Eric began volunteering at the San Marco Library in August 2023. Since then, he has logged around 90 hours while working as a lawyer in the United States Navy Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps. “Think Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men,” he said.
What inspired you to volunteer for the library?
Libraries, and Jacksonville Public Library specifically, are a valuable community resource, and I think everyone should do what they can to contribute to their community. Personally, libraries have helped me out a lot as a place to study and a source of knowledge, so I wanted to give back.
What is the most rewarding part about volunteering for the library?
It’s great seeing a kid get really interested in a certain topic and wanting to explore the different resources the library has on it.
What is your favorite task at the library as a volunteer and why?
I mostly do the shelving and preparing transfers, but even that gives me joy because I get to see all of the interesting resources the library has. Since I started, my “Books to Read” and “Movies to Watch” lists have skyrocketed!
You use the library’s services, as well as volunteer here. What do you wish more people knew about the library system?
It’s not just books and not just brick-and-mortar! The Library has a ton of online resources and events for all ages.
Favorite genre to read? Any recommendations for a favorite book?
I read a lot of nonfiction. Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond and A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn were eye-opening perspectives, but my all-time favorite is In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick.
Fun Fact: Shortly after Eric started volunteering, he didn’t show up for his scheduled volunteer shift. A couple of days later, he emailed, “Apologies for missing my volunteer hours this week with no notice. I was out on a Navy submarine with no communications and delayed getting back until today.” As far as excuses go, his was pretty good.
