Hometown Heroes: Payson library volunteers

Most of us probably don’t realize there is a lot of behind-the-scenes work by the staff and volunteers to make the books and other media materials available.

Our library simply could not function the way it does without the volunteers who show up every week to do their assigned tasks, whether it is working the front desk, shelving books, movies, magazines and puzzles, covering books, and even cataloging new items — these are all things that must be done to keep the library functioning properly.

The first smiling faces we often see when we enter the building are Angela Carranza and Alice Natale. They and other volunteers work the front desk, checking items in or out.

There are other volunteer helpers. Patty Joseph is one of the “shelvers.” They put the returned items back in their proper place. Joseph also works in internet sales, researching the value of books that are donated to the library. The books are sold online, and the money is used to purchase new books for the library.

Kathy Morgan is another volunteer.

“I worked at the Payson Library as the circulation supervisor for almost eight years and part of my job was interacting with the library volunteers. I met the most amazing people and decided that when I retired, I wanted to be a volunteer too,” she said. “I retired in 2012 and have been an active volunteer at the library ever since then. For me, being a volunteer is a way to give back to the community and stay involved with those people who use the library services. It gives me a sense of purpose, a sense of fulfillment, and a sense of value.”

Alice Natale has been volunteering in libraries since she was 13 when she lived in California. She moved to Payson in 2003 and brought along her 80 boxes of books. It didn’t take long for her neighbor Linda Lanctot, then president of the Friends of the Payson Library, to entice Natale to volunteer.

“I was raised by librarians,” Natale said. “Here at the Payson library, all of us want to make coming to the library a good experience. Lots of folks have no one else to talk to. They come to connect as well as for education and because they enjoy reading. We want to acknowledge them and get to know them, so everyone will want to come back.”

When I asked how volunteers get involved, she said, “They come to the Library Friends meetings, enjoy the programs, and then they get interested.”

Natale is also involved in the community as the vice regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution and was active in Mount Cross Cares, an afternoon program for kids.

Morgan, like Natale, recognizes the human connection value of volunteering at the library.

“I enjoy the socialization that comes with working with people, from the youngest to the oldest. For many of our library patrons, their visit to the library might be the only place where they have a chance to have a real conversation with another person. Getting to know them as individuals, asking about their family or their recent trip, brings a reward to the volunteer as well. For the little ones, their library visit means they get to choose their very own book to read at home and the person who checks out their book for them is a “grownup person” who will ask them about their book in a friendly and caring way.”

The Payson Library is a community center. Emily Linkey is the library director and David Grasse’ is the assistant library manager. Kylea Donaldson manages circulation and there are other paid librarians.

Another group of volunteers important to the library is the Library Friends of Payson, a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide financial and community support to the library.

The Library Friends of Payson offers financial support for the Payson Library, with an average of over $50,000 in donations each year, which goes towards books, movies, and materials for library programs. The Library Friends of Payson operates a used bookstore within the library facility. All staffing is done by volunteers and all monies raised through the sales in the bookstore go directly to the library. In addition, a small group of volunteers sell donated books online, primarily through Amazon. And those profits also go directly to the library.

Shelly Sundra is president, John Wilson is treasurer and Kathy Morgan is secretary of the Friends group. Alice Natale is a long-time board member and past president. She maintains membership records, dues and acknowledges all donations.

People who want to donate to the library may do so by cash or check made out to the Library Friends of Payson.

If you would like to learn more about the history of the Payson Library, Morgan self-published “From Then to Now — a History of the Payson Library” which is now available to be checked out to anyone with a Gila County library card. The book is also available on the Library Friends of Payson website: http://www.libraryfriendsofpayson.org.