Volunteer Spotlight: Marianne Lonsdale
OLC volunteer Marianne Lonsdale (pictured standing on the left) has been a big help at numerous OLC events and volunteer opportunities over the past year. We interviewed her about what brings her to this work.
OLC: What’s something people don’t know about you?
Marianne: I’m a late but happy bloomer. I married at age 38, had my one and only beloved child at age 41 and published my first novel at age 71.
OLC: Tell us about your book and your author journey.
Marianne: My novel, When The Road Curves, follows thirty-six-year-old Nora as she navigates love, friendship and loss in the Bay Area in 1991. Returning home to Oakland after spending a decade working and playing hard in New York City, Nora is at a crossroads—evaluating career choices and wondering if she wants marriage and children. It’s also a bit of a love letter to Oakland.
I finished the book several years ago but had no luck finding an agent and put it aside. In 2025, I decided to try selling it again, this time submitting to small presses that did not require an agent. Sibylline Press, dedicated to publishing the work of women authors age 50 and older, offered me a contract, and they have been great to work with.
OLC: How did you get involved with the OLC?
Marianne: After I retired, I wanted to do some volunteer work focused on literacy and children. I had a friend, Dagmar Serota, who had been active in the Oakland library community for years and conversations with her prompted me to look into what volunteer work was available.
OLC: Tell us about your volunteering in schools. How did you get involved?
Marianne: My first volunteer work with OLC was in Oakland school libraries. I have read in classrooms and helped with shelving and organizing books in the classroom and school libraries. I now also help out with the Eat Learn Play bus distributions and administrative work sometimes at the OLC offices.
OLC: What is something you love about working with children and families?
Marianne: I have only one child and just don’t feel like I’ve had enough time with young kids, so volunteering helps that interest. The excitement in elementary school children towards books is so fun to see – I wasn’t sure if that was still a thing with so many types of screens in their lives – but they love books.
OLC: What would you like people to know about why volunteering is so valuable?
Marianne: I believe that having a literate society is critical to maintaining and growing democracy. That’s my big reason for volunteering. Smaller reasons are it’s satisfying and fun.
OLC: What do you enjoy about volunteering in school libraries, classroom Glow Ups, and OLC community events?
Marianne: I’m such a reader and writer that I’m happy just touching and handling books. So, filing and organizing books for a few hours is a good time for me. I honestly am not the best Glow Up volunteer – my decorating skills are pretty weak. (Editor’s note: Marianne is an excellent Glow Up volunteer!) I love community events mainly because they get me out and about in my beloved city of Oakland.
OLC: What is one of your favorite children’s books to share?
Marianne: All of the Olivia books by Ian Falconer are favorites. And one that my now adult daughter and I enjoyed together is Possum Come A-Knockin‘ by Nancy Van Laan and illustrated by George Booth. That book remains dear to me.
OLC: What are you reading now?
Marianne: I am never without a book. I finish one and start on another one the next day. I’m taking a trip to Vietnam in January and as part of preparing, I am reading The Sympathizer by Viet Thank Nguyen.