Library grateful for teen volunteers

Editor’s note: Final part in a series about gratitude for the month of November.

Many nonprofits would be lost without their volunteers but for the Dublin Public Library that is especially true as they have been undergoing a major renovation project.

Several teens have been integral to the library’s success and they have been putting many hours into the renovation project.

Avery Sieperda, a freshman at Dublin High School, has donated more than 140 hours over the past year doing myriad projects for the library including aiding with the Summer Reading Club. Also helping out are home schooled students Isaac, 16, Isaiah, 16, and Ean Sprouse, 13.

Isaac has been a long-time volunteer, starting when he was 13, though he has become more active over the past year. He has donated about 70 hours over the past year.

“I really love the organization and everything about the library,” Sieperda said when asked why she volunteers at the library. “They need help.”

For Isaac, volunteering at the library provides him a way to give back to the community, which is important to him and his family.

“Since I’m homeschooled, it provides a great place for me to come and do part of my lessons also,” he said.

As part of the renovations at the library, all teens were able to provide input into which mural was being drawn into the new teen space and a grayscale forest scape won the contest.

All of the teen volunteers were on hand over the Thanksgiving holiday to help transform the former children’s area into the new teen area, painting layer upon layer of primer to help transform the room. They all said they are excited to see the transformation come to life.

“The teens are integral to the success of the library and their projects for sure,” Library Director Adina Dunn said. “Isaac and Ean stayed all day last Wednesday helping take apart shelving and moving shelves. It was a ton of work.”

Recently, the library founded a teen advisory group to help make decisions for projects related to teenagers are concerned, including choosing which mural was constructed for their area. The group also informed teens about volunteer opportunities, many of which are required for school organizations. About 15 teens were a part of the meeting.

The teens are not the only ones who have stepped up to volunteer to make the library renovation project a success. Dunn said she has had help from students involved with the National Honor Society, boys athletics department, Women’s Thursday Club, Dublin Historical Society, city of Dublin, Erath County Genealogical Society and many others who have simply stopped into to help with no recognition.

“There’s no way we would be able to have the programs and extra services without our volunteers,” Dunn said.