A Narrative of My Work Experiences and Community Service at The Brown County Public Library System

What a time I had at the Brown County Public Library system. I worked at two different branches getting 10 hours and the community service I provided at the Brown County Public Library had more of an impact on me than, I believe, I did on the Library. It moved me in some ways I just cannot understand (or at least that I am able to put into words), but the ways in which it did move me that I can understand are basically what this paper will be about. From the giving, the caring, and the freedom, the Brown County Public Library moved me in such a way that I feel they need more addressing. Let me begin.

So, you may have read “giving” and thought: how did you give? For starters, besides giving free labor to a group of libraries that desperately needs help (because they don’t get enough funding, they cannot pay more than two staff members), I feel like I gave love to people who felt hated, peace to those in distress, and dedication to those who were used to people lacking such dedication. I know, this sounds very self-centered, but I am going based off their emotions and the state of the library. The first time I had went unto the library, I found they were having a western themed seminar for kids, which I did indeed help with. I oversaw the making of decorations and could even answer a few questions about the seminar, of which the kids were asking. My knowledge on the wild west was very beneficial as the librarian told me after being finished. They did not have much staff and was not able to give the kids the attention that they deserved. The dedication was lacking in the community honestly, not the library. Anymore, it is almost as if the community does not wish to contribute to the better cause of the community and would only like to think about themselves. This is bad, because after everyone starts to do this, the same issue arises: too much work, not enough workers. It is issues like this that causes (in my opinion) the communities children to feel like they are alone. This is not good for a child growing up in a community, the community service I am doing helps me to feel as if I am giving back to the community to help the community thrive, even if it means free work to a community that desperately needs the service. Now since that is said, let us move on to my next point.

This community service that I am providing has also moved me by giving me the feeling of caring. Why? Because in this world, it seems almost as if this system is broke. You care for yourself, and everyone is for themselves. Why did it become like this? We look for our purpose and at the end of the day do not want to look. We complain that no one is doing anything, yet we do nothing ourselves. How hypocritical? I think we need to door a lot more community service as a community. We want a better community? Money will not fix it. Money makes people think about money, not about caring. Which leads to my point. While performing community service I have found one true thing: it is easier to give to the community when you do it for free. Why? Because then you are only doing it because you care. Not because it will pay your bills. That’s all about caring, for now at least.

Now let me discuss the freedom I felt while working at the Brown County Public Library system. Typically, when you are working you are doing it solely because you need the money, but community service is different. While I was working as a volunteer, I felt free. I did not have to worry about losing my job and for a moment, my worries of money seemed to of drifted away. It was amazing. The freedom I felt was (on a scale from China to America) was around United Kingdom. Just great to feel relaxed and to dedicate my time to help care for the community. In all (going to skip a conclusion paragraph here), it was an amazing time helping the community by helping one of the core pieces of a community: the library. Given a second shot, I would do it again knowing full well, I would be assisting the community by getting involved in something that truly matters.