Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I am interested in your volunteer experience so far and wondering if you could describe how you became an APS volunteer (do they do background checks, require certain experience, etc) and what you do as a volunteer. Do you get to select what projects you are involved in or are you just assigned something. Are there a lot of volunteers or do you work alone?
It sounds like a neat place to volunteer.
Thanks for posting your finds,
Sally
Login to Like
this post
Sally, You are correct, it can become an expensive experience. So far not too bad. I'm not sure if you need to be a member of the APS or APRL to volunteer.
I contacted Scott English The Executive Director who I am friends with. He sent me to Scott Tiffney, Director of Information Services. This was back in January 2000, before all the shutdowns. Before I could get started Covid came to town, so no APS for a year. Once things started opening up I again contacted Scott Tiffney and he sent me a list of some of the various jobs tat needed to be worked on. I'll attach the list. At the time I thought working on Herb Trenchard's collection would be fun but Im glad that didn't happen. There are 26 pallets of catalogs, show programs and huge assortment of philatelic memorabilia. Herb wasn't a stamp collector per say, he collected everything philatelic but stamps. Scott English knew me from meeting him at different shows and he visited The Philadelphia Stamp and Collector's club a few years back. He knew me as an active APS member so I'm sure that was a plus. Being an APS member in good standing does carry some weight.
I opted to inventory archival collections. The archives room has about 20-24 double side shelves with donated items they received over the years. There is a master list of the items in the archives and my job is to locate them and check on their condition and if there is any need to provide more protection of the items and make sure the inventory list is correct. On the master list of donations each donation is given a number and I have to label all the boxes or folders in the collection for easy identification. Pretty simple but it is time consuming.
My day consists of signing in when I arrive and heading to the archives. I pick up a sheet of items that need to be checked and off I go. I usually spend 2-3 hours. I sing my time sheet when I leave for the day. I try to come in 1-2 days a week as time allows. There are many volunteers there but I work alone. There are a few others that are doing the same thing as I am but we arrive on different days and times.
It is a great place to volunteer. Everybody is pleasant, paid employees and volunteers. Every day I look around and I am amazed that I get the opportunity to do this.
I still can't believe we made the move to Bellefonte after talking about it for 20+ years.
I have more finds I'll post later when I get time. I am attaching a list of the jobs that need to be filled by volunteers.
Vince
3 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
Vince,
Wow! Sounds like a great place to volunteer and an interesting and fun experience. I imagine you see some pretty nice items.
Looks like they have enough projects to keep people busy for years.
Thank you for the response and for sharing your purchases.
Sally
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
I doubt I will ever make it to APS/APRL unless I happen to be im the area for other reasons and that is not very likely.
Login to Like
this post
Vinman - enjoyed seeing what you have found at the APRL after your volunteer shifts. Seems volunteering may become an expensive proposition.
I am interested in your volunteer experience so far and wondering if you could describe how you became an APS volunteer (do they do background checks, require certain experience, etc) and what you do as a volunteer. Do you get to select what projects you are involved in or are you just assigned something. Are there a lot of volunteers or do you work alone?
It sounds like a neat place to volunteer.
Thanks for posting your finds,
Sally
Login to Like
this post
re: Volunteering at the APS or APRL
Sally, You are correct, it can become an expensive experience. So far not too bad. I'm not sure if you need to be a member of the APS or APRL to volunteer.
I contacted Scott English The Executive Director who I am friends with. He sent me to Scott Tiffney, Director of Information Services. This was back in January 2000, before all the shutdowns. Before I could get started Covid came to town, so no APS for a year. Once things started opening up I again contacted Scott Tiffney and he sent me a list of some of the various jobs tat needed to be worked on. I'll attach the list. At the time I thought working on Herb Trenchard's collection would be fun but Im glad that didn't happen. There are 26 pallets of catalogs, show programs and huge assortment of philatelic memorabilia. Herb wasn't a stamp collector per say, he collected everything philatelic but stamps. Scott English knew me from meeting him at different shows and he visited The Philadelphia Stamp and Collector's club a few years back. He knew me as an active APS member so I'm sure that was a plus. Being an APS member in good standing does carry some weight.
I opted to inventory archival collections. The archives room has about 20-24 double side shelves with donated items they received over the years. There is a master list of the items in the archives and my job is to locate them and check on their condition and if there is any need to provide more protection of the items and make sure the inventory list is correct. On the master list of donations each donation is given a number and I have to label all the boxes or folders in the collection for easy identification. Pretty simple but it is time consuming.
My day consists of signing in when I arrive and heading to the archives. I pick up a sheet of items that need to be checked and off I go. I usually spend 2-3 hours. I sing my time sheet when I leave for the day. I try to come in 1-2 days a week as time allows. There are many volunteers there but I work alone. There are a few others that are doing the same thing as I am but we arrive on different days and times.
It is a great place to volunteer. Everybody is pleasant, paid employees and volunteers. Every day I look around and I am amazed that I get the opportunity to do this.
I still can't believe we made the move to Bellefonte after talking about it for 20+ years.
I have more finds I'll post later when I get time. I am attaching a list of the jobs that need to be filled by volunteers.
Vince
3 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Volunteering at the APS or APRL
Vince,
Wow! Sounds like a great place to volunteer and an interesting and fun experience. I imagine you see some pretty nice items.
Looks like they have enough projects to keep people busy for years.
Thank you for the response and for sharing your purchases.
Sally
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Volunteering at the APS or APRL
I doubt I will ever make it to APS/APRL unless I happen to be im the area for other reasons and that is not very likely.
Login to Like
this post