CECILIA URIBE-SMITH Arden-Dimick Friends of the Library
Cecilia Uribe-Smith does a lot of heavy lifting as a volunteer with the Arden-Dimick Friends of the Library. Literally. As the youngest member of the Arden-Dimick Friends, UribeSmith, who turned 20 this past December, is often the one carting donations from the library or other drop-off points to the shed where the books are kept. From there, they are sold at the library’s Book Nook, at the Book Den, a used bookstore operated by Friends of the Sacramento Public Library, and at quarterly and pop-up book sales held throughout the year. Such sales are a major fundraiser for this branch of the Sacramento Public Library. Uribe-Smith, who started out volunteering with the branch when she was 16 and now works part time there, also helps sort the books by category, type, genre and usability. Uribe-Smith, who won a DOVIA Youth Volunteer of the Year award in 2018 and a Bronze President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2016 for her efforts, was encouraged to join the Friends board when she was 17 to provide a youthful perspective on board activities. In addition to helping out with book donations and sales, Uribe-Smith assists with social media and event planning. Through her work with Friends, she’s helped the library get new equipment and materials such as microphones and headsets for the many programs the library offers.
Uribe-Smith has been a book lover since she was a child. “When I was little I would read a book a day, maybe two. I still love reading,” she says. Her favorite genres are horror, fantasy and adventure novels with the occasional mystery thrown in. Despite her young age, she prefers a good old-fashioned book rather than a smartphone or tablet. “I need to have a physical copy. It just makes me feel really good, having one,” Uribe-Smith says. “A reader hurts my eyes.” With her love of all things books and the library, will UribeSmith, currently a full-time student at American River College, make it a career? “Sadly, no,” she says. “One of my co-workers thought I would go into library science. I am actually going into architecture and construction management.” “With the shelter in place in effect, there’s nothing we can really do to work around our volunteer efforts,” says Uribe-Smith, noting that all book sales have been suspended. “I know that library staff and library volunteers will definitely have their hands full when we do reopen: books to shelve, holds, donations and plenty more will keep us busy for a while. I hope that this will bring more volunteers to help us get things back on track.”
Despite her young age, she prefers a good oldfashioned book rather than a smartphone or tablet.
SACMAG.COM May 2020
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