Library Closed January 1

Just a friendly reminder that WBCL will be closed Saturday, January 1.

Volunteer Survey

Because your thoughts and opinions are a vital part of the volunteer program, I've put together a survey to get your input. You can take the survey online via Survey Monkey by following the forthcoming link. The survey will close January, 4, 2011 so please complete it before then.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Click here to take survey

Should auld inventory be forgot?

There are so many ways to ring in the New Year. You could go on that all cabbage diet you've been meaning to try, but that would involve cabbage. You could finally start training for that marathon, but it is kind of chilly outside and who can run with a stuffy nose? Maybe you could learn a new language! Spanish! No, what about French? Farsi would be interesting or Italian for that trip to Venice you've been dreaming about. Korean? German? It could take all of 2011 to decide!

Don't worry. There is a remedy for over-resolution-itus. The secret is simplicity. Nothing packs a better spiritually-satisfying punch than volunteering! Getting started couldn't be easier. You're already part of a community. You have a library in that community. And that library has an upcoming inventory that needs volunteers. All you have to do is tell the volunteer coordinator you'd like to sign up! You'll be scheduled to volunteer for the inventory, assist with an important library function which will benefit the community and leave you feeling shiny and new inside. Simple!

Our upcoming resolution-friendly inventory is scheduled for Thursday, January 27, 2011. Please let me know if you'd like to help and get your new year started off on a giving path. No running or complicated decisions necessary and our inventory refreshment menu is cabbage-free.

Remember, Wells Branch Community Library is your Resolution Friendly Zone for 2011!

Gingerbread Peer Pressure

If you would like an encore of Donita's Famous Gingerbread Cookies, post your wish in the comment section! A sweeter volunteer experience could be a few posts away.

Party Recap

Thank you everyone for celebrating with us on Sunday! It is always nice to get an opportunity to talk to all of our volunteers without books, shelving, classes, and circulation duties getting in the way. It's especially nice to see our volunteers getting to know one another. You never know what you share in common with others! Kenny's Coffee House outdid themselves with a scrumptious assortment of treats: cranberry topped brie, crackers, cream cheese stuffed jalapenos wrapped in bacon, tortellini skewers and mini-cupcakes for dessert. If only we could have those kinds of munchies everyday! Our director, Donita, even whipped up a delicious plate of gingerbread cookies which were a big hit. I'm sure if we all get together we can guilt her into baking more. Nothing's too good for our volunteers!

If you weren't able to attend the party, be sure to pick up one of the snowflake bookmarks in the Volunteer Corner.

Volunteer Appreciation Event

Join us for an end-of-year show of thanks on Sunday, December 5 at 6:00. WBCL is hosting a festive appreciation event for all of our dedicated volunteers at the library. Once again we're saying "thank you" with the help of Kenny's Coffee House who will be providing a menu of brie, tortellini, stuffed jalapenos and mini-cupcakes.

We'll also have gifts for volunteers as an additional token of our appreciation.

Feel free to bring a guest to this special, end-of-year event!

RSVP to Beth to attend!

Season Up Your Volunteer Experience!

Winter, spring, summer or fall, our special programs are a ball! If you'd like to add a little levity to your volunteer experience with minimal time commitment, then don't hesitate to explore our Special Programs! Special Programs occur throughout the year, cover a variety of themes and are tailored to adults and children. They are one-day affairs that only require a handful of volunteer hours. Whether you're a student who wants to bulk up on service hours or an adult who would like to mix up their current shelving/circulation commitment, you're welcome to help out!

Special Programs for October:

Pumpkin Painting, Saturday, October 23: WBCL will become part library and part pumpkin patch. Kids and their families will get to paint their very own pumpkin and we need to harvest up some helpful volunteers. We need about 8-10 volunteers to help with set-up, decoration and clean-up. 9:30 - 12:30

Fall Festival, Saturday, October 30: We're having a party! Volunteers will be needed to help man a variety of festive booths, including games and crafts. We'll need about 10 volunteers for this event from 2:00 - 5:00.

We'll also need a volunteer willing to act as photographer for both of these events (camera provided).

If either of these strikes your fancy, just let me know! It's easy and you're guaranteed to have a great time. You can also sign up at the Volunteer corner of the circulation desk. A sign-up sheet is posted on the WBCL Volunteer News bulletin board.

There's No "I" in Inventory...

Okay, so there is one measly "i" in inventory, but I can't do it all myself! Without all those other letters joining in the fun, there would be nothing but a lonely pronoun. Before I lose you in a tangled grammatical pun, let's cut right to the chase.

