Community Corner

Do You Love the Library as Much as These Teens?

Last night the Hopkinton Public Library staff took some time out of their night to recognize the teen volunteers that help keep the place running smoothly.

If you walked in to around 6 p.m. last night you may have noticed a large amount of teenagers participating in a scavenger hunt. Something that you probably haven’t notices is the amount of work those very teens spend volunteering their time to help make sure the library operates smoothly.

The 16 teens at the library last night were some of the 24 active high school-age volunteers that combined to put in more than 800 total hours of work last year.

“We volunteer here because it’s a nice local place where we can be a part of the community, “ volunteer Ben Card said. “We can help show others why the library is so important.”

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Card’s sentiments were exactly what Adult Services Librarian Susan Marshall had in mind when teens started volunteering several years ago.

“It’s important to have the dedicated teen volunteers because we’re nurturing a love of libraries,” Marshall said.

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The teens come from all different groups within the High School; some are athletes, others are members of the National Honor Society. Three of the volunteers this year are even foreign students studying in Hopkinton.

Children’s Services Librarian Denise Kofron said when small children see the teens they get excited about helping out.

“The little kids upstairs see the teens volunteering and ask if they can do it when they get older,” she said.

What it comes down to in the end is that the library is a place many community members really enjoy.

“I love working here, it’s one of my favorite places,” volunteer James Le Seur said.


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