Training Materials

Learn more about best practices in volunteer recruitment and engagement, and how to get the results you need.

NOTE: These are examples from public libraries and should be reviewed and modified to ensure fit with local policies and culture.

Title Keyword Tags Year
VolunteerMatch "Tour"
This is a recording of an online meeting "Tour" provided for incoming AmeriCorps members attached to California Library Literacy Services in December… more
VolunteerMatch Tools and ResourcesStaff TrainingOn-line Volunteer Recruitment VolunteerMatch, Skilled Volunteers, skilled, virtual, virtual volunteer 2022
Beware of These 6 Trends Lurking in Your Volunteer Program
This brief article from November 2019 delineates troubling trends about volunteer engagement programs gleaned from the most recent Volunteer… more
Capacity Building 2019
Volunteer Management: How to Get it Right
A 2018 study by MAVA (Minnesota Association of Volunteer Administrators) showed a lack of understanding about the essential nature of volunteers and… more
Capacity Building volunteer coordinator 2018
Online Book Sale Operation - Mesa AZ
The link below to a 10 minute video will introduce you to the Mesa Public Library's amazing online booksale operation (about $100,000/year) which is… more
Engaging High Impact VolunteersCapacity BuildingJob Specific Volunteer Training online booksales, Friends, Friends of the Library, Booksales 2022
Volunteer Ethics & Risk Management: Should You Bring Volunteers In?
This blogpost on ethics and volunteer liability and risk management was prepared by Toby Johnson during the Covid-19 Pandemic of 2020. It serves as… more
Staff Training Risk Management, liability, Liability Waiver 2020
Social Media & Blog Content Guidelines for Staff & Volunteers - CMBCL, OR
This document is used by Cedar Mill & Bethany Community Libraries to provide guidelines for staff and volunteers who are assisting with community… more
Engaging High Impact VolunteersJob Specific Volunteer TrainingStaff Training social media, blog 2020
Engaging Pro Bono & Skills-Based Volunteers Webinar
This one hour webinar was presented for a library audience by Jennifer Bennett, CVA, Senior Manager of Education and Training at VolunteerMatch on… more
Engaging High Impact Volunteers Skilled Volunteers, Pro Bono, Webinar 2020
Engaging Pro Bono & Skills-Based Volunteers Webinar Slides
These slides are from the one-hour webinar presented for a library audience by Jennifer Bennett, CVA, Senior Manager of Education and Training at… more
Engaging High Impact VolunteersStaff Training Skilled Volunteers, Pro Bono, Webinar
Pro Bono Project Worksheet - VolunteerMatch
This worksheet was a handout provided during aone-hour webinar entitled Engaging Pro Bono & Skilled Volunteers. It was presented for a library… more
Engaging High Impact VolunteersStaff Training Skilled Volunteers, Pro Bono
Adopt-A-Shelf Job List - Cedar Rapids Public Library IA
This is the Job List for volunteers who "Adopt-A-Shelf" at the Cedar Rapids Iowa Public Library.  A related document is the Adopt-A-Shelf… more
Job Specific Volunteer Training Shelving 2020
Book Drop Helper and Sorter Training - Boulder CO
This powerpoint training was created for Book Drop Helper and Sorter Volunteers returning to service during COVID-19. In addition to this powerpoint… more
Job Specific Volunteer TrainingCapacity Building COVID-19, Book Drop 2020
Book Drop Helper and Sorter Training Video #1 - Boulder CO
This video was created as a portion of the training for Book Drop Helper and Sorter Volunteers returning to service during COVID-19. The training… more
Job Specific Volunteer Training COVID-19, Book Drop 2020
Book Drop Helper and Sorter Training Video #2 - Boulder CO
This video was created as a portion of the training for Book Drop Helper and Sorter Volunteers returning to service during COVID-19. The training… more
Job Specific Volunteer TrainingCapacity Building COVID-19, Book Drop 2020
Homebound Delivery Volunteer Safety Requirements Sign-Off Sheet - Boulder CO
This list of safety requirements was created for Boulder Colorado Homebound Delivery volunteers returning to service during COVID-19. The volunteer… more
Job Specific Volunteer TrainingCapacity Building Homebound, COVID-19 2020
Tech Made Easy - Instructional Guides (Includes Zoom)
These new Tech Guides are now available for public use. They contain step-by-step instructions on how to teach seniors, who are often late-tech… more
Capacity BuildingJob Specific Volunteer Training tech coach, tech tutor 2020
The Ellis Archive - The Susan J. Ellis Foundation
The archive primarily consists of digitized documents from Susan J. Ellis' personal resource library. Focused on Susan’s passion -- the… more
Staff Training 2020
Recognizing Racism in Volunteer Engagement - MAVA
Important food for thought from the Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration
Staff TrainingCapacity Building inclusive, racism, Recruitment, diversity 2020
Systemic Exclusion in Volunteer Engagement
The vast majority of managers of volunteers absolutely abhor deliberate acts of racism and want to be more inclusive. Since they don’t engage in… more
Capacity BuildingStaff Training racism, inclusive, diversity, Recruitment 2020
Talking Racial Equity? Make Sure You Understand These 17 Words
A good list of terms to be familiar with from Technical.ly
Capacity BuildingStaff Training racism, inclusive, diversity 2020
Fighting Racism Through Diverse and Inclusive Volunteer Engagement Programming (Part 1 of 2)
Thoughts on how to audit your own diversity, equity and inclusion strategy (DEI) in how you engage volunteers from Jerome Tennille, CVA, social good… more
Capacity BuildingStaff Training racism, diversity, Recruitment, inclusive 2020