501-918-3025
calsfoundation@cals.org
calsfoundation@cals.org
CALS loves our Volunteers
April 16-22 is Volunteer Appreciation Week and CALS wants to express a huge THANK YOU to our wonderful volunteers. Close to 800 volunteers donate their time to the library regularly throughout the year. Volunteers aged 14 and older are welcome to work at library branches. These volunteers assist with stocking shelves, cleaning, boxing pulled books, preparing grab-and-go kits for programs, and other support as needed.
Volunteers allow the library to provide much-needed community services while keeping the overhead lower. They also fill in unique gaps and help with seasonal assistance that isn’t necessary year-round.
Volunteers who are at least 16 years of age provide support for our branches, programs, events, and outreach. These include:
- Count UP Math Tutoring, a virtual and in-person opportunity which provides math instruction to K-12 students.
- Be Mighty volunteers assist distributing meals curbside, prepare recipe kits for cooking programs, distribute items to Little Free Pantries, and prepare and hand out meal boxes.
- Friends of CALS Used Book Sale volunteers sort and shelve donated books in preparation for the sale in the basement of the Main Library building and these volunteers and others work during the sales held three times a year.
The downside of volunteering at the book sale- the dreaded paper cut. - Six Bridges Book Festival volunteers serve as moderators, sit on the talent search committee, and assist in preparation for and during the event.
- Volunteers help with concessions at Ron Robinson Theater.
- Roberts Library front lobby desk volunteers welcome patrons to the library and to the Galleries & Bookstore at Library Square. Volunteers also assist staff in the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies and Encyclopedia of Arkansas. And volunteers help during 2nd Friday Art Night (2FAN).
- The garden at Hillary Rodham Clinton Children’s Library utilizes volunteers to toil away at all things gardening onsite including providing seedlings to others. And there is now a raised garden at Millie Brooks Library and McMath Library.
- Volunteers provide support for various library outreach which has included the SOMA Mardi Gras Parade, Prom Dress Drive, and Day of the Dead.
We will soon ask volunteers to support the Be Mighty summer feeding program and Summer @ CALS activities.
Please contact Polly at pdeems@cals.org or 501-918-3085 to learn more about becoming a volunteer with CALS and making an impact in your community.