WBCL has scheduled an inventory day for Thursday, October 28 from 10-8. As usual, we will be closed to the public that day, but all staff members will be hard at work getting our collection in tip-top shape. We welcome any and all volunteers to help us carry out this task. You read about how well our last inventory went due to volunteer participation, and I'd love to write another brag post for this one too.

Please let me know if you'd be interested in helping us out that day. You will have fun! You will have food!

You will keep me from making any additional puns? That's a hearty incentive, isn't it?

Shelve a Book, Save a Librarian

One primary purpose of this blog is to lavish our volunteers with praise and never let our appreciation go unspoken. However, there is that famous saying "a picture is worth a thousand words."

I'll let the photo do the blogging for me today. Just let it be said that your hard work spares us an inky burial by book. We can't thank you enough. One more thing, the first three volunteers to comment on this blog with a guess as to who that buried staff member is, will win a prize!

Retreat!

Whoa, this is no call for surrender! It's an invitation to our upcoming WBCL Retreat. Library staff, board members, trustees and volunteers are all welcome to attend. There will be opportunities to meet new people, get to know the current WBCL movers & shakers, discuss library needs, have fun and as always, have some food.

The Retreat is scheduled to take place at the library on September 12, 2010 between 1-4 p.m.

Please contact me if you are interested in joining us.

Upcoming Volunteer Appreciation Event

Volunteers,

Take a minute and step away from the books, the carts, the classes and the circulation desk. It's time for another well-deserved Volunteer Appreciation Event!

Come mingle with other volunteers and staff while enjoying refreshments from Kenny's Coffee House http://kennyscoffeeco.com/

Date: Thursday, August 12, 2010
Time: 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Place: Wells Branch Community Library Quiet Reading Room

Please join us, even if you are a student whose summer volunteering has come to an end. You're still deserving of a thank you!

Best. Inventory. Ever.

Recently I sent out a frantic call for help for our July 22 inventory. Much to my delight and some hearty cheers from the rest of the staff, you answered the call. I was impressed by how many of you volunteered to come out and lend a hand. Whether it was to help the library, meet other volunteers, or just to have some free food, you came out and made this inventory a piece of cake. (Please contact me if you'd like to start a petition for cake at all inventories)

We had about 12 volunteers participate throughout the day. We even had two new volunteers jump right in and fearlessly tackle the inventory. Because of all of your help, this inventory was the most efficient one yet. The entire staff was amazed by how well everyone pitched in and got everything accomplished. It was a historical moment for us and we have you to thank.

If you haven't already, pick up your thank you note by the sign-in binder.

Wells Branch Community Library. Best. Volunteers. Ever.

Wells Branch Library Volunteers - Vote for your favorite pet picture at the library!

Good morning, Wells Branch Community Library volunteers!

Vote for your favorite pet photo from the library's May pet photo contest! The pictures are displayed across from the front desk. Provide either your name or library card number when voting. We will announce winners on June 15. Come to the library to cast your vote this week! 

Just for fun, here's a recent photo of my dog Pogo.

New and improved Wells Branch Library Volunteer schedule!

Hello, library volunteers!

This week I created a new volunteer schedule. It's in the staff workroom on a large, white board.  I like this method of displaying volunteer shifts and assignments for many reasons:

• I can easily update it with a dry erase marker. 
• It's large and visible!
• It's easy to read.
• I can add special notes next to names. 

You will notice there is no longer a printed copy of the schedule in the front of the binder. The white board replaces this paper copy.

Step inside the staff room, turn left, and check out the new white board.  Let me know what you think, and share your ideas for improvement!

Thanks!
Lisa Metzer, your volunteer coordinator

Wells Branch Community Library Volunteers of the Month!

As we approach the 1st of June 2010, I realize five months of the new year have already past. Where has the time gone!?

I began coordinating the volunteer program at the Wells Branch Community Library in February of 2009, and I consider it a privilege. Volunteers have come and gone, making a mark at the library. From shelving books to instructing computer classes, the result is clear - our services are better; our programs are richer; and the capacities of our staff are enhanced. 

Today I write this post to acknowledge and honor the 2010 volunteers of the month. Each month, the library nominates a volunteer for this special distinction. Volunteers of the month demonstrate consistent, responsible, and enthusiastic service.

Congratulations to these Wells Branch Community Library volunteers of the month for 2010!

