admin posted on August 20, 2010 04:14
Over 60 volunteers are now trained and working in the Matthews Branch of the Library. The volunteers come from all walks of life. They are all ages from teenagers to senior citizens and they have varying backgrounds. They are teachers, engineers, students, and information technology specialists. The one thing they all have in common is a love for reading, knowledge and the public library.
This summer the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and the Town of Matthews asked members of the public to volunteer in the library. “The response was overwhelming. Hundreds of people want to help the Matthews library,” said reached capacity with the ability to process current volunteer applications and there is a waiting list of people who want to serve.
The additional volunteers will help library staff process materials and serve library customers. Town officials hope that the increase in volunteer hours will allow to the library to reopen an additional day per week this fall. Budget issues have forced the library branch in Matthews to only be open four days a week. Earlier this year the Matthews Town Board voted to defer the $204,609 lease payment the library would have owed the Town this year and to aid the library in recruiting volunteers in order to keep the branch open.
The agreement is part of an effort by the Towns of Matthews, Davidson, Huntersville, Cornelius, Mint Hill, and the City of Charlotte to financially contribute to the Library System this year. The Library typically receives no monies from these municipalities. The bulk of their budget is supplied from the county.