Are You a Volunteer Here?
"Are you a volunteer here?" is a question I'm asked almost every week at the library during one of my volunteer shifts. When I answer in the affirmative, the question is always followed by "Can you help me with this copy machine?" (the answer is no, sorry, ask the info desk) or "Can you tell me how to print from these computer?" (the answer is also, please ask the staff at the info desk) or "Can you tell me where to find a particular book?" (the answer is usually yes but occasionally a visit to the computer catalog or the info desk).
This past Saturday, I was doing the book drop at the library. It's a job I haven't been assigned since the switch to floating, but the picklist wasn't available for printing and they gave me bookdrop instead. I was SO thrilled. Beyond thrilled--I was giddy. I love doing the bookdrop more than any other job at the library. It's not a 2-hour job, usually, so I had a half an hour to kill afterward, which I spent sorting books on carts and shelving in the new section.
As I was out by the shelves sorting, a woman came up next to me and asked the inevitable question: "Are you a volunteer here?"
My answer was the standard "Yes, I am. Can I help you find something?"
But her reply was the first of its kind I'd ever heard: "No, I just wanted to thank you for doing this. It's really wonderful of you."
Awwww! I genuinely thanked her. I told her that it was the library from my childhood (one of them at least) and it was great to be able to give back. She said that was amazing and thanked me again.
How sweet is that? A complete stranger taking the time to thank me for spending my Saturday morning giving some of my time and effort to the community. This kindness completely made my day and gave mea little more faith in my fellow man :-)
This past Saturday, I was doing the book drop at the library. It's a job I haven't been assigned since the switch to floating, but the picklist wasn't available for printing and they gave me bookdrop instead. I was SO thrilled. Beyond thrilled--I was giddy. I love doing the bookdrop more than any other job at the library. It's not a 2-hour job, usually, so I had a half an hour to kill afterward, which I spent sorting books on carts and shelving in the new section.
As I was out by the shelves sorting, a woman came up next to me and asked the inevitable question: "Are you a volunteer here?"
My answer was the standard "Yes, I am. Can I help you find something?"
But her reply was the first of its kind I'd ever heard: "No, I just wanted to thank you for doing this. It's really wonderful of you."
Awwww! I genuinely thanked her. I told her that it was the library from my childhood (one of them at least) and it was great to be able to give back. She said that was amazing and thanked me again.
How sweet is that? A complete stranger taking the time to thank me for spending my Saturday morning giving some of my time and effort to the community. This kindness completely made my day and gave mea little more faith in my fellow man :-)