Libraries can benefit greatly from volunteers. For a larger library volunteers can allow services to expand, while in smaller libraries volunteers can help maintain basic services. Volunteer jobs vary from library to library – some libraries have volunteers repair books, run story hour, reshelve books, work at the circulation desk, fundraise, write grants, paint the building, provide computer assistance and other basic tasks. Some libraries rely heavily on volunteers to keep the doors open a minimum number of hours per week. Below you will find some basic help for managing volunteers, regardless of the size of your library or the size of your volunteer pool.

If you need more help, contact Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, Coordinator for Library Sustainability

• General Resources

  • Volunteer Risk Management [St. Charles City-County Library District]

  • Measuring the Difference Volunteers Make: A Guide to Outcome Evaluation for Volunteer Program Managers by Melissa Eystad, Editor (30 pp.)

  • Recruiting Male Volunteers: A Guide Based on Exploratory Research by Stephanie Blackman (59 pp.)

    • Energize Inc.’s Statistics on Volunteering

  • Dollar Value of Volunteer Time

  • Volunteer Screening: Part of an Integrated Risk Management Program [Points of Light Foundation]

• Volunteer Policy Samples [MHLS]

• • FAQs from the Nonprofit Risk Management Center

  • “Benefits of Policies” By Linda L. Graff

• Sample Applications

  • Seattle Public Library

  • Brooklyn Public Library

• Position Descriptions

  • Chester County Library System (PA)

  • California Library Volunteers (CLV) (check out their “Volunteer Job Description Template”)

  • Fairfax County Public Library, Virginia

  • General Volunteer Position Description [Nonprofit Risk Management Center]

  • High Impact Volunteer Position Descriptions (GetInvolvedCA.org)

• Recruitment

  • Your Circle of Resources, Susan J. Ellis, Energize Inc.

  • California Library Volunteers – Targeting Recruitment Plan

  • Recruit a [Technology] Volunteer [WebJunction]

  • New Yorkers Volunteer

  • VolunteerMatch.org

  • Checklist for Volunteer Screening [Nonprofit Risk Management Center]

• Manuals

  • Chester County Library System (PA)

  • Napa City-County Library Volunteer Orientation Manual (CA)

  • San Bernardino County Library Policies (CA)

  • Shasta Handbook (CA)

  • Trinity County Volunteer Policies and Procedures (CA)

• Orientation

  • Library Specific Issues: What is the mission of the library? How is the administration of the library organized? Where does the funding for the library come from? Confidentiality issues; Review of library policies; introduction to all staff and other volunteers. (RSA)

• Evaluation

  • “It seems rude to evaluate volunteers. Do we really have to?” [The Nonprofit FAQ from Idealist]

  • Exit Interviews By Monika Penner

• Recognition

  • President’s Volunteer Service Award

  • National Volunteer Week [Points of Light & Hands On Network]

  • Recognition Gift Ideas

    • JanWay

    • ALA Store

    • NYLA Store