Modern libraries are changing rapidly – and so too the roles of volunteers.
There has been considerable change over the past two years, and a recent review identified the library’s existing volunteer program model was no longer adequate to meet the library’s business needs.
Currently the program offers 15 volunteer roles across five areas:
- Client services/general library
- Content creation and discovery
- Public programming (First 5 Forever)
- Home library service
- Picture Ipswich
Ipswich City Council will review and update all existing volunteer positions to ensure the length of contract is appropriate to the role or project. All volunteer roles will have a position description and contracted end date.
volunteer roles currently exist at Ipswich libraries
The Library Service is exploring options to recruit volunteers for roles such as:
- Greeters when the new Springfield Central Branch opens
- Tech mentors
- Cocktail Hour and other events
- Booksale assistants
- Young Library ambassadors
There are many potential skilled volunteers who are not able to participate in the library’s volunteer program as the existing program fully utilises the full capacity of the library service’s volunteer offering.
This will provide equitable access to all new volunteer opportunities through the advertisement of specific and genuine roles or projects on Council’s website, allowing potential volunteers to apply for those roles or projects that are suitable to their interests and skills.
Volunteer roles will be available more regularly and to a large and diverse range of community members with different ages, skills and experience to offer.
Ipswich’s history is picture perfect
Volunteer Melanie Rush’s tasks at Picture Ipswich involve digitising and researching images to add to the ever-growing database of more than 14,600 assets.
It’s a perfect role for Ms Rush, who has experience both as a historian and a photographer.
“This (combines) my love of history and photographs with my love of photography – and I learn about the local families,” she said.
At the moment Ms Rush is working on sorting and scanning a collection from the Taylor family of photographs from the 1809s to 1914.
There are a lot of studio portraits of local families, but also many of Ipswich’s city centre – including the main street during the great floods of the 1890s.
“These are magnificent photos,” she said.
Picture Ipswich welcomes donated images, and will scan and return images to the owner.
Images of any era are welcome, with the aim to create a collection that provides a unique insight to local history – it’s people, families, places and way of life – from the city’s beginnings to the modern day.
See picture.ipswich.qld.gov.au
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