Position: FCPL Friends and Advocates President
Chattanooga, Tennessee
How long have you been at FCPL?
I’ve been volunteering with the Friends and Advocates since 2018
What other jobs have you had?
I have a Speech Communication degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. I worked for radio stations in North Carolina and Georgia and with a local business forms manufacturer. Previously, I volunteered as a PTA President, a Girl Scout Service Unit Director, and as an Elder in my church.
Why did you choose to work in a library?
A friend of mine who is a bookstore manager at the Cumming Library bookstore suggested I volunteer with the Friends when my youngest was in middle school. I volunteered twice in the Post Road bookstore and then she encouraged me to be President.
Describe your library job in five words or fewer.
Supporter, Bookseller, Recycler, Volunteer Recruiter
What is unique about your job?
You never know what donations will be arriving or who you will meet on any given day. You must be adaptable, a good listener, and always welcoming.
Traditional bookstores place orders for books and they know what to expect. The Friends Bookstores are dependent on what the public and library donates. You might need to research what the first edition copy of Gone with Wind looks like or who will benefit the most from a box of books written in Japanese. We are constantly recruiting for volunteers and understanding what books people want to buy.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Making connections and watching someone’s mood change for the better. Our buyers are ages 3 to 93 and we (volunteers) enjoy finding books they want. I also like encouraging people to volunteer because I know how good it is for the soul. Being a good environmental steward is very important to me. But THE best part is knowing that our hard work provides cultural and literacy programs for EVERYONE for free.
What’s the most interesting place you’ve lived or traveled?
When I was a teenager–I lived for a few months in Brazil–I had a wonderful time and was forever changed. My daughter and her family live in Chile and I’ve visited a few times. Both countries are just beautiful.
What are your hobbies?
Besides reading... tennis, visiting museums and traveling. Love to play Rummikub.
What are you reading right now?
I’m listening to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid and I’m reading Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia. (I was just at the Savannah Book Festival and was introduced to her new novel.)
Paper books, eBooks, or audiobooks?
ALL: At home–it’s paper, in the car–audio, traveling–eBooks. As a child, someone gave me a record player and a few read-along records. I could just about mimic the narrator as I listened to them all the time.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the 1st bookstore opening inside a Forsyth County Public Library. I just want to thank all the volunteers for their time and energy and the support of our wonderful library system. The dedication from the volunteers who first organized to support the library back in the mid 1990s until today is just inspiring! The Friends have given slightly more than half a million dollars to FCPL during our existence.
In the last 4 years, Friends sales and donations have grown exponentially. The generous support from the public is just outstanding. Not only have sales been climbing but nearly 12 TONS of books have been kept out of the Forsyth County Landfill this year as we’ve shipped books we could not sell to Better World Books. I’ve also seen people (several who are waiting on immigration paperwork) buy books then resell online for income. I’ve witnessed our elderly and teenagers volunteering together. Friendships have been made from people who never would have met. We’ve sold books at festivals and events to gain more community awareness. In the next few weeks, FCPL Friends will be at the Aging Well Expo and the A World of Art Festival plus hosting some Spring Sidewalk Sales.
January and the summer months were always times when donations were plentiful. People made New Year’s resolutions to organize their homes and parents tend to purge the children’s home collection after school closes. However, during the pandemic, we saw donations surge as people were cleaning out closets while they were shut in. Now as the baby boomers (ages 57-77) are aging, we are seeing a housing shift and the books are flowing our way EVERY day.
One of my favorite aspects of getting a donation are the things left inside of books. I’ve personally found store bookmarks from around the world, a ticket from an Elvis concert, old airline napkins and tickets. Sorry, I haven’t found any money–yet. I also cherish the inscriptions that people write in books they give to special people.
1 comment:
We love Jodie!
Post a Comment