1/2010 – Andrea Norman (Processing Specialist)

2/2010 – Minoak Holland (Filing Specialist)

3/2010 – Kavya Kolavasi (Children's Shelving Assistant)

4/2010 – Ana Perez (Children's Shelving Assistant and Spanish Storytime Helper)

5/2010 – Jorge Gomez (Adult Shelving Assistant)

6/2010 – Clarissa Cantu (Young Adult Shelf Reading Specialist)

Thank you for your excellent service!!

Kindly,

Lisa Metzer

Volunteer Coordinator

New Volunteer Opportunities at the Wells Branch Community Library!

Do you enjoy stories, songs, and crafts?
Do you like having a neat library and putting things in order?
Do you enjoy meeting new people?

We have new volunteer opportunities at the library!  Some of them require a 6-month commitment; others last for the summer.  All of them benefit the library and provide great experience.

We truly appreciate our current volunteers. Please share these new opportunities with you family and friends! They are available on VolunteerMatch.

Thanks!

The Wells Branch Library Volunteer Appreciation Summer Kickoff Party was last night!

Last night was the Volunteer Appreciation Summer Kickoff Party. Almost twenty people attended! We conversed with one another and enjoyed tasty food. The fresh fruit salad marinated in lemon and mint was popular, as were the pigs-in-a-blanket!

We gathered in the Library's Quiet Reading Room for this event. Decorations revealed a bright, summer theme.

Thanks to all for attending, and I hope to see you at the next volunteer appreciation event!

Volunteer Summer Kick-Off at the Wells Branch Community Library!

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Originally uploaded by lmmetzer

Don't forget the Volunteer Appreciation Kick-Off is this week! The theme is summer and kites. Pick up a handmade invitation by the volunteer binder. Our volunteer Georgia created the invitations. Thanks, Georgia!

This event will be in to the Library's Reading Room. We will have special refreshments and decorations to celebrate our volunteers and the beginning of summer. Meet other volunteers and our library managers!

If you haven't attended one of our previous appreciation events (both at Kenny's Coffee House), you won't want to miss this opportunity. And if you have attended a past event, you know just how special they are. You may come and go as your schedule permits. Please stop by so we can appreciate you!

The menu includes pigs in a blanket, fresh fruit salad, pasta or potato salad, and cupcakes.

We look forward to seeing you Thursday, May 6 @ 6pm.

Wells Branch Community Library volunteer creates library exhibit!

Genia Cowart began volunteering at the Wells Branch Community Library in January, 2010. As part of her architecture internship, she creates a monthly exhibit for the library.  The display features American art from the Picturing America grant.
Each month, Genia selects a theme, frames the artwork, prints and mounts descriptive text, and gathers related library materials. April's theme is Democracy! 


Patrons comment:
"I love your exhibit because everywhere you look there is a fact about America . . . I learned so much!
"Excellent! Don't get to go see art as much as I would like to so I really appreciate the Picturing America series."

Genia is making a difference at the library!

Picturing America is a program from the National Endowment for the Humanities in cooperation with the America Library Association that brings high-quality reproductions of notable America art into libraries and schools across the nation.

A family team volunteers at the Wells Branch Community Library!

Karen, Adam, and Sara volunteer at the library as a family team. They like to help in the children's room!  Karen guides her children.  She demonstrates how to return library materials to the correct places on the shelves. 

She volunteers with her children because they feel very home in a library. The work also improves their reading and sequencing skills.

Today, they returned picture books to the correct bins and organized the mythology section. We appreciate their attention to the details. They do excellent work and make the library a better place!

Wells Branch Library volunteers, we need your help at the Monster Book Sale!

Hello Wells Branch Library volunteers!

We're having a MONSTER book sale on Saturday, April 24, 8:00-5:00, and we need your help. Here are ways you can participate:

1. Make posters to label items for sale and prices. 

2. Set up Friday night. We need 8 people to come at 5:45pm. Pizza will be provided! 

3. Assist on Saturday during the sale. Volunteers will collect money, help customers, and keep things in order. We need 3 people per shift, and you may sign up for more than one shift. Shifts last for two hours each: 7:30-9:30, 9:30-11:30, 11:30-1:30, 1:30-3:30, and 3:30-5:30.

If you are interested in helping, please let me know.  I will make assignments according to the order of response. Your dependable, friendly family and friends are welcome to volunteer, too! 

This is a fun, rewarding experience, and we will award all volunteers a voucher for one free item from the book sale. 

Thanks!

