Guest Services Volunteer for Art Exhibit at Public Library

The Friends of the Library is delighted to bring to Monroe County Matthew Cordell's Neighborhood, an exhibit curated by the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature. This exhibit, at the Downtown Branch of Monroe County Public Library, is made possible thanks to a generous bequest to the Friends from Marian Armstrong. This special exhibit features 88 original illustrations created by Matthew Cordell featured in children's picture books written by him and other authors. Matthew’s books have been recognized as Best of the Year selections by the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Boston Globe, and his first wordless picture book, Wolf in the Snow, was awarded a 2017 Boston Globe-Horn Book honor award and the 2018 Caldecott Medal. There will be activities and programs for all ages. The success of our exhibit will require volunteers to help us provide the best experience for our visitors. 

We ask for your assistance by signing up for one or more shifts as a Guest Services Volunteer. Matthew Cordell's Neighborhood will be open to the public from February 3-March 23: Mondays-Thursdays 3-7 PM, Fridays-Sundays 1-5 PM. 

Volunteers are needed as greeters, to answer questions, and to provide directional guidance to visitors. The Library will provide a brief training and orientation before the event, and all volunteers will be given a volunteer badge to wear. All volunteers must be at least 16 years of age.

Individuals or group volunteers will be welcome. Volunteer scheduling will be for two-hour time periods, but we welcome volunteers to work as many hours and days as they would like during the exhibit.

Discover more information about the exhibit and related programs at mcpl.info/cordell.

Age Requirement: Age 16 and up

Requirements/skills: 

• Ensure the security of the artwork, including monitoring that visitors do not directly touch the artwork.
• Engaging with the public and welcoming people. We expect this exhibit to attract many families with preschool-aged children.
• Directing visitors to activities:
  • Invite visitors to explore and learn about the art
  • Make a crown inspired by King Alice
  • Make a stamp and mail a card at the post office from Special Delivery
  • Create an exhibit for the museum in Explorers
  • Pick a duck from the duck pond from Cornbread & Poppy at the Carnival
  • Snap a photo at the selfie station
  • Enjoy the reading area. 
• Ability to contact supervisor for any of the following: concerns for the safety of artwork; visitors touching artwork; any behaviors that deem warranted for assistance. 
• Volunteers will encourage visitors to fill out an evaluation form: digital and paper options available.       

Please review the available slots. We hope you will sign up to volunteer for multiple shifts during the run of the exhibit.

Thank you for volunteering for the 2025 Armstrong exhibit. There are some important steps for volunteers to follow before their first volunteer shift. 

1. Volunteer Application:

   • You must have a Monroe County Public Library volunteer application on file.

   • To check if your application is current, contact:

     • Email: volunteer@mcpl.info

     • Phone: (812) 349-3060 or (812) 349-3050 ext. 1000

   • You can complete an application online and select "Special Events" as your area of interest: MCPL Volunteer Application

2. Background Check:

   • Volunteers must have a current background check on file in the Sterling Volunteers database.

   • Confirm the status of your background check by contacting the above numbers or email.

3. Volunteer Training/Orientation:

   • We will make arrangements with you to provide an orientation to the exhibit and train you in your role. Plan on about an hour at a time mutually convenient to you and one of our supervisors before your first scheduled shift.

If you have any questions or need to follow up, feel free to contact the library at the provided contact information.