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08/24/2021 04:48 PMThe tasks they perform might seem relatively small, but to the dozen or so regular E.C. Scranton volunteers, who have only recently been able to return to their library, helping out has always been a big deal.
Scranton staff hosted an outdoor luncheon and party earlier this month to show the library’s appreciation for its beloved helpers, many of whom spent years as a quiet but integral part of the library’s operations, doing everything from sorting and shelving books to weeding gardens before the pandemic locked them out of the building.
“Nothing embodies the spirit of public libraries so well as a dedicated group of volunteers,” said Scranton Director Sunnie Scarpa.
Distinct from the more formal Friends of the Scranton Library group—but including members of that group—the volunteers are simply people of all ages who love their library and want to make sure it is the best place for everyone in Madison.
“There’s such a loyalty factor here,” said Librarian Marcia Sokolnicki, who coordinates the volunteers. “This is obviously where they want to spend their time.”
Volunteers had not been able to help out for the better part of a year, according to Sokolnicki, as Scranton was open sporadically to the public between November 2020 and late spring.
Starting earlier in the summer, though, she said the volunteers, who were chomping at the bit to return, were finally able to step back into their routine, with nearly every single member returning as soon as it became safe, Sokolnicki said.
Having the little party last week, though, was finally an opportunity for these folks to spend some time with each other after a long period of isolation according to Sokolnicki.
Not having the volunteers was far from frivolous from the library’s perspective, according to both Scarpa and Sokolnicki. Some have even offered to work with Scranton’s delivery service, she said, bringing materials directly to customer’s doors, and teens have helped run whole programs focused on younger people.
“It’s true that the library just could not operate the way we do without [their] help,” said Scarpa.
Since returning, the volunteers, like many other residents, have found joy in the library’s new amenities, tending the outdoor gardens and organizing collections. Scarpa said the plan is that the party becomes an annual event- and also that the volunteers will have uninterrupted opportunities to continue their service to Scranton and by extension, their whole community.
“It’s a gift,” said Sokolnicki.