Library Whiz Kid Invents Activities for Middle Schoolers, Assists Summer Readers, Even Shelves Books

Name: Margaret Nelson

Age: 12

School: Seventh grader at

Achievement:  Margaret volunteers at , and has served as vice president of the Middle School Advisory Board. During the summer, she assists with the Summer Reading Program. The rest of the year, she volunteers after school once a week. 

Key to Awesomeness: The first time Margaret Nelson enrolled in Elmhurst Public Library’s summer reading program, she was entering third grade. Margaret had just moved to Elmhurst and really liked reading and going to the library to claim the prizes offered by the program. By fifth grade, Margaret wanted to do more than just participate.

“I wanted to know how you could start volunteering,” she says. “I found out that for sixth grade, I could do it.”

As soon as she was old enough, Margaret got involved by volunteering at the Summer Reading Program table. This time, she was on the other side of the table, handing out stickers and prizes to the children who proudly brought their reading logs up to her table to show how many books they’ve read.

“I like seeing the little kids,” Margaret says.

Kim Scott, Elmhurst Public Library’s middle school librarian, says Margaret’s hard work is appreciated, and besides being dependable and willing to do just about any task given her, she is also good-humored, cooperative and “the ideal middle school volunteer.”

“She’s one of those kids who you can tell what needed to be done, and she’s just very personable. She became ‘the library kid,’ ” Scott says.

The volunteers who help out with the summer reading program get more face time with the adorable young patrons of the library, but Scott says that during the school year, the work can be less glamorous. 

“It’s dusting shelves, wiping down books and puzzles, de-germing the kids library, organizing books, re-shelving and cutting out shapes for our storytimes,” says Scott, adding that sometimes volunteers are a little disappointed at the menial nature of some of the work.

But for Margaret, no job is too small. And her willingness to get the work done has allowed her to be given more responsibility. 

“She’s able to help out on shelving books,” says Scott, adding that is one of the more complex tasks that not every volunteer gets to do. 

“That’s one of the most important jobs in the library, because if the books aren’t where they’re supposed to be, we can’t do our jobs as librarians, which is to help people find them,” she says.

Scott hopes that Margaret continues her 10-week stints as a library volunteer. Her work as the vice president of the Middle School Advisory Board has also helped build the relatively new program, which is designed to a create a place for middle school students.

“She was one of the fundamental, foundational people in that group,” Scott says. “She is always coming in with new ideas. She came to all the programs that we offered (for middle school students): gaming days and the homework help centers."

Scott said she thinks of her as a spokesperson for the program.

“That’s really important when you’re trying to get more kids involved.”