4 Lessons I Learned from 4 Weeks of Volunteering at the Library

More than four weeks ago, I started volunteering at the Spanish Fork Library. It’s a fairly small library but has two floors and a good collection of books.

I’ve been volunteering there every Tuesday since, and it’s been a lot of fun. I’m mainly reshelving stuff, so it’s a good time to listen to audiobooks and think.

I decided I was going to evaluate what it was like volunteering at the library after four weeks, and these are my main thoughts:

1. People Check Out more DVDs than Books

It’s sad, but it’s true. In the back of the library there’s a rather small section of DVDs. Compared to the quantity of books in the library, it’s nothing. Yet there are more DVDs to reshelve than books.

I guess it’s good that people are taking advantage of the public service of libraries to enjoy movies and TV shows, but it still is a little upsetting to me. Sure, I’ve checked out some movies from the library in the past. Yet it doesn’t compare to the amount of books I’ve taken out.

All indications show me, though, that people are reading more books than ever. I guess we’ve still got a long ways to go.

2. Most Kids Books are Fantasy

Inside the library is a Young Adult section. I can’t remember exactly what the sign says, but it has the picture of a Merlin-type hat and says something like Magic Corner. Sure, there are some realistic fiction books in there, but they are completely overshadowed by fantasy books. Fantasy books are also checked out much more often.

Are all kids now fantasy nerds? I don’t think so. Most kids I know don’t read that type of stuff. So it’s weird. Maybe kids who are into fantasy read more. At least that’s been my experience.

3. Being a Librarian isn’t Glamorous

It’s easy to picture a librarian sitting at her desk, her nose in a book, pausing every now and then to smile at people and give exciting book recommendations. However, that is hardly the truth.

The librarians are always busy at the Spanish Fork library. They are barely able to keep up, let alone have downtime. I sometimes have a few minutes here and there where there’s nothing to do, but definitely not enough to get much reading done. And most of my interactions with people are them apologizing for getting in my way.

I’d guess being a school librarian is a little more exciting, but in a public library it is a pretty tedious job.

4. Books are about more than Writing and Reading

When I think about books, I first think about writing them (I process I absolutely love), and then people reading them (something I love or not depending on the book). But there’s a lot more that goes into a book.

Once it’s written, then it has to be sent to publishers. Then it has to be chosen, a contract signed. It has to go through ferocious editing. Then more editing. It has to get a cover design. Then more editing. It has to be marketed. It has to be printed, shipped off to book stores. And then who knows if anyone is going to buy it.

My Aunt is an editor, so I know a little about that part of the process. Me; I’ll stick with writing and reading. After all, this is The Readers and Writers Paradise 🙂

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