Library volunteers …
Please take a bow!
Oundle Library couldn’t function nearly as well as it does without the help of its volunteers. They are often working away in the background but they make a huge contribution to keeping things ticking along. We can’t reveal names because of GDPR but we can tell you what they do. And we’d like to say a huge thank you to every single one of them. You know who you are!
Did you know there are volunteers who help keep the library’s book shelves in order? They shelve books that have been returned; sort and tidy the shelves; and generally help library staff with managing the stock. They offer their time on a regular basis but assure us that because they’re all avid readers it’s never a hardship. They just love being around books!
Yes, there’s a team of volunteer drivers who deliver books and talking books to people who are housebound and their carers. The Library to You service is available to anyone of any age and delivers to any number of outlying villages and in Oundle itself. Often the volunteers will be the only person that individual might see for days, so it’s an essential service.
If you know anyone who is housebound and can’t get to the library please tell them about the Library to You service. Find out more here.
The Oundle Crime book group is based at the library and is run by a volunteer. The group reads crime fiction and they also write most of the book reviews we post on our website.
The library would love to host more book groups. Could you run one, or a Book Club for children? There are all sorts of ways groups can be organised and the library can offer suggestions and support, so speak to a member of staff.
Everyone on the FOOL Committee is a volunteer who loves Oundle Library. The committee raises money to pay for the extras the library needs but which the Council can’t afford; and it also works to raise the library’s visibility and remind people of all the services it offers.
The FOOL Committee is currently looking for new people to join them. It’s a fun and sociable way to be involved with the library, so do contact FOOL if you’d like to find out more.
We know we bang on about the garden a lot, but that’s partly because it’s very special for a public library to have its own garden which the public can use and enjoy. The FOOL Committee pays for the plants, supplies and equipment and the gardening volunteers tend everything – watering, weeding, and planting. Thanks to them, the library garden is something to behold.
If you’d be interested to help in the library garden, speak to a member of staff.
The French Café has been at Oundle Library for so many years we’ve rather lost count! People meet to practise French conversation with a fluent French speaker and the volunteer who runs it makes sure it’s fun for everyone, whether they’re beginners or almost fluent.
There used to be a popular Spanish Language Café at the library but the volunteers moved away. Could you run a Language Café? The library would love to hear from you if you think you could.
Lots of different volunteers run lots of different social groups at Oundle Library, which is why the library is such a great community hub. There are weekly activities like Scrabble and the Thursday Social Club; groups like Spin A Yarn that meet every fortnight; and the Gingerbread Friendship Group which meets every month. And let’s not forget the Summer Reading Challenge volunteers either. All these people give their time and energy to support Oundle Library because they love having a library in Oundle!
If you’ve read this far you’ll have a good idea of just how much volunteers contribute to Oundle Library. The library staff appreciate everything they do to help, and we – as library customers – do too. If you think you might like to do some volunteering at Oundle Library, speak to a member of the team.
