could. Some girls had straight flowing hair, others had theirs in tangles. We gently teased, pulled and prodded: some to no avail while others emerged with beautiful styles.

After the load [of laundry] was done, we stared at the pile of clothes. Yes they were sanitized, but the pile was one giant mess. When we decided to launder all the clothes together I had missed an important detail: although there were many of the same dolls on hand, each had a unique barcode by which she and her belongings were identified. We had to match each item to its exact owner; we couldn’t just simply dress them up. This proved a little daunting for three reasons: the number of garments, because some items weren’t labelled, and because some clothes had come to us mismatched.

But we couldn’t let this challenge get in our way. It slowed us down but didn’t stop us…

Read about how Ranya and Jannah-Rae solved this problem, and see more photos of the process, on her blog, Ranya, the Memory Keeper.

 

We are grateful to have such fabulous, talented and patient volunteers – thank you Ranya and JR!

 

Interested in becoming a Library volunteer? Check out the Current Openings on our Volunteer Page.

 

What Volunteers Do: Get "Real World" Experience

Arlington Library and Schools Partner for Senior Experience

Emma and Kyle in front of Emma’s Summer Reading Program artwork

Emma and Kyle in front of Emma’s Summer Reading Program artwork

Washington-Lee High School seniors Kyle Chipman and Emma Troy spent the last three weeks of their high school career supporting a critical Library outreach activity – helping Central Library’s Youth Services librarians prepare for Summer Reading.

Washington-Lee’s Senior Experience program encourages graduating teens to spend at least 75 hours in volunteer, employment, internship, or special project activities at the end of the school year, as a way to explore the “real-world” work environment. Seniors work under a contract, established with a mentor who has agreed to share his or her wisdom, experience, and talents. For Kyle and Emma, this mentor was “Ms. Mariela” Aguilar, Youth Services Librarian at Central.

Mariela noted that Senior Experience participants are considered full members of the Library team.

As with any other employee or volunteer, they are expected to meet their work obligations by: arriving on time for their scheduled shifts, checking in with Library staff, completing their assignments accurately and efficiently, logging their hours, and in the case of an emergency that precludes coming to work, notifying their mentor in a timely manner. If they do not complete their end of the signed “contract,” their Senior Experience is terminated and they are sent back to school for the remainder of the term.

The Library’s Summer Reading program, which helps kids of all ages maintain reading proficiency over the summer break, is a complex undertaking. A theme is chosen, supporting materials are developed, printed, and organized for all age groups, special guests are identified and scheduled, and prizes are obtained. Then the Summer Reading communications blitz begins, with librarians giving talks at each school to introduce the program to all Arlington County schoolchildren, and decorations going up in each of the Library’s locations. Finally in early June, babies, kids and teens sign up for Summer Reading – and then the fun really begins!

Without our Summer Experience volunteers, Mariela says that Central Library would have had a much harder time getting ready for Summer Reading. 

“We turned Emma and Kyle loose to set up Summer Reading at Central, and they did a wonderful job.” Mariela also noted that Emma, who will be studying art at Virginia Commonwealth University, developed beautiful posters and window decorations reflecting this year’s theme of “STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math).” And Kyle, demonstrating the logical mind of the math major he will be at Vanderbilt, did a great job organizing the materials needed by kids of all ages, at all library locations. In fact, Kyle and Emma were so efficient that Youth Services loaned them to the Materials Management department, to support some of their special  projects.

Kyle and Emma welcomed being in a professional work environment, “but in a comfortable setting,” and seeing firsthand the behaviors required for professional success.

They also appreciated being given responsibility to get the job done, with a minimum of direction. And they learned “how much behind-the-scenes work goes into making a good library experience”…something they saw first-hand while supporting Summer Reading. Emma and Kyle highly recommend the Arlington Public Library System as a Senior Experience placement opportunity.

 

Both Washington-Lee and Yorktown High Schools offer Senior Experience programs, and both Central Library and the Westover Branch Library have hosted participants. If you are a graduating senior and are interested in participating in the program, please contact your school’s Senior Experience Coordinator for more information. If you are interested in volunteering in the Arlington Public Library System for your Senior Experience, please contact a librarian in early April; the Library would love to have you.

 

Reporting by Mariela Aguilar, Youth Services Librarian, and Laura West, Library volunteer

 

Outstanding Volunteer Awards 2014

Library Volunteers Recognized By Arlington County

Library volunteer Deborah Jones received an individual award and Talking Books and Homebound Services received a team award.

The County’s Outstanding Volunteer of the Year awards are presented each spring by the County Board chair at the start of a board meeting. All County departments may nominate individuals or teams for an award, so competition is stiff!

Volunteers crop

At the County’s Outstanding Volunteer of the Year award ceremony (from L-R): Debbie Jones, Patrick Syring, Yvonne Bagnell, Mary Clair Gildea, Ira Meiselman. Not pictured: Jackie Borgel and Kel Burt.

 

Meet Our Winners

Debbie Jones volunteer

Debbie Jones

Deborah Jones manages the book collection used by nine book discussion clubs sponsored by the Library.

She distributes copies of a title to each group monthly and checks-in returned items. Each quarter, she sends out a call for new title suggestions, compiles the input and sends the list out for each group for a vote. Winning titles are purchased for the Book Discussion group collections. Debbie’s self-direction and efficiency support the Library’s mission to promote the joy of reading, dialogue and community gatherings for adults. Her work allows copies of books to be shared among the groups at a tremendous saving and frees paid staff for other services.

