Donor spotlight: Margaret wheeler
Long-time book sale volunteer and library enthusiast Margaret Wheeler happily made a donation in support of the upcoming building renovation.
“The library goes decades from one major renovation project to the next,” Wheeler said. “This is my opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way, to make a difference for the library going forward.”
Wheeler began volunteering at the Friends of the J.V. Fletcher Library’s used book sales 25 years ago, at the suggestion of her neighbor. As a book sale shopper, she had found herself arranging books as she browsed. So helping set up and run the sales was a natural progression.
These days, Wheeler sets up the Mystery Annex for the sales. “It’s my favorite genre,” she said. She also enjoys interacting with the teenagers who volunteer.
Margaret in the Mystery Annex
While setting up the book sales is work, the social aspects of volunteering make it fun. “The same people volunteer year after year,” Wheeler said, noting that many volunteers have particular niches they enjoy. “When you’re working in your niche, you’re happy,” she observed.
“This is my opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way, to make a difference for the library going forward.”
In addition to volunteering, Wheeler has utilized the library’s services over the years. “The library is a great place to come and explore,” she said, “and the staff are very helpful and friendly.”
When Wheeler’s kids were small, they enjoyed borrowing books from the children’s section, and checking out VHS tapes and DVDs. When Wheeler was laid off, she attended the Westford Job Seekers program to get support and advice. And when she retired from her career as an IT systems specialist, she joined the Mystery Book Club. “I’ve discovered new authors,” she said of the club, “and I’ve met some interesting people and enjoyed some great discussions.”
Wheeler remarked on the diversity of the population that comes to the library, both for the book sales and for regular programming. As a “tabler” working on the floor during the book sales, she found she had some “really good conversations about books” with all sorts of different customers. As a patron, she has noticed many people – from infants to seniors, from people new in town to long-time residents, from native speakers to English-language learners – taking advantage of all the library has to offer. “The library is an important part of Westford,” she said. “It’s like a melting pot.”
When she’s not at the library, Wheeler enjoys knitting and gardening. She is also in her third year as Chair of the Westford Conservation Commission, an organization that she has been a part of for seventeen years.
The Friends and the Foundation thank Margaret for her support!