At Myli – My Community Library, it is important to acknowledge our wonderful volunteers and the difference they make to our community. We have been lucky enough to receive this incredible write up from Wendy at Foster Library, who has been volunteering with the branch as part of our Home Library Service program:
“After my retirement, I was looking for a way to transition from a working lifestyle. It’s harder than you think! Volunteering for the Myli Home Library program has offered me some structure, routine and purpose as well as enabling me to socialise with members of the community I might not otherwise have had the opportunity to meet. The program has benefited me as much as the library member for whom I provide the service. My 92-year old lady is an avid reader – puts me to shame with the number of books she can get through in a week! However, she hasn’t been able to visit the library herself for quite some time and until the Home Library program started, was relying on the library staff at Foster to deliver books for her. While the friendly staff were happy to help, they didn’t always have time to indulge in the lady’s other passion – chatting!
Since my first visit, my lady and I have struck up a lovely companionship. I keep her informed of some of the local community events she hasn’t been able to keep in touch with and in return, I am given an insight into the past. I have heard about her secretarial work for a big company in Melbourne prior to the computer age. She has led me through some of the fulfilment – and pitfalls – of dairy farming in South Gippsland. I have heard hilarious stories of the antics of her three boys, all of whom now live either interstate or overseas. And I have also heard many stories of the travels she and her late husband undertook throughout the outback of Australia.
I look forward to my weekly visits and I know how grateful my friend is for the service that keeps her supplied with a constant source of reading material. Volunteering for the service has also given me a much broader insight into the work of the library staff, who are ever friendly and helpful. Their assistance in suggesting materials for my friend means she has been introduced to a much wider range of books and to authors she would probably not have considered.”
Our Home Library Service offers the delivery of library materials to people who may be physically unable to visit their library due to illness, injury or who may be caring for someone else.
To register your interest in receiving a Home Library Service, click here.
To register your interest in volunteering at one of our Myli Libraries, click here.
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