BETHEL — Jessica Jolly is a regular volunteer at the Bethel Library and at The Museums of the Bethel Historical Society.
Jessica Jolly is Volunteer of the Week in the Bethel Citizen submitted photo
Where do you volunteer?
I have volunteered all my adult life. When I moved to Evanston Illinois, in 1995, I volunteered at my local public library, and remained a volunteer there until COVID shut down all volunteering. I relocated to Bethel semi-permanently in 2020, and permanently this year. I loved everything about Bethel but I missed my local library. So, two years ago, in the fall, I presented myself at the Bethel Public Library to ask if I could volunteer. I was lucky because they had a big project: prepping for the move to the library consortium. I had worked, as a volunteer, in a library consortium, and had gone through that transition. I was well equipped to jump in to help (among many other volunteers).
I also volunteer at the Bethel Historical Society because I was an American History major in college, and I love how close Maine is to our early American history. It has been a treat to work with original documents.
How many hours do you volunteer each week?
Not enough! It really depends on my work schedule, which is variable. I teach Microsoft products so I travel to deliver training, as well as delivering virtual training. When I have down time, I love to go to either the Library or Historical Society to put in a couple of hours.
What inspires you to volunteer?
Two things: selfishness and connection. I am an extrovert, and I need to be around people. I also love how, when you volunteer, you meet people. From my experience volunteering at the Library back in Illinois, I learned that a library can be a beating heart of a community. I have definitely experienced that volunteering at the Bethel Public Library. And I love history, and volunteering at the Historical Society allows me to learn the history of Bethel and surrounding areas.
And I am selfish: I wanted the Bethel Public Library to join the consortium because that meant I could get books that I wanted to read!
Do you or did you have a paid career, too? If so, could you talk about it?
I used to be a Facilities Manager for a Fortune 100 company. When they moved their facilities to the east coast, I had to figure out what I was going to do for a ‘second act’. I had been training Microsoft Office at my local public library on a pro bono basis for several years and I really enjoyed it. So I decided to try to do it for a living. That was in 2016, and I have been running my own business since then. I focus primarily on Microsoft’s Power Platform, and data analytics in particular.
What brought you to volunteerism?
As I said in the earlier question, connection and selfishness. I have volunteered in a lot of organizations including the Sierra Club and prairie restoration. But my happy place is libraries, and now, historical societies.
What basic skills do you need to do your volunteer work?
I am proficient in working with data, and so I tend to seek volunteer positions that need that expertise. For example, I won’t volunteer to be a story time leader at the Library because that is not my strong suit. Could I do it? Sure. But not as well as someone who loves reading to kids. Also, data proficiencies are not as common, so I can fill a gap in organizational skill sets.
Looking ahead, what plans do you have regarding your volunteerism?
I want to be more regular in my volunteering. I haven’t created a regular schedule yet because there is always something fun to do in Bethel—hike, swim, garden, ski, snowshoe. Oh, and I have to work. That’s a real problem!
I am also working (with Betsy Raymond and Kelcy Boles) on organizing a “Yarn Destashing” fundraiser for the Bethel Public Library. If you are a knitter or crocheter, you will be able to de-stash yarns that you don’t need/want anymore. Likewise, you will be able to buy yarn at a substantial discount from buying yarn commercially. Watch out for announcements on the date(s) for this event!
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