It’s National Volunteer Week! Service Takes Many Forms here at the Library, and one of the ways we recognize it is with our Go the Extra Mile (GEM) Award!
The GEM Award is given to those QPL volunteers who go above and beyond in their service and embody the Library’s mission “to transform lives by cultivating personal and intellectual growth and by building strong communities.”
We are proud to name GoTEAM volunteers Tasfia Ahmed, Hannah Folkes, Chun Lai, and Zuhayr Islam as 2023 GEM Award recipients!
Learn about the QPL GoTEAM and read our interviews with Hannah and Zuhayr below.
Learn more about volunteer opportunities with Queens Public Library at https://volunteer.queenslibrary.org.
The Queens Public Library GoTEAM is made up of dozens of enthusiastic individuals that volunteer for single-day projects during the year. Although unable to serve on a regular basis, this dedicated group demonstrates an unwavering commitment to the Library, and their efforts make a significant impact in our communities.
GoTEAM teen volunteers Tasfia Ahmed, Hannah Folkes, Chun Lai, and Zuhayr Islam each participated in the majority of the eighteen Mobile Food Pantry Distributions held at our St. Albans and Rochdale Village branches in 2022. With their invaluable support, dedication, and hard work, the Library provided food and other essential resources to nearly 12,000 people.
Additionally, they helped assemble resource kits full of outreach materials for asylum seekers, Queens residents, and others. They were instrumental in helping us complete 3,500 kits that were distributed to library branches, community organizations, and shelters.
These amazing young people lead by example and have directly inspired others to volunteer at the Library. Their commitment to the community is truly inspiring, and we are honored to work alongside them and celebrate their service.—Dalicy Caraballo, QPL Volunteer Services
Hannah Folkes
Tell us a little about yourself.
Hi, I'm Hannah, and currently I'm an 11th grader at the Young Women's Leadership School of Queens. In the future, I hope to have a career working in Computer Science & Business.
Give us 3 words that best describe your personality.
Friendly, Helpful, Independent.
What was your first memorable experience at Queens Public Library?
My first memorable experience dates back to when I was in the 8th grade. Every day after school, I would go to Central Library to visit the Teen Center and borrow manga (Japanese comic books), study for my upcoming tests, and print out papers.
Why did you first volunteer with QPL? What was your first volunteer experience at the Library?
A friend recommended me to the QPL volunteer team. I joined to earn community service hours and to have a free, fun activity to do with my friends when school isn't in session. I started volunteering at QPL in July 2022; I helped distribute food at the St. Albans and Rochdale Village branches.
Can you name some skills that you have learned while volunteering at the Library, and how they are useful to you?
Inventory Management, Networking, and Leadership. These skills have helped me become a better communicator and have boosted my self-confidence. Furthermore, these skills have taught me self-discipline, how to manage my time effectively, and how to stay organized when I'm doing a task that has multiple parts.
QPL continues to explore different ways for its volunteers to contribute to the community. What are some new ways you would like to support the community through the Library?
I would like to see more hands-on volunteer activities outdoors, like raking up leaves during the fall and watering plants during the warm seasons. This would give volunteers a chance to take cool pictures while they're working and move around more. Another activity that QPL could provide is giving volunteers a chance to work in a soup kitchen. I feel like this would inspire volunteers to learn how to cook.
Give us some tips for anyone who is thinking about volunteering at the Library.
Don't stress out about volunteer work too much; it may be a lot of work, but it's easy and fun to do once you do it for a while. Don't forget to bring a community service hours tracking sheet with you. This makes it easier to record all of the hours that you earn while volunteering with QPL. And talk to other volunteers while you're working, because there's a good chance that you'll become friends with someone who has similar interests to yours.
Zuhayr Islam
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Zuhayr Islam. My hobbies are watching films and playing games. Currently, I am a sophomore in high school and do not have a career plan. But, in the future, I'd like to go into the medical field.
Give us 3 words that best describe your personality.
Empathic, Attentive, and Zestful.
What was your first memorable experience at Queens Public Library?
I think my first experience was when I went to the library to make cards for each of my family members.
Why did you first volunteer with QPL? What was your first volunteer experience at the Library?
I first volunteered at the Mobile Food Pantry at Rochdale Village because I was looking for activities that summer. I was kind of nervous about it, but the tasks were rather simple. Overall, I enjoyed the new experience.
As a GoTEAM member, you have participated in a number of projects. Which ones were your favorite?
As a volunteer in the STACKS program, I helped kids in grades K-5 with their homework. I liked working at the Mobile Food Pantries because I got to meet such nice people.
Can you name some skills that you have learned while volunteering at the Library, and how they are useful to you?
Throughout my time as a volunteer, I have learned how to be more organized and social.
QPL continues to explore different ways for its volunteers to contribute to the community. What are some new ways you would like to support the community through the Library?
Since QPL's motto is "we speak your language," I would like to participate in programs where people could learn a language other than English at the Library. It would be terrific if we, the volunteers, shared our languages with the community.
Give us some tips for anyone who is thinking about volunteering at the Library.
My two pieces of advice to new volunteers are communicate with others and always participate, since it is super fun and you get to learn a lot of things.
