Avid reader Pat Dunn had few choices for accessing literature when the Bucks County Free Library shut down as a cautionary move during COVID-19. She could scale back her reading. Or purchase books rather than borrow them.

She made do.

And in a case of “absence makes the heart grow fonder,” when the library reopened its Yardley-Makefield branch, Dunn not only returned as a borrower, she signed aboard as a volunteer.

“I saw even more what a value the library is to the community,” she said. “The library is such a wonderful service.”

Her work involves the library’s hold service. Dunn processes the requests, tucking books on a special shelf for pickup and putting returned books back to their proper places in the stacks.

“I enjoy reading and working with the books,” she said. “I get to see different titles, authors, the latest releases, and what people are reading.”

She went on to describe her excitement at discovering a new mystery or suspense novel she may not have encountered otherwise.

“If you like reading and want to make a difference each week, volunteering at the library is a wonderful way to give back,” she concluded.

More on this special volunteer is at the library’s website.