 

 

talking books volunteers

Talking Books volunteers Patrick Syring, Yvonne Bagnell and Kel Burt

The Talking Books and Homebound Services team won for their work in providing books for those who are visually and/or physically challenged.

The Library provides access to the Talking Books program sponsored by the Library of Congress’s National Library Services for the Blind and the Physically Handicapped. For those who use senior centers, books they request are brought to the center especially for them to check out and everyone at the centers are welcome to join the book discussions sponsored by the Library, using books in our book discussion collection. For each service, team members complete a myriad of tasks that paid staff couldn’t accomplish in a timely manner.

 

 

 

Interested in becoming a Library volunteer? Check out the Current Openings on our Volunteer Page.

 

What Volunteers Do: Film Presenters at Shirlington

Interact with and Entertain Library Patrons

Film Presenters screen movies at the different branches in the Arlington Library system.

Mary Prisbrey, Shirlington librarian, described how this function is performed at her branch.

Film Presenter at the Shirlington Branch Library

Function: Selects and show movies
Current number of volunteers: 2
Hours: Early evening, 2-3 hours
Special Skills: Comfort with technology, love of movies

Shirlington has two dedicated Film Presenter volunteers: one who selects the movies to be shown and the other who shows them. Of course, the process is a little more complex than that.

About a month before a film will be presented, volunteer Barbara Goldstein swings into action. Using her understanding of the types of films that might interest library clientele and her knowledge of what films are available, Barbara selects a movie. She then checks to see if the library has the rights to show the movie, and orders it.

When movie day arrives, Shirlington’s second Film Presenter volunteer takes over.

Shirlington screens movies twice a month, at 4:30 PM and 6:00 PM. The volunteer arrives about 20 minutes before screen time, picks up the film from a staff member, arranges the room, and then uses the high-tech projection system (see picture) to run the movie. The Film Presenter stays in the room during the screening to provide special equipment to hearing-impaired patrons, if requested, and to ensure all the equipment continues to function. (Given the high-tech equipment in use, it’s useful if the Film Presenter is comfortable with troubleshooting technology!) After the movie completes, the Film Presenter turns off the equipment, straightens the room, and returns the movie to a staff member.

Mary says that movie night is a critical outreach function for the Shirlington branch. Some of the branch’s patrons may not have television or the resources to buy movie tickets, and this service provides a fun night out. Other patrons enjoy the lure of the big screen and interaction with other viewers…a cinema experience for free, rather than spending a night alone at home!

– by volunteer Laura West and Shirlington Branch librarian Mary Prisbrey

 

Interested in becoming a Library volunteer? Check out the Current Openings on our Volunteer Page.

 

 

What Volunteers Do: Central Library Welcome Desk

Here to Help

Central Library is the largest, the busiest, and with a plethora of special services, the most complex location in the Arlington Library system.

Newcomers entering the building often need assistance to get them oriented and to enjoy the Library’s services.

Volunteer Position: Welcome Desk at Central Library

Gil Leigh volunteer welcome desk central

Gil Leigh, Central library Welcome Desk Volunteer

 

Function: Greet patrons and answer questions
Number of current volunteers: 17
Hours: 2+ hours/week
Special Skills: Mental agility, kindness, computer skills

 

 

 

The Welcome Desk, centrally located on the Library’s first floor, is there to help. Welcome Desk volunteers greet new arrivals, introduce them to the Library, and answer their questions. And because they are the first person a patron may see, these volunteers play a critical role in setting and maintaining positive first impressions.

A key priority for the Library system is to provide good customer service. Welcome Desk volunteers help Central achieve this goal by relieving paid staff of some routine activities resulting in shorter wait lines and quicker responses to patron needs.

Barbara Dean, Volunteer Coordinator for Central’s Welcome Desk, took some time to discuss this important volunteer opportunity. Barbara noted that Central Library is the only Arlington Library with volunteers dedicated to assisting people as they come in to the building. (The Columbia Pike Branch Library, the second largest location in the library system, has a Library Service Desk on the second floor, but its function is somewhat different.) The Welcome Desk is staffed all the hours Central Library is open, with the exception of 5:00-9:00 PM on Sundays, when fewer patrons arrive. Shifts are a minimum of two hours, although many volunteers work longer.

Barbara told us that successful Welcome Desk volunteers love working with the public and making that one-on-one connection with the community. They believe in the value of libraries, as a community resource and as a personal one. Many of the Welcome Desk volunteers are retired, so this position is a great way to keep active and engaged with others.

Although this position does not require many physical skills (just the ability to move around the main floor of Central Library), it does require mental agility and troubleshooting skills. Welcome Desk volunteers must have an in-depth knowledge of what goes on in Central Library, so they can answer myriad questions and direct patrons in the right direction

Welcome Desk volunteers also perform important orientation services, such as signing up patrons for library cards, showing them how to use the on-line system to find books and access their account, and scheduling patrons for the ADA-compliant computer. Finally, Welcome Desk volunteers troubleshoot the Library’s copiers…a very welcome service to harried customers.

If this position sounds intriguing but you think it might be too tough, don’t worry. New Welcome Desk volunteers receive training from a long-time Welcome Desk volunteer who provides them with the knowledge and skills needed.

If you are interested in learning more about Central Library’s Welcome Desk volunteer opportunities, please email Barbara Dean Volunteer Coordinator for Central’s Welcome Desk volunteers, and Volunteer Program Manager for all volunteer positions in the Library system, at volunteercoordinator@arlingtonva.us.

-by Laura West, Arlington Public Library Volunteer

 

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