Kindly,

Your volunteer coordinator, Lisa Metzer

lisa@wblibrary.org

A new design for volunteer badges at the Wells Branch Community Library

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Originally uploaded by lmmetzer

To celebrate the new season - Spring! - we made new name tags for our exceptional volunteers. Library associate Cassidy Austin created the new design.

Volunteers, please remember to wear your name badge when you volunteer. Thanks, and have a great day!

Wells Branch Library Volunteer makes a display about Louisa May Alcott!

A cup of tea please?

Brielle Perras began volunteering at the library a little over a month ago. She assists librarians with our regular Saturday story times. Last week during spring break, she volunteered to help with a special project. Brielle created a display called "Tea with Louisa May Alcott."  The display highlights library materials, interesting facts, tea pots, and it promotes our upcoming tea party on Sunday, March 28.  She shares the following comments:

"I enjoyed working on my very first project at the library. Not only did I have fun putting it together, I also enjoyed learning so much about Louisa May Alcott. I believe young women around the country should take the time to learn about this wonderful woman and look at all of the accomplishments she made."

Visit the library to check out this colorful, interactive display! 

Wells Branch Library Volunteers, save these dates!

Wells Branch Library Volunteers, save these dates!

• Thursday, April 29, All day - Inventory! - The library will be closed, and we will inventory the children's section.  Volunteers are welcome to help scan library materials and clean. 
• Thursday, April 29, 5:00 pm - Staff Meeting - All active volunteers may attend. Come, meet staff, learn what's new, and share your ideas!
• Thursday, May 6, 6:00 pm - Volunteer Appreciation Event - Thank you for completing the online survey and sharing your preferences. May 6 was the most popular day. More information to come!  
  

Wells Branch Library Volunteers - let us know what you prefer!

Hello, Wells Branch Community Library Volunteers!

I am planning the next volunteer appreciation event, and I want to know what day and time you prefer.  Please share your opinion! 

Complete this one-question, online survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BY5VKVX

Thanks!

Lisa Metzer, 
Your friendly Volunteer Coordinator

New "Odd Job" list for Wells Branch Community Library Volunteers!

Wells Branch Community Library Volunteers, this list is for you!   Did you finish your assigned volunteer task? Are you looking for a different job to do? Are you in the mood for something different?  Check out the new "Odd Job" list!  Pick something from the list, ask a librarian for instructions, and have fun!  Remember to record what you did in the volunteer binder.  Please comment on this post, and share your ideas for "odd jobs," too!

• Sort plastic HEB bags.
• Run copies of library brochures and neatly fold them.
• Make sure the adult DVDs are in the correct order (fiction and non-fiction)
• Make sure the adult AUDIO books are in the correct order (fiction and non-fiction; cassette and CD).
• Sharpen pencils for the library.
• Dust the library shelves.
• Shelf-read the adult non-fiction 001-320.
• Shelf-read the adult non-fiction 320-508.
• Shelf-read the adult non-fiction 508-640.
• Shelf-read the adult non-fiction 640-740.
• Shelf-read the adult non-fiction 740-820.
• Shelf-read the adult non-fiction 820-999.
• Sort the E-book bins in the children's room ("E" stands for easy reader, like picture books!).
• Tidy the children's area: puzzles, Legos, and games in the study room).    
• Search the library's online catalog. Identify, locate, and pull books for the displays.
• Organize the newspapers. Make sure the dates are together. Put them away.
• Front face books in the adult section.
• Other ideas? See something else that needs done? Let us know - add your comments to this post!  

We love our volunteers at the Wells Branch Community Library!

 

 We love our volunteers!

February is Love Your Library Month, and on Thursday, February 18, 2010, we honored our library volunteers at Kenny's Coffee House (http://www.kennyscoffeeco.com/).  They enjoyed fresh brewed coffee and tea, heart-shaped sugar cookies and cucumber sandwiches, and chocolate covered strawberries.  It was a lovely evening! 

 

A profile of a volunteer at the Wells Branch Community Library!

 

Georgia Hodde started volunteering at the Wells Branch Community Library on January 28, 2010.  She eagerly joined our team as a Circulation Desk Specialist!  

Georgia loves to learn about the library, and she contributes new ideas to improve our service. Recently, she suggested new ideas for signs to help people find what they're looking for. We appreciate Georgia's active involvement, and we look forward to her dependable help three times a week!

Georgia shares these thoughts about volunteering: 

"Volunteering at the Wells Branch Library has given me a way to give back to my community by serving others and promoting the educational opportunities available to all age groups."

Thanks, Georgia!

Wells Branch Community Library Volunteer coordinates monthly exhibits!

