By Jeremiah Walter
Volunteers are an essential part of any library. Their time and dedication make a huge difference not only for staff, but also for the communities they serve.
“Our staff are extremely thankful for all of our volunteers,” says Mariah Martin, senior library assistant at Monument Library, who coordinates volunteers at that location. “They help us with our day-to-day operations so much.”
In 2024, 373 volunteers donated 14,703 hours of their time to help Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) fulfill its mission of cultivating spaces for belonging, personal growth, and strong communities.
"Most of our volunteers come in because they love the Library,” says PPLD’s volunteer program supervisor Karen Goates. "If you can connect people to what they're passionate about, I think it's a better experience. Our volunteers find reward in giving back to the Library they have used. Some of them say, 'My mom brought me here for Storytime. I love it, and I want to contribute.'"
Those contributions include helping process holds by pulling them off Library shelves or unloading bins of requested materials sent from other locations. These items are scanned and placed on hold shelves.
“It really frees up a lot of staff time to do more with patrons, host more programming, and have more time for planning,” says Martin.
Some long-time volunteers have been around to see changes in volunteer processes.
"It’s gotten easier to do," says June Freyer, who has volunteered at Monument Library since 1998. "We used to write the borrower’s name on the slip of paper, but that’s done automatically [with printers] now."
Processes aren’t the only things that have changed.
"The [volunteers] who have been here for 20 years, some of them have seen three or four managers, the staff has shifted, and yet they're still here," says Goates. "People enjoy the community that it gives them. They meet new people. They might be retired and not have a community. They come to the Library once a week and build a community around that."
"The atmosphere is very friendly and welcoming. I get a nice feeling volunteering there," agrees Freyer. "I've gotten to be good friends with people over the years."
There are benefits for younger volunteers, as well.
"Volunteering gives them a chance to learn work skills," explains Goates. "Being responsible, being on time, especially with the teen program. We actually require our teen volunteers to be in an online work skills program."
One such teen volunteer is Hannah, a senior at Discovery Canyon High School who is in her second year of volunteering at Monument Library.
"In 2024, 373 volunteers donated 14,703 hours of their time to help Pikes Peak Library District fulfill its mission of cultivating spaces for belonging, personal growth, and strong communities."
"I find the idea of helping the people in my community very rewarding, but also the opportunities it provides to learn new skills," says Hannah. "Ever since I started volunteering at the Library, I have learned so much about its inner workings and it is extremely fascinating.”
So fascinating, in fact, that a paid job at libraries may be in her future.
"I am considering a career in librarianship," says Hannah. "My love for the Library and librarianship has expanded due to the amazing opportunity to work with the lovely people at the Library and our community.”
The importance of libraries is certainly not lost on Hannah.
“Librarians are a crucial part of the community,” she says. “Knowledge is a resource that everyone has the right to access, and the Library provides this access. Without libraries, the world would be a darker and less knowledgeable place. It's a safe place for the community to gather and interact, which is necessary in this world.”
With the generous contributions of its volunteers, PPLD can better provide those vital resources to the community it serves. Thank you to all who volunteer at Pikes Peak Library District and other organizations in the Pikes Peak region!
Volunteering at PPLD
Who Can Volunteer?
Applications are accepted from community members age 13 and older. (You will need your parents’ or guardians’ permission if you are ages 13 - 17.) We welcome volunteers with a variety of backgrounds, interests, abilities, and time commitments.
What Can I Do?
Volunteer opportunities vary depending on current needs. While most of our opportunities are long-term, short-term options are sometimes available.
Where Can I Learn More?
Current volunteer opportunities and more information can be found at ppld.org/volunteer.
