Cedar Rapids library has many options for volunteers

Have you ever ventured into a spacious new building bustling with people and wondered how to get where you're going? Or wish there were a friendly, knowledgeable guide there to show you around? The new volunteer program at the Cedar Rapids Public Library downtown and west side locations teams with staff in greeting and guiding patrons, giving tours, assisting with programs, and much more. Volunteers have long been vital to library service but limited in number. Now with the expanded program, there are more chances to volunteer than ever before.

Before checking out possible opportunities, readers may want to explore all their options.

The Cedar Rapids Public Library non-fiction collection offers selections such as “The Voluntourist” that combine travel with contributing talents. Ken Budd's tale of helping to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina and teaching English in Costa Rica will inspire those seeking to repurpose their lives. Chinese special needs children, West Bank refugees and Kenyan orphans also have been recipients of the award-winning writer and editor's volunteer efforts. Much of what is needed to know about international volunteering can be found in Lonely Planet's “Volunteer: A Traveller's Guide to Making a Difference around the World.” As noted in the book's overview, giving up time and traversing to poverty-stricken regions to lend knowledge, skills, and labor is precisely what more people are doing on vacations, gap years, sabbaticals, career breaks, and upon retiring. This 2013 softcover edition is filled with color photos of workers improving people's lives in developing countries. Content-wise, programs are organized by type, and details from selecting and applying for openings to returning to civilian life.

When veteran actor and renowned straight shooter Ed Asner talks, people listen. And when he writes a foreword recommending that people take on public service during time off, his words resonate. In “Volunteer Vacations” he sets the tone for a title about spicing up and fulfilling your life by aiding others. This publication by Bill McMillon, Doug Cutchins, and Anne Geissinger contains sponsor organization information interspersed with pictures and sidebar narratives of exhilarating experiences, challenges, and expeditions.

Another selection from the Cedar Rapids Public Library about donating time and effort during downtime is “The 100 Best Volunteer Vacations to Enrich Your Life.” Published by National Geographic, Pam Grout's captivating account of various volunteer opportunities overseas and here at home echoes patriotic spirit, accountability, and caring for each other as well as ourselves. Her book is an informative and entertaining read.

Anyone who has ever worked with teens knows how successful they can be when they apply themselves. Iowa girl Talia Leman found her career path when she first viewed freedom marches, environmental efforts, and recovery and cleanup campaigns. In the engaging “A Random Book about the Power of ANYone” she traces her steps in becoming a volunteer and developing RandomKid, a non-profit organization that has aided 12 million children on four continents. Her appearances on the “Today” show, the “NBC Nightly News,” and CNN's “American Morning” have led her to become a popular choice for the speaker circuit. Young adults pondering their futures (and their parents) will enjoy and learn from this work.

Melia Tatman is a librarian at the Cedar Rapids Public Library.