Shorter Hours, High Volume: How Charlotte Library Uses Volunteers as Stopgap
By Norman Oder Sep 8, 2010Last week, LJ reported that an aggressive effort to recruit volunteers at the budget-battered Charlotte Mecklenburg Library (CML), NC, has allowed two branches, Matthews and Davidson, to open one additional day per week for six hours.
But how exactly did this happen, and how does it work? After all, as the library said, using volunteers to extend hours is "unprecedented," and some commenters on LJ's web site expressed dismay that the use of volunteers would convince funders that libraries could operate on less money.
Volume stays high
LJ talked with David Singleton, CML's Director of Library Experiences, who said the fundamental fact is that, while CML has lost some 56 percent of its hours, its circulation and gate count declined only about 20 percent.
That means staffers who formerly integrated back-office work with frontline service during open hours are now all on the floor. That allows volunteers--at Matthews, sometimes as many as ten, with five staffers--to work the floor as well as in back. And during closed hours, such volunteers help by checking in materials and filling holds requests.
"Volunteers have really allowed us, to some degree, to keep our heads a little above water," Singleton said. "We simply didn't have the staff to deal with the tremendous volume. We had people from administration going out and helping libraries, in many cases, with backlogs. We knew we couldn't sustain that long-term."
Volunteers ramp up
In July, the Matthews library had about 210 volunteer hours; in August, the total was 541 hours--"a tremendous increase," said Singleton. While it takes time for staff to train and manage the volunteers (see introductory PowerPoint below), it keeps remaining staffers on the floor.
The cadre of volunteers includes a range of ages; there's a special teen volunteer corps. And, of 183 CML staffers laid off, at least ten are volunteers.
CML has asked for a minimum two-hour commitment each week for six months. "For the most part, most people are honoring that commitment," Singleton said. "Some people are able to give more."
Volunteers, who wear badges indicating their status, are not allowed to look at patron records, but they are encouraged to answer simple questions and to pass tougher queries to staff.
The impact and the future
At training, those present are asked why they want to volunteer. "Volunteers really do see the value of the library; not one of them has said they're interested in replacing library staff. What they are interested in doing is helping the staff get through a very challenging time in this community."
"We now have a group of people who understand what it takes to actually operate a library, to provide the service, who are investing of themselves in ways that the county and the cities have invested," Singleton said. "And they become, ultimately, our advocates in the community."
But is this the new normal? "I think it's too early to say," replied Singleton, who noted that this test case may or may not be extended to the system's other branches.
"We're working in partnership with the towns on this effort," he said. "In six months, we'll have a better feel about what's working, what we need to change. I do think it's given us the opportunity to open up the library to a different group of people. I hope that we can restore a lot of the staff. It would allow us to provide programs and services we just can't provide. Volunteers are really aware of that."
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Volunteer Orientation Presentation
