The Northeast Spruill Oaks Library will recognize the 450 volunteers who put in more than 8,000 hours during the past year to help out at the library, said adult volunteer coordinator Karen Swenson.

The library’s annual volunteer appreciation party, sponsored by the Friends of the Northeast Spruill Oaks Library, will take place Sunday at 3 p.m.

“Especially during the hard times when our staffing is so low, which is currently, [the volunteers] are the backbone of the library as far as assisting with very important tasks so that they free up the library staff to do their jobs,” Swenson said.

The volunteers help sort and stack books, set up display cases, and assist with special projects or events. There are also volunteers who lead programs, classes and activities at the library.

Swenson said the volunteers who work at the library come from all paths in life. Some are members of the Friends of the Library volunteer group. Others are middle and high school students, retirees, unemployed residents, or individuals referred from court after committing minor traffic violations.

The volunteers who attend Sunday’s appreciation event will receive certificates for their service. The staff will also recognize seven volunteers, who each contributed more than 200 hours of lifetime service, by adding their names to the library’s extraordinary volunteers’ plaque, Swenson said.

Lance Johnson, Sally Trawick and Mae Jackson have spent hundreds of hours shelving books. Jean Chen has taught a line dancing class — one of the library’s most popular classes, Swenson said — for three years. Robert Lynn coordinated the Johns Creek Poetry Group at the library for five years, and Jim Montgomery assisted with the AARP Tax Aide program. The seventh individual, who preferred not to be named, has served as a U.S. citizenship exam preparation instructor at the library for about four years.

In addition to the volunteer recognition, New York Times bestselling author Karen White will be the event’s guest speaker.

“She will be coming and giving a speech about her writing career and about her most recent books,” Swenson said. “She is from Atlanta.”

White is the author of 16 award-winning novels including “After the Rain” and “Sea Change.”

If you go:
 What: Northeast Spruill Oaks Library’s Volunteer Appreciation Party
 Where: 9560 Spruill Road, Johns Creek
 When: March 3, 3 p.m.
 Reservations: (770) 360-8820 or email karen.swenson@fultoncountyga.gov