I am a volunteer at my local branch library, or any other I may be needed at. At present our new library due to be opened in October, is still not finished. So, we have had no library since May and people have to go to town or one of the other branches.
Each year York Explore (who run all the local libraries) have a free book giveaway, called the Big City Read. A book is chosen each year and copies are available in all libraries for anyone to pick up. They also run pop up book groups in all branches at this time for readers to go along and discuss the book if they wish. This year's book is Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson. A very good book which I read when it came out in the 90's. Kate Atkinson in from York and we went to the same school. She is a few years older than me so I don't think we overlapped. This book is mostly set in York.
As we have no local library at present we had one morning where local people could pick up a copy of the book. Readers can of course collect one from any branch over several weeks, but they wanted to offer at least one local collection opportunity.
That was yesterday and I was the volunteer. A librarian was with me in the end (this was uncertain until the last minute as our librarian fell out of her loft last week so was off sick
)
I posted on both local FB groups and we waited with our books. A larger room in a community centre had been booked, so we looked funny with our table and two chairs in one corner!
It was a horrible wet morning, but a good number of customers arrived and took one or more books. Taking copies for others was encouraged. We had some nice chats, and surprise from some who hadn't heard of the Big City Read before and wondered why we were giving away free books!
The building is sometimes used for vaccinations OH and I had both our boosters there.
Two people arrived for their jabs! The first,a woman happily accepted my offer of a free book and went off with my instructions to find the pharmacy just along the road where the jabs were been given that day.
The second, a man was furious! He seemed to blame us for the fact that the vaccine was not being dispensed. He was even more furious when I offered him a free book
He kept waving a piece of paper about with the address of the venue - which was not where we were. Three times I patiently explained where he was supposed to go but he was so cross and not listening to me. In the end the librarian waved her lanyard in front of him saying 'I'm just a librarian!' He left still cross.
We had a good laugh afterwards, wondering if he would have preferred us to inject him with something anyway as he was here! He was a very well spoken upright, smartly dressed, older man. I feel sorry for anyone he may live with!
So, apart from us not having had the forethought to train as medics and have a supply of vaccine just in case, a successful morning.
Each year York Explore (who run all the local libraries) have a free book giveaway, called the Big City Read. A book is chosen each year and copies are available in all libraries for anyone to pick up. They also run pop up book groups in all branches at this time for readers to go along and discuss the book if they wish. This year's book is Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson. A very good book which I read when it came out in the 90's. Kate Atkinson in from York and we went to the same school. She is a few years older than me so I don't think we overlapped. This book is mostly set in York.
As we have no local library at present we had one morning where local people could pick up a copy of the book. Readers can of course collect one from any branch over several weeks, but they wanted to offer at least one local collection opportunity.
That was yesterday and I was the volunteer. A librarian was with me in the end (this was uncertain until the last minute as our librarian fell out of her loft last week so was off sick
)I posted on both local FB groups and we waited with our books. A larger room in a community centre had been booked, so we looked funny with our table and two chairs in one corner!
It was a horrible wet morning, but a good number of customers arrived and took one or more books. Taking copies for others was encouraged. We had some nice chats, and surprise from some who hadn't heard of the Big City Read before and wondered why we were giving away free books!
The building is sometimes used for vaccinations OH and I had both our boosters there.
Two people arrived for their jabs! The first,a woman happily accepted my offer of a free book and went off with my instructions to find the pharmacy just along the road where the jabs were been given that day.
The second, a man was furious! He seemed to blame us for the fact that the vaccine was not being dispensed. He was even more furious when I offered him a free book
He kept waving a piece of paper about with the address of the venue - which was not where we were. Three times I patiently explained where he was supposed to go but he was so cross and not listening to me. In the end the librarian waved her lanyard in front of him saying 'I'm just a librarian!' He left still cross.We had a good laugh afterwards, wondering if he would have preferred us to inject him with something anyway as he was here! He was a very well spoken upright, smartly dressed, older man. I feel sorry for anyone he may live with!
So, apart from us not having had the forethought to train as medics and have a supply of vaccine just in case, a successful morning.
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