Success Doncaster

January News 2012

12 libraries in Doncaster are changing in the way they are run, with members of the community volunteering to sustain and provide the service. This will happen at the following libraries:

• Balby

• Bawtry

• Bessacarr

• Edenthorpe

• Intake

• Moorends

• Rossington

• Scawthorpe

• Sprotbrough

• Stainforth

• Warmsworth

• Wheatley

The first library to do this will be Rossington, which closes it doors to the public in its current location on Saturday 4th February and re-opens in the Holmes Carr Centre in Rossington on Monday 20th February. All other libraries plan to become community managed libraries in March.

At each library a partnership has developed to manage the library, with Town and Parish Councils, with schools and local organisations. And whilst there will not be a member of library staff on site, there will be a strong partnership between the library service and the volunteers, to help ensure that the service is sustained. So each library will still receive new books, will still have computers and internet facilities, and will still have events and activities for children and adults run by library staff.

But to open the doors of these 12 libraries, the library service needs the help of volunteers. Really good progress is being made so far, and most libraries have 15-20 volunteers available and ready to help, yet the service needs more. If you are interested in giving any amount of your time, whether its one hour a month or 3 hours a week – whatever you can manage and give – we are waiting to hear from you. The role of the volunteer mainly includes: shelving books and tidying the shelves, helping customers with using computers and searching for / seeking information, answering enquiries using available resources, putting books and items onto a library card, and taking them off, and reserving stock for customers which is then delivered from other libraries across the Borough. No specific qualifications are required, but volunteers will need:

• to have good people skills

• to respect the principles of equality and diversity

• to understand and respect confidentiality

• to be prepared to go undergo basic training

All relevant training and support will be given. The library service aims for volunteers to increase their skills and confidence, and even, where appropriate, to gain experience to help them gain employment. It’s an excellent way to meet new people and contribute directly to your community.

If you are interested in volunteering in this way please email volunteer@doncaster.gov.uk, or phone or call into your local library and ask for an expression of interest form.