Blog Post 8

I chose to volunteer at Loganberry in order to do all of the things I was unable to do this previous year. I got to talk to and meet real people, in real life and not over zoom, be in a calm environment, and have a positive impact. I think almost all aspects of my project went well. I accomplished all of my goals; I learned about how the business is run, got to meet new people, volunteer, and take a step away from the stress of senior year. Elisabeth, my mentor, was wonderfully kind, helpful, and patient. She always made sure I had tasks to work on, but that I was also not overburdened. We had interesting conversations, and she patiently listened to and answered my questions. I was very engaged in my project. I learned about how bookstores are run, from working at the counter, using their computer system, opening new orders, sorting through inventory, presentation of products, budget management, and marketing. I also got a behind-the-scenes peek at book publishing and learned about the relationship between booksellers, distributors, publishers, and authors. I learned how to organize a book club, and I had the opportunity to interview an author. I got to work collaboratively, and I learned how to help customers to the best of my ability. Hawken School can continue partnering with Loganberry in a variety of ways. They would likely be willing to host another Hawken project or have some involvement in their community events. I do not think this is necessarily a place to visit on a service day because of logistical challenges. Long term, it would be interesting and beneficial if Hawken support independently owned local businesses by purchasing materials and books from establishments like Loganberry instead of only online purchases with large corporations. My advice to rising seniors and juniors planning a project is, to be honest with themselves when deciding what to do; reflect honestly and intentionally to yourself so that you can choose a project where you find that happy medium between overwhelmed and bored. My most important takeaway overall was how much I value interactions with other people. Simply being in a store around other people was enough to lift my spirits after this isolating past year. I would like to thank Elisabeth and Loganberry for being so lovely to work with, welcoming me into their community, and showing me the ropes of bookselling. I enjoyed my time so much that I will likely continue to work at Loganberry over the summer!