Volunteer news blog: Frequently Asked Questions

An electronic newsletter is a substantial change from paper newsletters, so here are some common questions and answers about what this newsletter/blog thing is all about.

Q: The paper newsletters were fine with me. So why are you doing this?
A: A couple of reasons:

1. To save trees! Let's face it: your copy of the volunteer newsletter probably got recycled as soon as you read it. At 200+ volunteers, that's a lot of paper (and a lot of toner, and energy to print).
2. To get information out faster. It's hard to put an entire newsletter together more often than every other month, and a lot can change in that time. Putting the newsletter online means no more waiting until there's a newsletter's worth of information to get that information out to everyone. We use blogs to communicate among staff at the library, and throughout WCCLS, so why not blog with volunteers?
3. You can decide how and when to get your information. You can subscribe to this blog via email, RSS, or just come visit the site regularly at your convenience. You can also read printouts of the posts at the library.
4. A blog can be interactive. You can comment on posts to start a conversation or follow links to more information about each topic.

Q: What sorts of information will you post?
A: This is basically an electronic version of the volunteer newsletter, so you'll see the same types of things you used to see in the printed newsletter: library news and updates, special events and projects, upcoming programs and opportunities, special features, etc. Volunteers need to be in the loop about what's going on around the library, and this will help us do that!

Q: How can I make sure I don't miss important information?
A: There are several ways to get content from this newsletter:

1. Bookmark this page (or add it to your favorites) and check it regularly.
2. Subscribe via email, using the "Follow this blog by email" option on the right side of the page. Just enter your email adress and you'll receive an email each time something new is posted.
3. Subscribe via RSS. If you don't understand this one, don't worry about it. Or grab your favorite tech guru and ask!
4. Check the bulletin board outside Molly's office for printed versions of everything that's posted here.
5. We'll still post urgent information and updates by the volunteer sign in area.

Q: How often will you update the blog?
A: On average, 2-3 times per week. It will depend on what's going on around the library.

Q: I want to know more about a certain topic. Can you write about it?
A: If you have articles/posts that you'd like to see written, email Molly. We'll do what we can!