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
Moving Forward: Taking Action on Race and Equity
On Nov 19, 2020 the Points of Light Foundation hosted the first conversation in their Listen. Learn. Act to End Racism initiative, in partnership… more
Staff Training equity, inclusion 2020
Power, Privilege, and Volunteerism
Volunteerism can reinforce patterns of power and privilege (whites and people of means as volunteers, and communities of color or those without means… more
Staff Training equity, inclusive, inclusion 2020
NextGen Nexus: Moving Beyond Awareness
This article answers the question: How do we build awareness about our issue among young Americans?
Millennials Gen Z 2020
What Do Volunteers Want?
This article discusses the importance of following up with volunteers -- keeping them in the loop through good communication.
Capacity BuildingEngaging High Impact Volunteers communications, followup 2020
How to Build a Successful Volunteer Program
This brief guidebook was created by the International City/County Management Association.
Capacity BuildingStaff Training toolkit 2019
Getting it Right! Nine Areas Managers of Volunteers Sometimes Get Wrong
A terrific brief article by Martin Cowling to help us find our way.
Capacity Building 2021
Closed Captioning Volunteer Job List - Cedar Rapids IA
During the global pandemic the Library shifted to sharing more programs online and wanted to ensure the programs were accessible to those who utilize… more
Job Specific Volunteer TrainingCapacity Building virtual, virtual volunteer, remote, closed captioning, COVID-19 2021
Where Do I Go From Here? Engage Volunteers in New Ways
Jennifer Bennett, CVA, Senior Manager of Education and Training for VolunteerMatch presented this webinar for the Get Involved Initiative on February… more
Staff TrainingCapacity Building Webinar 2021
Strategies for Attracting Today's Volunteers - DOVIA Sacramento Webinar
This archived webinar was presented by Carla Lehn for DOVIA Sacramento in February 2011. Learning Objectives for the session:
Participants in this… more
Staff TrainingOn-line Volunteer RecruitmentEngaging High Impact Volunteers Recruitment, online recruitment, Volunteer Job Description, Webinar 2021
Volunteer COVID-19 Protocol Training - Huntington Beach CA
Protocol training for volunteers returning to the library during/after COVID-19 pandemic
Volunteer Orientation COVID-19 2021
Could Volunteers Replace Paid Staff?? Have No Fear!
An organization’s decision to bring in volunteers may spark fears that volunteers could eventually replace staff. After all, volunteers can do many… more
Staff TrainingEngaging Staff and Unions Staff Resistance, staff buy-in 2019
Addressing Issues of Equity in Volunteerism
A brief article on this important subject with some ideas about where to look and what to do.
Capacity Building diversity, equity, inclusion 2021
Get Involved VolunteerMatch Widget Helps with Recruitment
This 3 minute video shows how the Get Involved: Powered by Your Library initiative VolunteerMatch "widget" works on your website to help recruit… more
VolunteerMatch Tools and Resources Recruitment, online recruitment, widget 2020
Free Self-Updating Volunteer Page on Your Website with Paid VolunteerMatch Account
If you are a California Public Library and have a paid VolunteerMatch account provided by the California State Library, another one of the features… more
VolunteerMatch Tools and Resources website, Promote Your Listings 2020
Survey Design: The Top 10 Best Practices to Maximize Your Results
Survey design is extremely important as it can make or break your survey's completion rate. This article reviews some survey design fundamentals, and… more
Capacity BuildingStaff Training surveys 2022
Questionnaire Design Tip Sheet - Harvard University
A tip sheet on question wording from the Harvard University Program on Survey Research.
Capacity BuildingStaff Training surveys 2021
Outdoor Programming and Outreach Best Practices - Oklahoma City OK
Developed by the Metropolitan Library System in Oklahoma City during the COVID-19 pandemic as a guide for staff.
Capacity Building outdoor, outreach, programming, COVID-19 2021
Measuring Success: Strategically Assess Your Volunteer Engagement Strategy
This one hour webinar was presented on April 28, 2021 by Jennifer Bennett, Senior Manager of Education and Training for VolunteerMatch as part of the… more
Staff TrainingVolunteerMatch Tools and Resources evaluation, Assess, Strategic, Webinar 2021
Volunteers and the Law: Legal Considerations
A good summary of legal issues from Tobi Johnson & Associates, 2021.
Staff Training law, legal 2021
Creating One-Time, Short-Term Group Volunteering Activities
Great ideas for two-hour-, half-day or one-day, one-time group volunteering activities that could be used to engage workplace volunteer groups,… more
Staff Training groups, corporate 2020