Genia Cowart joined the Wells Branch Community Library's team of volunteers in January of 2010. Her skills and interests include architecture and exhibits.

Last December, we posted an ad on VolunteerMatch.org looking for a qualified volunteer to coordinate our monthly, rotating Picturing America exhibit. Genia responded with enthusiasm!  Last month, she created an exhibit based on a Martin Luther King, Jr. theme.  This month, the theme was American presidents.

Come to the library to see her excellent work!  Each months she frames high-quality reprints of American art, creates coordinating bookmarks, pulls related library materials that patrons can check out, prints and displays informative text, and prepares audio tours.

When I asked Genia what she likes best about volunteering at the library, she says, "I come to the library every month and set up a new exhibit. It's fun to volunteer by doing something creative."  

Thank you for your excellent service to our library and community, Genia! 

Wells Branch Community Library Volunteers Made a Difference in 2009!

You made a difference at our library in 2009!
I want to quickly share just a few examples of how your help benefited our library this past year:

• The materials in our adult non-fiction section were to shifted to make more space. Thanks, David!
• Librarians had more time to plan great library programs because volunteers managed our desk shifts. Thanks, Lois, Laurie, Inna, Tabish, Ricardo, Susmitha, and Danielle!
• Library patrons could buy books from our ongoing book sale because a volunteer sorted them on a weekly basis. Thanks, Sarah!
• Adults and kids attended programs of all kinds (arts & crafts, science, story times, family-friendly concerts). Thanks, Dianne, Jolanda, Alexandra, Casey, Krissy, Ana, many more!  
• Adults attended helpful computer classes taught by experienced volunteers. Thanks, Alison, Mark, and Jonathan!
• More books were added to our collection because volunteers cataloged and processed them. Thanks Kathleen, Sandra, and Andrea!
• Library users could find movies to watch and graphic novels to read because students from Connelly High School organized them every week. Thanks, VOE team!
• Our glass windows looked squeaky clean and clear because volunteers washed them inside and out. Thanks, volunteers from Dell! People found the items they needed and discovered new ones because volunteers shelved and organized materials.  Thanks Michael, Tom, Joyce, Billy and Jackie, Joy, Sean, Nadia, Kavya, Divya, Laurie, Dawit, Jeffrey, Safiul, Ana, Victoria, Cassandra, Benju, Prativa, Angel, Timothy, Oralia, Phuong, Carlie, Meredith, Emily, Steven, Jennifer, Tuan, Aashara, Aaron, Alpha, and Kian! 
• Our landscape looks lovely and supports native plants due to the dedicated efforts of a volunteer. Thanks, Lois!
• Kids enjoy monthly chess classes because a volunteer teaches them. Thanks, Tom!
  

There are many more examples and names to recognize, and we appreciate you all.

The impact is clear—
Our volunteers make the library a better place
and help us meet the needs of our community.

We can’t thank you enough!

Wells Branch Community Library volunteer helps with storytime!

Our delightful volunteer Krissy Mireles helps our Children's Librarian with the Library's weekly storytimes on Friday mornings. She shares the following regarding her volunteer experiences:

"I really enjoy volunteering at the Wells Branch Library! I help Kristin in the Children's Storytime Department. It is really fun to help the kids and see them develop with their skills. This is one of the best storytimes that I have encountered. Kristin reads three stories and then the kids do a craft after. It is also really neat to meet new people and build new relationships with the parents and kids. Not to mention that the WB Library has so much to offer with programs and learning opportunities, and let's not forget the books!" - Krissy Mireles

We are so thankful for Krissy. She volunteers with energy and kindness, and we are fortunate to have her on our volunteer team!

Save the date for the next Volunteer Appreciation Event at the Wells Branch Community Library!

We love our volunteers!  

Be appreciated for your volunteer work this Valentine's Day season!

What - Volunteer Appreciation Event
Where - Kenny's Coffee House
Address - 14735 Bratton Lane, Austin, TX 78728
When - Thursday, February 18, 6:30-7:30 pm
Who - Wells Branch Community Library Volunteers

Experience a warm and friendly setting in a local coffee shop. Enjoy complimentary beverages and sweet treats. Mingle with and meet other volunteers. Don't wait - mark your calendars today to attend!

Stay current on new volunteer opportunities at the Wells Branch Community Library

Subscribe to the "Friends of the Wells Branch Library Opportunities" RSS feed on VolunteerMatch.  Follow this link to sign up and discover new volunteer opportunities.  We add new opportunities every few months.

Our exceptional volunteers make our library a better place!