By Christine Holsinger Some of you may recall a recent Library Lines where Vicky Terry introduced me as Pocahontas County Free Libraries’ new AmeriCorps VISTA. If you read Library Lines that week, there’s a lot you already know about who I am and what I hope to do here. You would know that the library has a need for volunteers that extends beyond the traditional library duties, such as shelving books or working at the front desk. You would also know that we hope to start new programs that will allow the library and its volunteers to be more outreach oriented. So, keeping all that information in mind, I would like to move outside of the “what” and into the “why.” Why does it matter that we’re starting new outreach programs or that we’re making a call for volunteers of all types? Why volunteer with the libraries in the first place? I think the answer to both those questions is “because of the possibilities.” By getting involved in the libraries now – while we’re developing new programs and while we’re allowing volunteer applicants to call the shots on what they want to do and when they want to do it – you can take advantage of this period of creativity. We want people who have a passion or a skill they wish they could share, and people with ideas on how to make their community stronger and more interconnected. We want to communicate to everyone that we see the libraries as places of potential, and that we hope to find members of the community who are interested in helping us meet that potential. I hope for everyone to see this as an opportunity to take what you love and use it to make a difference in your community. As Pearl S. Buck said, “To serve is beautiful, but only if it is done with joy and a whole heart and a free mind.” I truly believe that the way to make service a joy is to give others the opportunity to experience the things which matter most to you. So, whatever that happens to be, I hope you will come to the libraries and share your talents, time and ideas with us. Ideas may also be shared by email at holsingerca26@ gmail.com
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