Rebecca Conkle sends a personal email to every new volunteer before their first shift at the Southlake Public Library.
That habit helped earn her the City of Southlake's 2026 Employee Performance Accountability Value Award.
Conkle, the library's circulation coordinator, oversees a volunteer program staffed largely by teenagers. The city announced the honor Friday, Aug. 21, on its official Facebook page, crediting her for going "above and beyond" to make sure volunteers feel prepared from day one.
The award recognizes city employees who exemplify Southlake's core values of integrity, innovation, accountability, excellence and teamwork. The 2026 Employee Performance Awards were listed under the City Manager's Report at the Tuesday, May 5 City Council meeting.
A training workflow built for busy Saturdays
Saturday is the library's busiest day. Conkle found that training new volunteers while keeping the circulation desk running smoothly required a rethink.
She collaborated with volunteer coordinator Julie Kleck to redesign the training workflow so new arrivals could learn their responsibilities with full attention while library services continued uninterrupted.
The pre-shift emails are part of that approach. Each message tells incoming volunteers what to expect, easing the transition for teens who may be entering their first structured work environment.
Carroll ISD volunteer pipeline
The Southlake Public Library is an approved community service site for Carroll ISD's Success Scholars Program, which requires 100 hours of volunteer work during high school. That pipeline means the library regularly onboards students with little or no prior workplace experience.
Conkle is not the only city employee recognized this cycle. Capital Improvements Program Manager James Tuttle received the Finance and IT Director's Award in the same 2026 series for his work strengthening Southlake's capital project budgeting. Residents interested in volunteering at the Southlake Public Library can contact the library at 1400 Main St., Southlake.
