Volunteer Spotlight: Tim Nordstrom

Tim Nordstrom

In the books and in the trenches in the name of literacy.

Knowing that he is placing books in the homes of those least likely to have them is what drives Tim Nordstrom to volunteer with the Book Exchange, a program created by the Lafayette County Literacy Council. The Book Exchange distributes books in different locations in the county such as the county Women’s, Infants, and Children’s (WIC) Center, the Lafayette County Health Department, and the local Boys & Girls Club.

The books are free and are available for children to adult ages. Nordstrom says that the “sole focus of the program is to put books in the hands of those less likely to have access to them.”

Meridith Wulff, Director of the Lafayette County Literacy Council, says Nordstrom is a “rock steady” volunteer and his dedication has helped keep up with the growing demands of the Book Exchange. Wulff stated that the Book Exchange program has distributed more than a thousand books across Lafayette County.

Nordstrom, a father of three, says, “Studies show that access to books is a key factor to improved reading skills.  Nothing is more rewarding than walking into one of our exchange sites and seeing that books have been taken.”

A full list of current library locations can be found on the Literacy Council website www.lafayetteliteracy.org. Community members can donate used books at book drop locations, including the public library and several school libraries. Square Books and the public library also donate their damaged and unwanted books.

The mission of the Lafayette County Literacy Council is to improve literacy and encourage the love of reading in Oxford and Lafayette County. To find out how to volunteer with them, visit www.volunteeroxford.org or call 662-236-6662.

For more information on how to nominate someone for the Volunteer Spotlight, email volunteer@oxfordms.net or call 662-236-6662. For more information on volunteering in the Lafayette-Oxford-University community, visit Volunteer Oxford online at www.volunteeroxford.org.

— Kelly Graeber, Director, Volunteer Oxford, volunteer@oxfordms.net