Volunteers are an important asset at Johnson County Library. In 2023, the Library had 897 volunteers who provided 42,186 hours of service. Volunteers help the Library expand its capacity and free up valuable staff time. Plus, there are volunteers who share their skillsets such as business leaders serving on boards or providing pro-bono services like photography. They also bring a community perspective to the work the Library does. Volunteers are passionate about libraries and some considerate it a privilege to give back to something that has been such a big part of their lives.
Many of you may have seen volunteers shelving holds or working the Genealogy desk. But did you know that volunteers helped with 87 different volunteer opportunities in 2023? Teens also account for 48% of all library volunteers. Here are just a few of those opportunities completed by volunteers:
Helped with Library programs such as the monitored rooms during the Writers Conference, tutored children through Homework Help, passed out nametags for Storytimes, and taught English Language Learners
Reviewed 1,136 titles in the Library collection, steering website users to borrow those materials
Opened the mailing and assisted with Interlibrary Loan requests
Processed over 600K items weeded from the Library collection or donated by the community
Helped with County initiatives like the annual Juneteenth celebration
April 21-27 is National Volunteer Appreciation Week. This year, the Library would like your help in recognizing the volunteers who contribute over $1.3 million in-kind services annually. If you see a volunteer with a yellow lanyard, please say “Thank You!” Thank you for helping the volunteers feel appreciated for their dedicated service.
Johnson County Library would like to thank volunteers for their time, talent and dedication to making an impact in the community. If you would like to join them, consider volunteering. One-time, short-term, and regular volunteer opportunities are available. View the list of opportunities to learn how you can become a Library volunteer.