What made you want to volunteer for this organization?
I recognize that I wouldn’t be where I am today without access to knowledge offered by the library, and I am a huge proponent of giving back where I can. I remember reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith after securing my first engineering job out of college, and this quote in particular really struck me. It inspired me to start looking for volunteering opportunities within my community, an activity I have continued to sustain ever since. Aside from being a Trustee for the San Diego Library Foundation, I also volunteer for the Friends of San Diego Public Library of which I am a director for the corporate board and am the president for the Serra Mesa-Kearny Mesa Chapter.
“A person who pulls himself up from a low environment via the bootstrap route has two choices. Having risen above his environment, he can forget it; or, he can rise above it and never forget it and keep compassion and understanding in his heart for those he has left behind him in the cruel upclimb.” A favorite quote of mine from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
What do your volunteer duties entail?
Advocacy! My first experience volunteering was with my local Friends of the Library, and focused on fundraising specifically for my local branch, mainly via book sale events. My experience with the San Diego Library Foundation has helped me expand my efforts toward affecting change on a broader level. Going to city council meetings to voice my support for increased library budgets, writing letters to council members, and encouraging folks around me to do the same. Being a vocal advocate to people I encounter day-to-day about the benefits of the library, the programs they have going on, and telling them to get a library card if they haven’t yet. Some Lyft drivers out there might remember a passenger encouraging them to get a library card; perhaps that passenger even gave you a book to encourage you to get back into reading, that was probably me. When I volunteer in support of the library, I am putting energy into something that I think will multiply by enriching the lives of others.
Sam Yoeuth
Can you describe your favorite or most memorable experience while volunteering?
Attending my first city council meeting was a great experience, and I would have never thought to go to one before my involvement with the San Diego Library Foundation. Not only did I have a chance to voice what was important to me, but it was very powerful for me to hear the other voices in my community and what was important to them. You learn a lot about your community and who may or may not be getting the support they need. Local politics is where we can have the most impact in driving the changes in policy that support the values we align with.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced?
The team is very supportive, so working with the staff has not been challenging at all. What can be perceived as more of a challenge by many new volunteers is scheduling. I work a full-time job and often work long hours. But the scheduled board meetings are only an hour or so every month, mostly over Zoom, so I can still make time for them. Every so often I have a conflict I am not able to miss, but the Foundation is flexible as well and it doesn’t hinder my ability to be engaged with library advocacy. There are so many events and ways to get involved to show support for libraries that it’s easy to find ones to fit into your schedule.
Any advice for someone considering volunteering as a way to get involved with their community?
Make the leap! If you have friends that volunteer, join them for a day just to get a feel and look for organizations that align with values you want to promote. Ask any volunteer you know and they will tell you it’s one of the most fulfilling activities they do. And those they have helped are also grateful for it, volunteering helps a community thrive multiple times over.
