This article by William Bevill was originally published in the Arizona Daily Star on Oct. 29, 2016.
I confess: I’m a library associate and I love my job.
I’ve worked for the Pima County Public Library for 11 years and, as you might guess, I’m an avid reader, blogger and list-maker.
Have you ever been on the library’s website and been compelled to try a new book or movie because of a review or a list that caught your eye? Well, maybe it’s been one of mine!
Most recently, I’ve shared some of my favorite Criterion Films (who hasn’t seen “Mulholland Drive”?!), Mulder and Scully write (Hollywood actors showing off their writing chops), and economical and DIY gift-giving (do you have a creative spark?), among many others.
There’s nothing better than opening doors to new authors, books and movies for people in our community.
Perhaps that’s one of the reasons I love overseeing the Readrunners program, which provides books and other materials through mail and by library delivery service to homebound customers and those in care facilities.
Readrunners, which operates out of the Valencia Library, includes books-by-mail and the Deposit Collection, as well as the Bookmobile, but more on that later.
My primary focus is books-by-mail, a service that provides access to thousands of large-print books and DVDs housed in our collection for visually impaired customers or those who are unable to make it to the library for medical reasons.
What do I love about this service? What’s not to love?
I get to serve a community that craves books but would have trouble obtaining them without our help.
The post office sends the books back and forth at no charge to the customer. From my desk at the Valencia Library, I correspond with the customers and help them find new books, based on their interests and favorite authors.
It’s not always easy, and I certainly wouldn’t claim to always get it right, but I love that I get the chance to communicate with them on a daily basis. It’s truly delightful to know that I’m making a difference in someone’s life and that the end result of my work provides people who might otherwise be perfect strangers the opportunity to be entertained, educated or inspired.
Often at the library, we may check out a book to someone, but never hear their opinion or be able to discuss their opinion; with Readrunners, I hear nothing but stories.
Did I mention I average about five thank-you letters every week? That’s not including endless kind notes, small gifts and thoughtful phone calls from very happy customers.
There is currently not a waiting list to apply for the books-by-mail program. If you or someone you know might be eligible, please call (520) 594-5416. Customers must reside in Pima County, have a visual impairment to the point they cannot read normal print comfortably for a sustained period of time or are physically unable to come to the library.
I do more than just send books by mail. Along with my colleague, Brandon Milligan, I deliver donated or discarded books, CDs and movies to senior centers, nursing homes, rehabs and facilities all over Tucson.
This service, called the Deposit Collection, delivers to more than 50 locations during a six-week span. Many of these facilities have few or no books and the residents may rarely have a chance to visit a library. I like to think that we’re doing more than just delivering materials, we’re bringing some joy, too.
We often bring along children’s books, since this provides grandparents a chance to connect with their grandkids during visits.
One thing I don’t do at Readrunners is drive the Bookmobile (that requires a commercial license). I do, however, assist my Bookmobile driver and colleague, Wade Zelenak, by helping him prepare the new materials that come in, organizing the collection, and, when I’m lucky, riding along to one of the many destinations (30 stops every month!) to check out books and distribute library cards to people.
So many exciting things are happening on the Bookmobile! Most recently, thanks to a $25,000 grant from the Tohono O’odham Nation, it was outfitted with WiFi and laptops.
So now customers, especially those in rural areas without internet access, can take advantage of the library’s many educational e-resources and tools.
You can also find me working the front desk at the Valencia Library, where I love assisting customers.
I imagine you’ve guessed this by now, but I get a real thrill out of working for the library. I get to use my own knowledge and skills to help people learn, create and read. Plus, I work on several teams, including Ravenous Readers, producing blogs and lists of great books, movies and activities for customers of all ages and abilities who enjoy the library. I also get to interact with reluctant readers and help them find the things that inspire them like Freegal, our free music program. Have you checked it out?
And last but definitely not least, every day I leave work knowing that I’ve given people the chance to hold, read, and cherish books from the comfort of their own homes, and that’s a pretty awesome feeling.
William Bevill has a bachelor’s degree in print journalism from Northern Arizona University and has worked for the library since 2005, including nine years at the Juvenile Detention Center Library. An avid reader, he’s also an avid writer, having worked on a gazillion novels, short stories, and poems of his own, not to mention his annual failing of NANOWRIMO. He’s currently working his way through the 2016 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge.
