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Volunteer Spotlight
Name: John
Branch: DeLand
Volunteer Since: January 6, 2008
Volunteer Job: Circulation Desk
Where is your Hometown? Arlington, Virginia
What is/was your profession?
Licensed realtor switching into the healthcare profession
What led you to consider volunteering in the library?
I was new to the area and wanted to meet new people and get involved in the community in a positive way.
What have you learned from your position here at the library?
It gives me a chance to be involved in the community and the satisfaction of volunteering for a public institution that I believe in.
How do you feel your actions as a volunteer have affected the community?
I feel my service benefits the community because the library is able to offer service to more patrons with the help and dedication of its volunteers. In addition, I mention to everyone I meet all the services and materials available at the library, spreading the word of its benefit for our community.
Who is your favorite author?
Tie: Kahlil Gibran or Gabriel Garcia Marquez
If you were in a READ poster, what book you would you be holding?
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Marquez or maybe The Prophet by Gibran.
Have you ever picked up a book that was so compelling you couldn’t put it down?
Yes - many, many, times. I’m currently reading New York by Edward Rutherfurd , and it is quite compelling.
Why do you think libraries are important?
Libraries are the primary place where our society’s ideas, art, and culture are preserved and cataloged…where we come together as a community to learn, meet and exchange ideas.
What are a few of your favorite types of gifts to receive from someone else?
Their time, shared experiences….I am not big on material gifts.
What a famous person in history would you have liked to know on a personal level?
Nikola Tesla. He was a true genius and underappreciated to this day.
In what ways have your attitudes, ideas, and values changed with age?
They have matured and opened with new experiences. Every year and with every new friend I make, I feel I become a more well-rounded individual. I don’t think my values have changed, but my attitudes and ideas have grown exponentially with my life’s experiences.
What is your greatest weakness when it comes to food?
Pastries, cakes and baked goods! I could eat them all day.
What is the first thing you want to do at the beginning of each new season?
Clean house and re-center my life.
What about a restaurant makes you want to return?
The quality of the food. I could eat in a total dive if the food was good.
Do you have any family recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation?
Gallo pinto, which is a traditional Nicaraguan dish. My family recipe has been passed down several generations.
Can you think of something that puts a smile on your face?
Pugs.
What is your favorite late night snack?
Doritos.
If you were given a part to play in a movie, what part would that be?
The villain. It would be fun to step outside of yourself and play the villain. You’d probably learn a lot about yourself as well.
Volunteer @ your public library!
Please complete the Library Volunteer Application [PDF] by hand or online and bring it or email it to the branch of your choice.
All volunteers are subject to a background check prior to assignment.
