HomeMy Public PortalAboutapril16volunteerLibrary Director
Leone E. Cole
TO: Library Trustees
FROM: Caitlin Browne, Assistant Director
CC: Leone Cole, Library Director
DATE: April 7, 2016
RE: Volunteer Appreciation Event
For the past couple of years, while I've been happy with the effort we put into the Volunteer Appreciation
event, I've left feeling underwhelmed with the outcome. I question if we are expressing our appreciation
of the volunteers in a meaningful way. I have done some research that suggests that banquets and
formal gatherings are less valued by volunteers than a more personal expression of thanks. Given this,
and that we have such a small crowd this year, around 15 (not including HATCH volunteers), I would like
to suggest a new way of showing our gratitude. With this in mind I propose the following:
Immediate actions:
• Cancel the volunteer appreciation event this year and discontinue the tradition of a formal
gathering.
• Design and print WFPL thank you notes and pay with trustees funds. A rough estimate from our
print vendor is $230 for 500 cards. I request that the Trustees approve up to $300 for thank you
notes. 500 cards should last a few years.
• Each volunteer will receive a hand written thank you note in May by the staff member(s) they
work closest with to be signed by the staff member, the Director, and Trustees.
• Give the volunteers a nameplate in a book and inform them with the thank you note.
• For HATCH volunteers I propose we send them thank you notes as explained above. Additionally,
I would like to suggest that we occasionally provide food for them when we have meetings or
other events. For example, this past weekend we did what I called a "Spring Clean." I could have
provided them coffee or lunch as a thank you. I would like to request that $400 from the Kaveny
fund (the fund we usually use for the volunteer event) be earmarked for this purpose with the
intent that it is spread out over a year.
On -going recognition for library volunteers:
• Create space on our website and in our newsletter to feature volunteers (who want to
participate, of course). We'd include some biographical information as well as the work they do
and how it benefits the library. This has the added benefit of advertising for additional
volunteers.
• Create a program with the Red Leaf cafe that would allow volunteers to get a free coffee and
pastry when they volunteer. I propose that after completion of 10 volunteer hours we give them
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5 vouchers a year with a cap of $4 each. They would give these vouchers to Donald, he would
send them to administration with the cost of the purchase and pay them monthly from funds set
aside for this program. This could also be paid from the Kaveny fund in lieu of the volunteer
event.
• Volunteers who reach certain milestones (TBD, but probably years or hours of service completed)
will get some sort of recognition (also TBD).
• Every May we do the thank you note method listed above.
Total Cost of proposed changes
WFPL Thank you cards
Up to $300 from Trustees Fund
Food for HATCH volunteers
Up to $400 from Kaveny
Cafe program
Up to $300 with current volunteer roster from
Kaveny
Total
Up to $1,000
I feel the above suggestions will go further in showing our appreciation to our volunteers and I hope you
will consider making these changes.