This is a presentation associated with the Edward de Bono 6 Hats of Thinking in application to volunteerism.

1. EDWARD DE BONO’S
SIX THINKING HATS
IN THE CONTEXT OF
VOLUNTEERISM

2. Logical EDWARD DE
Cautious Intuitive
BONO’S Which hat must you
wear to be an effective
6 HATS OF volunteer at a library
THINKING

3. VOLUNTEERISM IS AN ACT OF
SERVITUDE BUT HOW CAN ONE’S
OFFERINGS BE ENHANCED TO
OFFER BETTER CUSTOMER
SERVICE AND END USER
SATISFACTION?
TRY SWITCHING HATS.

4. IN THE LIBRARY YOU
WILL FIND A TEAM How are objectives for the
day determined, delegated,
OF LIBRARIANS AND and completed?
Everyone puts on their
VOLUNTEERS FROM thinking hats!
THE COMMUNITY.

5. U S I N G T H E M O D E L O F E D WA R D D E B O N O ’ S 6 H AT S O F Reflections of a Volunteer:
T H I N K I N G A S A G U I D E , T H E G R E E N H AT W I L L B E As a volunteer for the local elementary
P L A C E D O N L I B R A RY PA RT I C I PA N T S . W I T H S U C H A library, I must engage young minds and at
times motivate children to select books that
DIVERSE POOL OF CLIENTELES, LIBRARIANS AND challenge yet entertain them. Librarians use
H E L P E R S M U S T B E C R E AT I V E T O S AT I S F Y T H E N E E D S technology and creative teaching techniques
to keep students attention during lessons.
OF ALL.
Whoever said the library was boring hasn’t
been to an elementary library.

6. W I T H A B L U E H AT S N U G LY O N , L I B R A RY Reflections of a Volunteer:
WORKERS MUST ORGANIZE RETURNED One of the most time consuming
tasks in a library is checking in and
B O O K S , U S E A F O R M A L I Z E D S Y S T E M TO sorting returned materials and
C AT E G O R I Z E B O O K S U S I N G T H E A L P H A B E T books.
AND NUMERIC REFERENCES, AND RESHELF In is rather rewarding when you see
the book you have just returned in
B O O K S F O R I M M E D I AT E U S E B Y PAT R O N S . the hands of a smiling child.

7. T H E S W I F T LY C H A N G I N G E N V I R O N M E N T I N
T H E L I B R A RY, R E Q U I R E S W O R K E R S T O P U T O N Reflections of a Volunteer:
T H E I R Y E L L O W H AT. L I B R A R I A N S M U S T
R E M A I N O P T I M I S T I C T H AT E V E RY C L I E N T W I L L Sometimes I feel like Curious
George running wildly through
RECEIVE THE HELP THEY NEED WHEN THEY the isles of the library. There are
N E E D I T. Q U I T E O F T E N R E S O U R C E S A R E always so many mysteries to
LIMITED AND HELP IS SCARCE SO THE YELLOW uncover, new challenges to face,
and excited children to play with.
H AT S M U S T B E L A C E D W I T H R E D , B L U E , A N D
GREEN RIBBONS TO GET THE JOB DONE.

8. I S I T L O G I C A L T O H AV E A L L W O R K E R S T O D O Reflections of a Volunteer: Each week
T H E S A M E TA S K O R J O B I N T H E L I B R A RY ? O F a group of volunteers put our white hats
C O U R S E N O T. T H U S , L I B R A R I A N S A N D H E L P E R S on a self appoint each other to specific
roles. As we want every to experience
MUST CAREFUL SCHEDULE PEOPLE, the responsibilities of library workers,
positions are rotated. We assess each
A P P R O P R I AT E LY D E L E G AT E W O R K E R S , A N D day and delegate accordingly. When I
M AT C H P E O P L E TA L E N T W I T H L I B R A RY R O L E S have on the white hat my job is to make
sure that we are logically tackling tasks
A N D PAT R O N N E E D S . and assisting patrons in the most
efficient way.

9. Reflections of a Volunteer:
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN LIBRARIANS AND Security or cautionary action is not
usually thought of when the library
V O L U N T E E R S M U S T P U T O N T H E I R B L A C K H AT O F is concerned. Put I must confess,
C A U T I O N . P L A G I A R I S M R U L E S C O P Y R I G H T L AW S , A N D there are many unwritten rules and
R E G U L AT I O N S M U S T B E A D H E R E D T O AT A L L T I M E S . potential threats lurking around the
PAT R O N I N F O R M AT I O N M U S T B E P R O T E C T E D T O B E I N book nook. When I have on the
C O M P L I A N C E W I T H O R G A N I Z AT I O N A L A N D F E D E R A L Black Hat, my job is to ensure
compliance and safety. And I take
M A N D AT E S . my job very serious.

10. Reflections of a volunteer:
U S I N G B O N O ' S R E D T H I N K I N G H AT, L I B R A R I A N S A N D Intuitiveness is overrated. Even the best
V O L U N T E E R S M U S T B E I N T U I T I V E . T H E Y M U S T A N T I C I PAT E planner often falls short of a desired goal
T H E N E E D O F PAT R O N S A N D E Q U I P T H E M S E LV E S W I T H or task. That is what makes a team so
R E S O U R C E S A N D E M P L O Y O R G A N I Z AT I O N A L A N D C R I T I C A L valuable. Collectively, a team is a force to
T H I N K I N G S K I L L S T O A D D R E S S PAT R O N S A N D T H E be reckoned with. The various hats that we
C O M M U N I T Y N E E D S . D E M O N S T R AT I O N A N D E X H I B I T I O N O F wear allow us to service the needs of
I N F O R M AT I O N , M AT E R I A L A N D R E S O U R C E S M U S T B E others and give the gift of literacy and
S H A R E D F R E E LY A S T R U E N E E D S A R E O F T E N M A S K E D B Y infinite knowledge.
THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE. AFTER ALL, KNOWLEDGE WITH
N O A C T I O N I S W O RT H L E S S . Next time you go in a library, guess what
color hat the librarian and the volunteers
are wearing.

11. The End