- A last ditch attempt at finishing VT's 23 things.
- Three time's a charm.
- Appreciating the library volunteer.
- (re) Jump start....
- What is a blogger to do when the creative juices have not been flowing for months?
- What is a librarian to do when the work load is backed up?
- What do 'lost' people do to find their way back?
3 questions, 3rd time on the blog merry-go-round,
and hopefully 3 answers that may in some roundabout way be 'connected' ...
Three time's a charm
Almost 11 months to the day since my last blog. Is there such a thing as blogger's block, or should we just realistically put it down to the chaotic times we find ourselves in these days?
You may wonder - why again?
The belief that 'slow and steady' wins the race may have something to do with it, or the fact that I will not go down as a quitter.
So a stubborn librarian, back in cyberspace, despite back logs of work: Enter the Volunteers!!!
Appreciating the library volunteer
Some days I wonder why we have volunteers, some days I wish they would leave.
What is that saying about people outstaying their welcome?
And then I walk into my office and all the books are covered. I walk by the 'to be shelved' cart and it is empty! I overhear the circ. desk person calling patrons in attempt to lighten my load of 'overdues'.
I went to a conference on volunteers today. My biggest lesson: know what you need from a volunteer before you put them to work. Have a plan for each and everyone of them, and show them some appreciation: in the end - what you give is what you get! Volunteers deserve that second chance too, or maybe even the 3rd. (remember the charm thing!)
As a wise (anonymous) person once said:
There is only one thing worse than training your volunteers and having them leave - and that is not training them , and having them stay.
Jump start....
So, to find my way back to VT's 23 things, to find my way back to blogging, and to find my way back to what motivates us all to work in a library I am intent on (re)connecting with our volunteers. Volunteers trade in their time so I can find the way to my desk, help run a library, and blog in the odd moments!
Volunteers even provided me with my first blog topic in 11 months,
so 3 cheers for 3 times and 23 things!
Looking for volunteers in your community?
Let me 'volunteer' a good place to start:
