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St John community library seeks volunteers

St John community library seeks volunteers

Thursday 28 March 2019

St John community library seeks volunteers

Thursday 28 March 2019


The St John Care in the Community Library is looking for volunteers to help deliver books to people across the island.

The library, which is based at the ambulance station on the Rohais, stocks a variety of large-print books which are available to borrow.

The free service is open to anyone who finds it easier to read larger text or cannot access other libraries around the island. Books can be borrowed either by visiting the library or requesting delivery.

It is run by a team of seven volunteer librarians along with five delivery drivers who collect books and deliver them to care homes and individuals. But the charity is now looking for more drivers to help.

"I started here because my mother used to receive books from a volunteer that came to where she lived," said volunteer Sandie Western. "She's a very avid reader and I thought, at almost 94 she's still reading and I couldn't keep up with her. I thought, they're doing lovely things for her and I wanted to help if I could, so I've been here about five years now."

St John library volunteers

Pictured: Community library volunteers Jeanne Gathercole, Rosemary Naftel, Sandie Western and Sue Jones.

Volunteer Jeanne Gathercole added: "We ask what type of books they like and we've got a brilliant card index - we don't use computers. We're always trying to find our more about what people want to read and some people want lighter weight books because they can't carry them.

"We have a lot of regular users who can't get to other libraries, so the delivery service gives them access to the books they need. We only have a small team of drivers, so we are looking fo people who can spare an hour a month or fortnightly on a Tuesday, or just help us cover holidays and sickness."

The St John Library opens every Tuesday between 13:00 and 16:00 and stocks thousands of fiction and non-fiction books.

The service has been running since 1949 and was presented with the Queen's award to Voluntary Service in 2011.

You can find out more about volunteering by contacting Sally Byrne on 727129 and books can be ordered by phoning 07911 733928.

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