Help Needed Letter 1

June 28, 2007

Dear Genealogy Enthusiast:

As you may already know, the Federation of Genealogical Societies, along with the Allen County Public Library, are preparing for a national genealogical conference that will be taking place August 15-18 of this year at the Grand Wayne Center and in our very own beautiful new Main Library! The conference is expected to draw in thousands of visitors from all across the country (and beyond!).

But our Genealogy Center staff can’t pull this off on their own. We are looking for enthusiastic, energetic volunteers like you to help out at our big event. There are all sorts of opportunities available, whether you want to assist in the morning or evening, for three hours or three days! Recruit members of your family or a couple of close friends and make it a group effort!

Following are some of the many areas in which we need volunteers:

Packet Assemblers: We need up to 10 people on Monday, August 13 between the hours of 9:00am – 12:00pm, to assist with assembling packets of information for the conference. Some attention to detail will be essential for this duty, along with the ability to handle repetitive tasks. Be prepared to take instruction and then work independently!

Registration Desk Attendants: We need 4-5 people on Tuesday the 14^th between 2:00pm and 7:00pm; 4-5 people on Wednesday the 15^th between 6:00am and 4:00pm; 4-5 people on Thursday the 16^th between 6:00am and 4:00pm; 2-3 people on Friday the 17^th between 7:00am and 4:00pm; and 2 people on Saturday the 18^th between 7:00am and 12:00pm. If you’re a people person, this is definitely your chance to shine as you greet and answer general questions for conference attendees. Registration Desk Attendants should also be able to tolerate crowds, high levels of noise and activity, and a fast-paced environment while remaining professional and polite.

Exhibit Assistants: Several people will be needed between 8:00am and 6:00pm on Wednesday, August 15 to assist vendors with moving into their spaces in the exhibit hall at the Grand Wayne Center. No lifting or moving is required! This task involves showing the vendors where their spaces are and urging the vendors to unload quickly at the dock so that other vendors may arrive and take their turn unloading as well. Exhibit Assistants should have stamina for continued walking and standing, a friendly and courteous attitude, and the ability to deal with unexpected changes, delays, or problems in a helpful and efficient manner.

Computer Lab Docents: We need 1-3 volunteers to direct attendees to the computer labs within the Main Library. No genealogy or computer experience is necessary! Volunteers must be able to interact pleasantly with a variety of individuals, make small talk, and answer general directional questions (“Where is the nearest restroom?”). People are needed Wednesday the 15^th and Thursday the 16^th between 9:00am – 9:00pm, and on Friday the 17^th and Saturday the 18^th between 9:00am – 6:00pm.

Youth Fair Assistants: The Youth Fair is being held in the Main Library on Saturday the 18^th from 10:00am until 3:00pm. Assistants will be needed to take photographs, help young adults and children with historic costumes, and provide general aid as needed. Youth Fair Assistants should enjoy working with teens and children, have energy for continuous standing or walking, and display responsible behavior.

Early/After Hours Volunteers: Because the Genealogy Center will be open between 6:00 – 9:00am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, we will be needing additional people to greet Genealogy Center patrons and make certain they get from the entrance to the Genealogy Center (and not wandering in between), that they know there is no food or drink allowed, the locations of the restrooms, etc. We also need a few night-owls to volunteer between 9:00pm – midnight on Thursday, escorting patrons from the Genealogy Center to the exits, making sure no one gets stuck on the elevator, directing people to the parking garage, and acting as liaison between the patrons and ACPL Security staff in the event of problems or concerns. Early/After Hours Volunteers need to be friendly, patient, and confident.

As you can see, we have a lot of exciting events planned and we would like you to be a part of things! Please respond quickly if there is a volunteer position you are particularly interested in having. You may reach me by telephone at 260-421-1233 or via e-mail to sscreeton@acpl.info. If you know of someone else who would like to help, short-term volunteer applications are available in the Human Resources office at the Main Library or by contacting me directly.

Please note: If you have already signed up to help out at the conference, I still need to hear from you so the volunteer schedule remains correct. There will be a lot happening leading up to the conference and we don’t want to have certain things double-booked!

I look forward to hearing from you and scheduling you in to be a part of this terrific event!

Sincerely,

Sandra Screeton
Manager, Volunteer Services