SPAM-LOW: [Publib] What do you want in a volunteer?

[Andrea Berstler]

Rebecca, 

 

These are some good questions! Let me see if I can help. I am currently the
director of a small library that not only uses but counts on volunteers to
keep us above the workload. If I had advice for prospective volunteers it
would be:

 

1 - be willing to start at the bottom - shelve books. Not only is this
really the best way to learn a library, it allows you to prove your
dependability to the staff, to meet the patrons and to handle the
collection. 

2 - be dependable - if possible, volunteer for the same time every week.
Perhaps offer your services to be a one-on-one helper at the computers every
Tuesday from 2 to 5, etc. This makes it easier to work a new volunteer into
an already working staff. 

3 - If a regular shift is out of the question - offer to do the grunt work -
cut out things for Storytime, shelf read, mend books, help at book sales,
weed the flowerbed, etc. 

4 - Did I mention being dependable? 

5 - Be a library patron. Be in the library, volunteering or not. Show your
support for this institution

6 - approach it like a job. Do share your resume, be willing to learn new
things, make yourself invaluable to the staff. 

 

As for your questions - 

*	having a student shadow employees - always a possibility here. We
are glad for the extra bodies and even more so for interest in librarianship
*	length of volunteer assignment - either a regularly scheduled day
throughout the semester or a once and done shot. Don't expect to come and go
like the wind
*	how many hours they volunteer - most of our non-student volunteers
are here 4 to 8 hours per month. If they can do 2 hours per week - that is
super! 
*	doing 'informational interviews' with newbies - We do on the job
training, however remember that library staff is usually overworked and an
"interview" for a volunteer is left to our volunteer coordinator - herself a
volunteer. 

IF a library student wants to put volunteer time on his/her resume - they
have to take it a seriously as a job, otherwise they might as well not
bother. 

Andrea
 
Andrea Berstler - Director 

The Village Library of Morgantown 
PO Box 797, 207 N Walnut St 
Morgantown, PA 
 <http://www.villagelibrary.org> www.villagelibrary.org 
610-286-1022
Preserving the Past . . . Preparing for the Future . . . 

Board Member - Association for Rural and Small Libraries 

 

You Gotta Believe!    - Tug McGraw

 

  _____  

From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]
On Behalf Of Rebecca Kemp
Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2008 4:42 PM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: SPAM-LOW: [Publib] What do you want in a volunteer?

 

Hi folks!
 
I am a first semester grad student through the SLIS Special Session
(extension) program at SJSU.  Many of my fellow students do not have
experience in a library.  Volunteering is a good way to gain experience, but
they seem to be striking out when it comes to finding opportunities.  My
program does not allow you to do an internship until you have completed a
certain number of units and I have colleagues who want to get experience
NOW.
 
Since I know that most libraries could always use an extra hand, I find this
puzzling.  I have to believe it is a lack of experience AND a lack of how to
go about the process.  I cannot give them experience, but I thought I could
provide some helpful hints on approaching people in a public library for
information and/or volunteer work.
 
My semester ends in mid-December, so that is when I will be writing up the
information and giving them to my fellow students who are nation and
world-wide.  If you would like to send the answers to me individually,
please do so.  I will not be using name or affiliations.  This is just for a
general document.  I will re-post again later for anyone who is interested
in my 'report'.
 
A few things I am going to definitely tell my fellow students:

*	Update your resume
*	Expect to pay for fingerprinting and a background check (required in
every public library I've worked in in California)
*	List for yourself your computer skills including; software skills;
Internet skills; hardware skills, web programming; and, any other computer
experience you may have had.
*	List for yourself your experience in working with and helping the
public.
*	List any for yourself any special skills you think will be needed in
the library.

How do you folks feel about:

*	having a student shadow employees
*	length of volunteer assignment
*	how many hours they volunteer
*	doing 'informational interviews' with newbies

Any other useful input is welcome.
 
Thanks,
Rebecca
 

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