(Riverton, WY) When it comes to volunteerism, the Friends of the Riverton Branch Library actively and consistently lend their time and support to the library’s programs and activities throughout the year.
“We love our library and the services it offers to the community,” said treasurer and volunteer Linda Bebout. “We are a small group who faithfully fulfill our obligations to the Friends with hours working at fundraising events.”
The Friends of the Riverton Branch Library have been around for over 30 years, incorporated as a group in the early 1990s. All Fremont County libraries have a “Friends of” volunteer group and are independently run, providing financial support for their respective library’s programs and purchases.
The Friends hold book sales twice a month in the upstairs Mezzanine, selling used books, DVDs, LP records, and other media. They also participate and help out when the library has community events, including the popular “Chalk the Walk” during the Riverton Rendezvous Week in July.
where books can be bought individually, or buy a bag of books for $5 or $10. h/t Carol Harper
“We also do two rummage sales each year,” Bebout said. “Those have proven pretty successful. Members are also generous with financial support, quietly underwriting some of the projects.”
Volunteers also take reading materials to the residents of Homestead Assisted Living once a month. The residents can make a list of their favorite authors; the volunteers then select books based on those lists and then deliver them to the home. “Large print, if we have them,” Bebout said.
They also buy a limited number of tickets for the CATS Museum, which the Children’s Librarian can share with “families who might not otherwise be able to enjoy that experience,” Bebout continued. “We also underwrite a salary for a part-time Library Page, providing a job opportunity for a local teen. This also allows library employees to be more available to the library patrons.”
When asked about the organization’s needs, Bebout said that more volunteers to help with the book sales, fundraising ideas, and help with setting up and tearing down for their rummage sales “would be terrific.”
The Friends currently have 14-18 volunteers and would like to recognize Lorraine Geike, Marjie Ravasio, and Sharon Wilson for their help in shelving and rearranging the materials the library receives for their book balcony.
For more information about how you can volunteer and support the Friends of the Riverton Branch Library, call 307-856-3556 or message the library on their Facebook page at facebook.com/rivertonbranchlibrary.
