Wylie library summer volunteers expand; practicum student on staff and City of Anna library toured Wylie

Wylie Library staff told the advisory board on June 23 that volunteer and practicum support has ramped up for summer programming, and that city staff from Anna visited the library to tour the facility as they plan their first library.

The nut graf: Staff said teen volunteers increased during summer to help with program crowd control and maintenance; the library’s practicum student, Justin, a master’s in library science candidate, is assisting with collection development and circulation duties during the busy summer season. Staff also said representatives from the City of Anna visited to study Wylie’s layout and operations; Anna’s planned library will be about 33,000 square feet with four full-time staff.

Staff described volunteer roles: maintenance volunteers who shelve and organize, program volunteers who support presenters and crowd control at busy children’s events, and teen volunteers who fill desk and program-support shifts. “He’s finishing up his master's in library science,” a staff member said of practicum student Justin, who was praised for quickly getting to work on a collection development project.

Library staff said Anna’s delegation included two degreed librarians and two additional staff; Anna’s library project will be a community gathering space in the fall and staff said they expected high interest when it opens. Staff noted that Wylie’s practice of shorter shelving and sight lines influenced Anna’s design choices.

Ending: Staff encouraged continued use of volunteers and said they will seek practicum placements in future semesters when feasible.