Volunteer Corner

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      Karen Witham joined the Friends in mid-2024 after graduating from the annual volunteer training program with five other new volunteers. And, she said that the comprehensive training confirmed for her that she had made the right choice.

      “Training once a week for five weeks with other volunteers was great,” she said. "We learned so much, and I was very impressed to see how well organized the Friends group is. We all started out as book sorters and then branched out to try many other things, like boxing books, stocking the bookstore, locating books people have requested, and going on runs to people’s homes to collect books they want to donate.”

      After trying many different roles as a volunteer, Karen said she thinks sorting the books remains her first love. “It’s fun to see the variety of books that are donated and to try to figure out if we should be selling them in the bookstore, the buckmobile, book sales or in our online store.”

      When asked why she decided to get involved with the Friends as a volunteer, Karen said there were two main reasons. “I like to keep busy...be involved with the community and meet people,” she said. “So, joining the Friends made sense to me because it’s a great group of people who all love books.”

      The second reason was her lifelong relationship with the library and the Friends’ book sales. “I grew up going to the Fourth of July book sale every year at the library and have always loved reading,” she said. “So, I decided to volunteer at the library. I originally helped set up one of the smaller book sales and then decided to go all-in as an official volunteer. I also volunteer with the athletic boosters at my kids’ school, where I help coordinate the volunteers to run the concession stand.”

      When it comes to her favorite genre of book, Karen said she has very eclectic tastes, from historical fiction to fantasy, memoirs and classics. “My favorite book is “Rebecca” by Daphne Du Maurier,” she said. “I love the writing style of this book, how it hints at the ending and then takes you back to the beginning. It’s surprising and definitely stays with you.”

      Karen grew up in Ada and went to the University of Michigan, where she got her bachelor’s in business administration in finance and then earned an MBA from Wayne State University. She has been married to her husband, Tom, for nearly 21 years and has two sons, Lucas and Jacob.

      “Karen is part of an amazing volunteer class that joined us in 2024,” said Joe David, Friends president. “She and her classmates have brought a lot of energy, creativity and commitment to the group and are already making a significant difference.”

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