COLUMN
Library thanks after National week
DEBBIE BROWN BULLARD COMMUNITYLIBRARY

Bullard Community Librarian Debbie Brown wrote this in honor of National Library Week, celebrated April 15-21.

Bullard Community Library would like to take this opportunity to recognize our regular and long-time volunteers:

Cora Tomlin - volunteer for over 12 years faithfully comes in two days each week to do a large portion of the cataloging necessary to place books on the shelves for circulation.

Cora's knowledge of the collection at Bullard Community Library, particularly the genealogy collection, and her skills at cataloging, make her an especially highly valued volunteer.

Jane Purtle - one of the founding member of the FRIENDS of Bullard Community Library, has found a niche in the FRIENDS Book Store which she oversees. Jane spends each Monday at the circulation desk in addition to frequent assistance with FRIENDS projects at the library, weekly columns for the newspapers, and the many duties necessary to make the Book Store a success.

Jane keeps our patron information up to date.

Her friendly, helpful manner are vastly appreciated.

Denise Laflamme, a new resident of the area, has recently begun volunteering on Fridays at the circulation desk.

She keeps track of weekly and monthly circulation statistics to assist with records required for our annual report to the Texas State Library.

Wayne Hoffmann donates his time whenever possible - his "other" job of daily transporting school children, both on a regular bus route and special field trips, and the frequent call for his services as a substitute teacher sometimes keep him away from the library.

But when he isn't performing these special services for our local school children, he can be found in the library on Tuesdays and Thursdays - until time to take children home again.

Wayne's expertise with computers has led him to teach basic computer classes for adults, and to assist in maintaining the library's computers.

Kevin McCugh regularly volunteers outside the library and outside library hours. He maintains our lawn throughout the spring and summer.

He collects aluminum cans from a collection point at Brookshire's and throughout his neighborhood to assist the library's recycling efforts.

Kevin will be making some improvements outside the building as part of his Eagle Scout project.

Doug Saunders has an out-of-sight, off-site volunteer job, but his work is widely seen - Doug redesigned and maintains our Bullard Community Library website at www.bullardlibrary.org.

He has made numerous improvements to the website and is always on top of any dated material that needs to added, changed or removed.

We recognize the value of his creativity, his proficiency and his time.

And we thank his wife Sandy, who graciously accepts the loss of his company while he's doing this.

Story Hour readers come to the library each week to read to young children. The time spent comes to only about an hour every few weeks for each volunteer, but the value of our readers is tremendous - they help us to provide a program aimed at instilling a lifelong love of reading in young children.

And the children get to see a variety of adults, who all love reading, who share that love enthusiastically with unique and diverse personalities.

Martha Dinwiddie does the behindthe scenes work of Treasurer for the Bullard Community Library Board, which means she handles the finances for the library as well.

While much of her work can be done at home, it also requires regular visits to the library and continuous communication.

She's unflagging in her commitment to high standards in the library's recordkeeping.

Martha's work is vital in the smooth running of library functions, and her records are another necessary part of the annual report required by the Texas State Library.

It takes many community- and service minded people to make the Bullard Community Library what it is.

Let's applaud these volunteers and others who serve through the FRIENDS, who donate their time and money to make the Library a vital community resource.

And if you're thinking you'd like to join this dedicated crowd there are a couple of things you might consider - joining and actively participating in the FRIENDS, or investigate on our website www.bullardlibrary.org for a list of suggested ways volunteers can help with existing library functions, or create new programs that mesh with your vision for our community.