Ann Marie Megoulas knits in her spare time, but only some items go into her wardrobe. Unselfishly, she donates some of her handiwork to The Library’s popular Warm Hands, Warm Hearts initiative. At every Dauphin County Library System campus, visitors can reach into boxes by the doors and find free scarves, hats, and mittens. 

“Every once in a while, I walk over to the bins to see if anybody picked one that I made,” says Ann Marie, information services assistant at East Shore Area Library. “Whenever one of mine is gone, it feels really good that somebody else can make use of something I donated.”  

The Library holds a rich well of talent in its own staff, including Ann Marie, and when there’s a need in the community, they are the first to give back by volunteering for Library initiatives.  

“We have such an amazing, talented staff, and we realized that we needed to tap into this,” says Public Services Director Lori Milach. “Their talents have allowed us to run an additional level of service that we wouldn’t be able to do without them.” 

Library staff run book clubs and knitting circles. They regularly donate items for the outreach department to share with the homeless. Many make the offer, without being asked, because they see The Library as a conduit for broader impact.  

“We have people who are so invested in the services we provide and in the community,” says Milach. “They realize that through us they can give back, and they certainly do, on a large scale.”  

Here’s just a small sample: 

Warm Hands, Warm Hearts, Ann Marie Megoulas: Every winter, the boxes come out. Library visitors, staff, and community volunteers donate warm items for others to take as needed. 

Ann Marie knits cozy scarves purposely for the program, usually in patterns that don’t have a distinct front or back, so they lie nicely on both sides. 

“Libraries are all about providing resources, information, and opportunities that might not be available anywhere else,” Ann Marie says. “Being able to donate knitted materials and have somebody use something you put your time into just adds to that. It’s something I enjoy doing anyway, and this gives it to somebody who might not have an opportunity to get a new scarf or hat.” 

Besides, she adds, Warm Hands, Warm Hearts is for every Library visitor of any means. 

“Even if the weather turns bad after someone comes to The Library and they need something warm to get home, it’s there,” she says.  

Mats for the homeless, Brenda Fernsler: When a former neighbor introduced Brenda Fernsler to the art of crocheting plastic shopping bags into mats, she learned that The Library’s outreach department could distribute them to people experiencing homelessness.  

Brenda floated the idea, and neighbors turned out to for a crocheting bee.  

“My neighbors love it because it is a great excuse for socializing, communicating, and good food,” she says. 

The project starts with converting plastic shopping bags into rolls of plastic yarn known as “plarn.” Using large needles and basic crochet or knitting skills, crafters turn the plarn into full-length mats, complete with ties and carrying straps.  

As a bonus, the remaining scraps are donated to the Lower Paxton Lions Club for their collection of plastic bags to be converted into benches, including one donated to East Shore Area Library. 

“It takes those bags out of the trash and turns them around into a positive use,” Brenda says. “You’re not only helping people experiencing homelessness, but you’re also helping clean up the environment.”  

Dulcimer tones, Ray Holland: Ray is a public services assistant at Northern Dauphin Library in Lykens, and he is a classically trained musician. Since childhood, he has played wind instruments such as oboe, English horn, harmonica, and recorder. In 1989, he saw a mountain dulcimer – a stringed instrument in the zither family — and decided he could make one.  

“It didn’t sound great, but I made one,” he says.  

The next year, he bought a mountain dulcimer from a vendor at Epcot. He learned how to play by watching videotapes and joining a club. After joining The Library in 2014, his manager asked if he would play for the holiday program. Since then, he has played for the holidays and for other Library moments, including dedication of Mary’s Garden at Northern Dauphin Library in summer 2023. 

“I enjoy being able to share a gift that is ordinarily outside the purview of my Library responsibilities,” Ray says. “There are people who come to the holiday program every year. It’s great to draw people in from the community, especially when they sing along.”  

The Plot Thickens, Annika Sundberg: As a little girl, Annika whined to her mom that she was bored. “Write a book,” her mother suggested. That moment launched a lifetime of writing science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Annika’s book, “One Last Life,” is even on The Library shelves.  

Annika is the Alexander Family Library public services assistant, welcoming everyone who comes in. She led a Library program for teen writers in 2020, and beginning in January, there’s a version for adults, “The Plot Thickens,” offered second Saturdays at Alexander Family Library.  

“I absolutely love supporting other writers, and I want to provide a place where they can learn and grow without judgment,” Annika says. “I want to help others fulfill their dreams to become published authors. Being around other writers also sparks my own creativity which helps propel my own goals, so really it’s a win for everyone!” 

Giving back to the writing community amplifies The Library’s mission to build literacy and help people find their voice, Annika adds. 

“Stories have been what bring us together and help us as people to work through morality and things we don’t understand,” she says. “Books provide a safe place to reframe scary topics to make enough space for us to look at them.” 

People who work at The Library want to give back to the community, says Milach. Their exponential giving proves their dedication. 

“It amazes us every time when staff say, ‘I already do this important job, but I want to do more, because I care so much about the people that we’re serving,’” says Milach.  

Be a volunteer: The Library serves as a hub for volunteer opportunities, with The Library or community partners. To learn more, contact Brenda Fernsler at 717-652-9380, ext. 1009, or bfernsler@dcls.org. Watch for details on the Martin Luther King, Jr., Volunteer Fair, Jan. 6 at East Shore Area Library, when local nonprofits showcase their volunteer opportunities.