It's the Little Things That Count

At Sunnybrook Hospital, they have a small branch of the Toronto Public Library in the Veteran's wing. Not many people know about this library because it's primarily funded through the hospital, and therefore isn't a true public branch.

I don't know if any of you have utilized the library for anything other than books, but the selection is usually very poor at each branch. You have to place the item you want on hold and have it shipped to the location you request. So, if you have patience, you can see some really good movies, listen to some good CDs and read some great books. However, if it's a popular selection, you can likely wait for a couple of months for your selection to become available. There could be up to 600 people ahead of you waiting for that copy.

Anyhow, the individual that runs this branch at Sunnybrook is Stephen. Stephen goes above and beyond here. He regularly attends garage sales, Blockbuster and Rogers to source some good buys. He then adds the movies to the library collection for the Veterans and the Sunnybrook staff. If it's the only title in the whole city, he isn't able to make it "public" so it remains a local copy. It can't be put on hold and sent to other branches. There are some amazing titles to choose from.

As you all probably know, I like the more obscure titles and I am a fan of Canadian films. He has an enormous collection. Very new titles (He's Just Not That Into You) and some really old ones (Gone With the Wind). This branch easily holds about 400 DVDs and 300 VHS movies. Regular branches hold about 30 movies, on average. This library is approximately 500-600 sq feet.

Stephen doesn't have to do this. He technically just needs to come into work and leave after his 8 hours. He, however, made the conscious decision to go above and beyond so that others can enjoy these selections as well.

Today I asked if he accepts donations and he does. This is great news as I want to get rid of about fifteen titles that I no longer want. It's so easy to do something small like this to make others happy, and Stephen has succeeded in making me as well as about a thousand others, smile.

What have you done to go above and beyond lately?