Anita began volunteering in 2008. She keeps coming back because of she enjoys the interaction with the people. She does shelving, cleaning, shelf reading, cutting out preschool crafts, sorting donated books, and pick lists. Her hobbies include sewing, cooking and gardening.
Diane began volunteering in 2006. “I volunteer to give back to the library that has given me so much service through the years. Working with the knowledgeable, enthusiastic staff is stimulating. Volunteering here broadens my horizons.” Diane reviews the computer records and inspects the new books and AV media before they are put into circulation. Her other hobbies are traveling, gardening, sailing, reading, photography, hiking, cross-country skiing, knitting and quilting. In the new building, “the broadness of our collection in both books and AV media has increased substantially. When that is coupled with what is available through the Lakeland Library System and Michigan Collaborative downloadable e-books, there seems to be little that is not available to patrons.”
- Charlotte may have retired after working for the library for 20+ years, but we just couldn’t let her go. She volunteers putting the clear mylar covers on the hardback dust jackets several hours a week.
Doris is beginning her third year helping the library. “I love the library, the library concept and the good people who work and frequent it.” She serves in the Friends of the Library book store, assists monitoring the teen room and writes book reviews. Over the years, she's seen the increase in attendance at library programs, and usage of its many services. “The library has become a local 'hot spot.'” She likes writing, gardening and book clubs.
Sharri is giving back to the community through the library services. She assists with the children's outread programs “Reach out and Read” (ROAR) by regularly reading to children at the schools. She also helps with RIF (Reading is Fun) where she and Youth Librarian Peggy Hemerling distribute books to children for their very own. Sherri loves the new building, and is a history buff.
- Phill is usually on hand to lend his muscle to set up the book sales. He’s also been the “duck man” who sold the most duck race tickets. Phill is always happy to help where he can.
Deidre recently began working to put books back on the shelves, and pack books to go to other libraries. She loves serving the community, as well as hobbies of reading, drawing and video games!
Margene has been volunteering for about seven years in our “Reach Out and Read” (ROAR) program, reading to children at Central School. The beautiful new library building is the biggest improvement she’s seen. She has other hobbies like walking, swimming, reading and travel.
- Megan has been assisting us four years now, helping with programs and activities. She likes the growing teen book selection. She also is an aspiring artist, drawing cartoon characters among other things.
- Solvej enjoys giving back to the community, and believes in having libraries for all ages. For the past couple years, she has been getting returned books and DVDs back on the shelves, helps assemble the baby kits, and works the book sales among her many duties. Her other hobbies are hiking, reading, and enjoying nature. The improvements that stand out to her include the new library building, more computers and large print books, and a larger non-fiction collection.
- Ray has recently joined the library outreach, reading to Kindergarten children. He also likes golf, scuba and grandchildren! He says the new library is easier to use than ever before.
- Marcia has been with us for five years. She and her husband Ed have worked on keeping our audio books and movies repaired. They are glad to serve, and it fits their schedule. Marcia also enjoys reading, cooking, volunteering and hiking. Over the years she’s seen us move to the new beautiful building, and is glad to see we’ve increased our public computers from seven to twenty-five.
- Marlene began volunteering in 2006, and loves reading for the ROAR (Reach out and read) program. Improvements in the library? Just about everything! (Although she says the service has always been great.) She also does needlework, crosswords and sudoku.
- Carol has been active in the library for twelve years. She finds the work interesting, and the staff friendly. She’s made good friends here, and wants to contribute to the libarary. She understands that it takes the volunteers to keep it operating. We have Carol correcting records on the computer, looking for lost books, making sure items are on the shelf in the correct order and assisting in cleaning out the old books. The new building affords better service with the self-checkout stations, the self-serve Hold Shelf, the Friends’ Store and lots of new books. Carol exercises, runs, reads and travels when not scouting through our stacks.
- Marji occasionally does shelving, and works in the Friends of the Library book store, and has assisted for about five years. She loves working with books and with people. She also is into graphic design, needlework, birding, and reading. She thinks it’s much easier to find things in the library now.
- For the last couple of years, Jola has made the library work part of her day out, enjoying being helpful. Typically she can be found in the teens and childrens rooms, shelving books. She also manages the Thornapple Manor book cart. And besides all that, at home Jola makes quilts.
Patty began volunteering in 1983, when we began to computerize the library. She was the original data entry lady, creating records for each patron. 27 years later, she’s still here, now inputting books, because she loves the library. She enjoys having enough room to work at the new building, where in the old she was sharing a desk and there was barely enough room to rotate her chair! Patty also volunteers at the hospital, and enjoys crosswords puzzles, card games, reading, gardening and Scrabble.
Gordon began volunteering in the library around 1997. He assists patrons in the Michigan Room and develops genealogy and local history resources. He's glad to have much more space for this endeavor, and additional resources in the new building. His other hobbies include photography, making wooden pens, and performing music at nursing homes.
