Recent years have seen severe and increasing pressure on all local authority budgets, including Wokingham’s. As a result we’ve had to work in different and innovative ways in many areas, and this includes our libraries. The help of volunteers in our libraries is now essential.
Volunteers now work together with our library staff to ensure that residents can access books, e-books, , a wide range of newspapers and magazines (which can be accessed online), and online services. Libraries in Wargrave and Arborfield are now fully staffed with volunteers from our community. Volunteers are important for the running of our Home Library Service, which takes books to the homes of those who are housebound because of their health or mobility issues. This includes people who are temporarily restricted because they’re recovering from an operation.
Library staff and volunteers encourage children to read for fun from an early age. Parents and carers of babies under 18 months can pick up a Bookstart Baby Pack from local libraries. These contain a free book and helpful information about reading to their child. Dual language packs are available, as well as special packs for children with visual or hearing impairments, or conditions affecting their fine motor skills.
Volunteers run free Rhymetime sessions for babies and preschool children, helping them to learn through fun songs and rhymes; and Storytimes for children aged 2-5 years.
For children who have reached school age, the Libraries offer the Little Explorers book club challenge, a summer reading challenge and annual events for World Book Day. They also host and support events for the Wokingham Children’s Book Festival, which is run in partnership with Wokingham Town Council, as well as creative Lego groups which are run by volunteers.
Volunteers run Igniting Writing creative writing groups for young people aged 11 to 18 to develop their writing skills and build friendships with other aspiring young writers. There are also creative writing groups for adults, as well as crochet, knitting, scrabble and coffee mornings.
For residents with severe or profound learning disabilities, the Tall Tales service provides multi-sensory story books to develop communication skills through interactive stories told through voice and emotion rather than words and pictures. The Tall Tales service has been developed in partnership with the Wokingham Learning Disability Partnership Board. These resources are hugely beneficial to those with severe autistic spectrum disorders and visual and hearing impairments.
Volunteers based in Wokingham Borough libraries help people complete forms, trace their family trees, and become familiar with technology such as smartphones and tablets. A number of our libraries host regular book clubs. Woodley Library has hosted the most used of our pilot Resident Receptions, where residents can meet council officers and our voluntary sector partners face-to-face in a local venue.
This huge range of services would not be possible without our dedicated volunteers. The councillor team would like to say a huge thank you to you all.
91% of our volunteers say that they feel that they’re making a difference; 86% say that volunteering boosts their own wellbeing. Our library volunteers also say that their role helps make them more active, confident and involved.
If you would like to volunteer at Wokingham libraries, the team would love to hear form you. There are further details on our website, or you can get in touch at volunteer@wokingham.gov.uk if you would like more information.
By Cllr Rachel Bishop Firth
