How Storytime saved my sanity and found me a community

What do you do when you’re at home, in lockdown, for months?

Volunteer to moderate a new Facebook group.

Then, a couple of months late, volunteer to be part of a web team!

 

At least, that’s what I did during lockdowns last year.

In July, a long-running Facebook Group – Storytime Underground – was mothballed. So, one of the members – Kate, the Lavender Librarian, from Canada set up a new group: Storytime Solidarity. I volunteered to be an admin and moderator.

 

In September, Kate mooted the idea of a website and called for volunteers. I had very little else going on, so put my hand up, again. Years of working on websites – either for work, or as a volunteer – came in handy.

Meet: Storytime Solidarity!  

The rest of the team are in the USA and Canada – so I’m repping the Southern Hemisphere as hard as I can!

Most mornings, I wake up to a series of Facebook messages – my phone is always on silent.

Trying to organise meetings, when your team is in at least four different time zones is tricky. I don’t think we’ve ever all made it at the same time.

 

The Facebook group has grown.

The website has grown.

The team has grown.

 

And, our friendships have grown.

 

Maybe it is that we *don’t* know each other IRL (in real life) that we can be honest and open. That we can bring our whole selves to our shared space. We work hard, as a collective, to keep the Facebook group that way for all involved.

 

This has been one of the most rewarding experiences – professionally and personally – that I’ve been involved with.

 

You never know what will happen when you volunteer. You might find your people.