HELP WANTED!
The Mérida English Library runs on volunteer labor, and we are currently looking for motivated individuals to serve in the following ways:
The Original MEL House & Garden Tour
The House & Garden Tour is the library’s largest annual fundraiser, and one of the most popular tours on the Yucatan Peninsula. The tours operate weekly on Wednesday November through March. This is a major undertaking and requires contributions from many people, and we are fortunate to have a talented and established collection of homeowners, guides and lecturers. We are currently in need of one or more people to fill a leadership position as House & Garden Coordinator with these responsibilities:
Volunteer Coordination: each tour day begins with a short lecture about local history and architecture, and then groups depart on foot to visit three homes in the area. Each group of visitors is led by library volunteers who are tasked with making sure everyone arrives safely and together, and to monitor the visit at the various homes. The Coordinator will schedule volunteers to fill these roles each week, drawing from an existing pool of experienced people, and communicate these assignments to the volunteers.
Scheduling & Communications: the primary responsibility of the Tour Coordinator is to find new houses for the tour,with much cooperation from the other volunteers, to supplement the existing inventory and schedule the houses for each week. It is important that the homeowners are aware of the date and time the tour will visit their home, and their obligations to the visitors. The Coordinator must ensure all homeowners understand when we will visit and what to expect when we arrive.
The coordinator is expected to be on site to be on site on Wednesdays to oversee the tour operation, and will coordinate advertising with the MEL staff. The job requires good organizational skills and good communication skills using a library email account and WhatsApp. The Tour Coordinator reports to the Library Administrator.
MEL Talks
MEL Talks is a Wednesday evening lecture series and one of MEL’s most popular and revered events. Talks are held weekly during December, January and February except on holidays. Talks begin at 7:00 PM and generally last about an hour. The MEL Talks Coordinator will schedule lecturers, drawing from a lineup of “fan favorites” and new speakers. The Coordinator will attend each lecture and introduce the speaker, and record the talk for inclusion on the library’s YouTube channel. The job requires good communication skills using a library email account and WhatsApp, and minor technical skills to set up and operate the equipment. The MEL Talks Coordinator reports to the Library Administrator.
Santa Ana Gallery Tour
The Santa Ana Gallery Tour is one of MEL’s most beloved and enduring tours. It operates on Thursday mornings, between 10:00 AM and noon, every-other-week from December through March. The tour visits a half-dozen galleries and workshops in the artsy Santa Ana neighborhood. MEL is searching for additional Tour Guides - art enthusiasts who enjoy sharing their experiences and their love for Mérida with others. These tour guides report to the library’s Outreach Coordinator.
Please contact us at info@meridaenglishlibrary.com to apply for one of these important positions, or with questions.
