Upcoming Events at the Library:
Friends of the Library Book Sale: Last chance to take advantage of great bargains! Through Saturday, April 27 during library hours and also on Sunday, April 28 from noon until 4 p.m.
Wildflower Display: Be sure to stop by the library to look at the wildflower display. It will go up on Monday, April 29 and will continue through the week. It could stay up even longer if the weather cooperates.
By Karen Greenwood, Volunteer Coordinator
Sedona AZ (April 24, 2013) – National Volunteer Week is about inspiring and encouraging people to seek out ways to engage in their communities and recognizing those who do. It’s about demonstrating to the nation that by working together, we have the strength to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals.
Thank you to Sedona Public Library volunteers!
Each year, volunteers donate time and energy at Sedona Public Library in service to our community. These volunteers are among the millions across the country who are spotlighted during the 40th Annual National Volunteer Week, April 21 – 27, 2013.
As nonprofit organizations across the country continue to face serious budget challenges, the vital contribution volunteers make takes on more importance all the time. Research conducted by the Corporation for National and Community Service found that in 2011, the number of volunteers reached its highest level in five years. 64.3 million Americans volunteered in a formal organization, an increase of 1.5 million from 2010. The volunteering rate increased nationwide by 0.5 percentage points to 26.8%. Altogether, Americans volunteered approximately 7.9 billion hours in a formal organization with a value of $171 billion.
On Sunday, April 14, we acknowledged our volunteers at a Rock ‘n Roll themed luncheon at the Library. Volunteers were presented with certificates and pins to thank them for their service. At Sedona Public Library, more than 160 active volunteers gave nearly 18,000 hours in 2012.
At the circulation desk alone, six volunteers work four-hour shifts each day we’re open, for a total of 144 hours each week. At SPL in the Village, volunteers devote 20 hours a week to checking items in and out.
Sedona Public Library was founded by volunteers and to this day, nearly half of the labor is provided by volunteers. To put it simply, the Library would not be available to the community if it were not for the volunteers who tirelessly give their time and talent every week of the year.
Volunteers help by:
- Checking items in and out at the circulation desk
- Answering the phone and issuing new library cards
- Shelving materials
- Processing items to loan to other libraries
- Assisting with the public use of computers
- Putting covers on and pockets in new books
- Processing magazines
- Sorting donated material to add to the Library’s collection
- Processing donations for regular and online book sales
- Repairing damaged items and cleaning CDs and DVDs
- Serving on the Friends of the Library Board
- Serving on the Sedona Public Library Board of Trustees
As the Library’s Volunteer Coordinator, I am continually impressed by the generosity, goodwill, support, and expertise our volunteers bring to our Library on a daily basis. So often, our volunteers put others’ needs ahead of their own while balancing family life, work commitments, and – sometimes – poor health.
Anyone can be a volunteer. Time is a precious and valuable gift to give, and so many of our volunteers give selflessly, time and time again. This week is your week, and you deserve the recognition.
It is the dedication, tireless efforts and personal involvement of the many individuals who volunteer their time and expertise that make Sedona Public Library a community-driven venue. Our volunteers have created a family, and we invite you to join us.
Next time you visit your Library, stop at the circulation desk and ask for a volunteer application form. As a volunteer, you may find yourself learning or developing a new skill, making new friends, becoming part of a friendly community, and just having fun! You can choose from many activities, according to your interests and skills, and the amount of time you have to give.
Volunteering is ultimately about helping others and having an impact on peoples’ well-being. What better way is there to connect with your community and give back? As a volunteer, you return to society some of the benefits that society gives you.