Volunteers of the Year

Remarks delivered at the City Council meeting, after Mayor Hanna delivered his National Library Week proclamation:

Thank you, Mayor. As we're coming into National Library Week, with the culmination of the community Read and the Book Festival, we at the Library feel very fortunate to be part of an effort that does so much to enhance the quality of life in our community. We know that the library makes a difference in people's lives, and I want to acknowledge and lift up the critical support of all of you, our elected officials, in making that happen. I also want to acknowledge and thank all the hard-working, dedicated people on the library staff, and tonight, I especially want to thank all the volunteers.

From the Board of Trustees to the Friends of the Library and Library Foundation, people delivering books to the homebound, people who show up every week to shelve, middle school children who help with the summer programs for younger children, the library is very dependent on our volunteers. In 2007, the number of volunteer hours grew by 22% over the previous year, and continues to grow in 2008.
So on behalf of the Library Board of Trustees and the Library staff, I would like to acknowledge and introduce to you our two volunteers of the year.

Roberta Bawden has been selected as the APL Adult Volunteer of the Year. She was nominated by the Circulation team for the following reasons:

• she has been coming 3 times a week for four years,
• calls if unable to come in,
• walks to the library in all kinds of weather
• does a great job of keeping the children's section neat and orderly.
• her work has been consistent
  
• she is dedicated to keeping the library nice for the patrons.

Ryan Nelson is our teen volunteer of the year. This is not an award we present every year, but Ryan's contributions in the past year have been exemplary.

Ryan joined the Library Board last June in a non-voting capacity representing the APL Teen Board, providing input to Board deliberations from a teen perspective.
In addition to serving on the Teen Board, Ryan also

• assists at library programs
• shelves materials.

Ryan attends Appleton West high school.

From left: yrs truly, Ryan Nelson, Roberta Bawden, APL Volunteer Coordinator Lou Hull