ESC: Volunteering at Stadtbibliothek Dornbirn | Solidarity; Diversity

“Stadtbibliothek Dornbirn” is one of Western Austrias‘ (region Vorarlberg) largest public libraries. The new building was opened in January 2020 and is full of discoveries for young and old. The library makes over 60.000 media available to a wide audience, including books, CDs and DVDs, magazines and games – both analog and digital. Beside these offers, you can visit the library to read and browse through books and magazines, enjoy some fair trade coffee or use the technically fully equipped study rooms. Furthermore, the new building includes a Gaming Zone which not only offers a variety of Nintendo Switch games but also hosts Gaming Tournaments. The digital offer ranges from e-books and e-audios, to the movie streaming site "Filmfriend” and the “Pressreader” for newspapers and magazines. The library is currently the employer of a staff of 12: Professionals, with each their own expertise, from literature for adults to offers for children and teenagers. Stadtbibliothek Dornbirn is an open space for everyone, regardless their background, gender and social status. It is a place where people of all stages of life come together to learn, share ideas or to expand their knowledge. Through a wide range of workshops and through a regular schedule of events, this unique place of learning offers easy and affordable access for everyone throughout the whole year and for all ages and topics. For adults activities include: author readings (both literature and nonfiction), movienights, discussions with experts and authors, creative workshops, parent education courses, digital classes and guided tours through the new building. The library employs a volunteer to work in different areas at the library, the main focus will be the work with children and teenagers. A special program of workshops and events is offered to children and young people. This includes a weekly reading hour, creative workshops, research training and the so-called „reading adventures“ (Leseabenteuer); A concept developed in close collaboration with schools and kindergartens, that involves early language development, just to name an example. Volunteers support the work on these events and contribute with their own creative ideas. They often come with an open and curious personality and are invited to work with different people in a small, motivated and creative team. Both at the team level and in customer contact, the library is a place of exchange at eye level for all age, economical and social groups.