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
Volunteer Satisfaction Surveys: 10 Ways to Get it Right
Gathering candid opinions from your volunteers will help you gain insights around what you need to improve. Despite our best efforts, however,… more
Staff Training 2012
"E-mail Basics" Powerpoint Training - Huntington Beach
This powerpoint presentation was created for a high skilled volunteer to deliver training to library patrons on "E-Mail Basics."
Engaging High Impact VolunteersJob Specific Volunteer Training tech coach, Training 2012
Book to Action Project- Santa Barbara Public Library
Book-to-Action Programs 2012: Bringing programs about the environment to Santa Barbara Public Library libraries (Green @ Your Library), in… more
Capacity BuildingEngaging High Impact VolunteersStaff Training Book to action, community service, teen volunteers, environment 2012
Until Tuesday - Book to Action Project- Lodi, CA
As part of an LSTA grant, Lodi Public Library designed a Book to Action project around the book "Until Tuesday" based on the true story of… more
Capacity BuildingEngaging High Impact Volunteers Book to action, Video, book discussion, community service 2012
The Importance of Using and Understanding Background Check Screening
This archived webinar was produced by "AL!VE" -- the Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement.
Volunteer Screening / InterviewingCapacity Building background checks, screening volunteers 2013
Nonprofit Volunteers: Minimizing the Risk
Minimizing legal exposure is important because volunteers’ acts are generally imputed to the nonprofit organization. Specific, written volunteer… more
Capacity BuildingStaff Training Risk Management 2013
How to Design Volunteer Training that Helps (Not Hurts) Learning
A brief article that provides principles of learning theory in usable form to the design of volunteer training.
Capacity BuildingJob Specific Volunteer TrainingStaff TrainingVolunteer Orientation Training, orientation 2013
In Lieu of Money, Toyota Donates Efficiency to New York Charity
This New York Times article provides an excellent example of a company providing their skilled volunteers to address the needs of a volunteer… more
Engaging High Impact Volunteers skilled, Skilled Volunteers 2013
Developing Training Programs for Volunteers
The Who, What, How and Why of designing training programs for volunteers from the Community Toolbox.
Job Specific Volunteer TrainingVolunteer Orientation Training volunteer training 2013
ESL Conversation Circles - Training Overview
This Prezi slide presentation was developed to help train volunteer ESL Conversation group facilitators. (I found it easier to view on FIrefox than… more
Job Specific Volunteer Training ESL conversation circle, ESL 2013
Millennials Want To Make a Serious Impact and You Can Help
Insights into how to engage the Millennial Generation as volunteers and donors, and how you might be turning them off.
Volunteer RecruitmentMillennials Millennials, Recruitment 2014
VolunteerMatch Recruitment Tool - Volunteer Recommendations
Did you know that VolunteerMatch has a cool new feature that recommends volunteer opportunities to the thousands of potential volunteers with… more
Volunteer RecruitmentVolunteerMatchVolunteerMatch Tools and Resources Recruitment, VolunteerMatch, Volunteer Recommendations 2014
Building Better Library Volunteer Programs - Australia
This paper was written by Dr. Susie Prestney, then Manager, Castlemaine Library, Goldfields Library Corporation, Australia following her 2014 grant-… more
Capacity BuildingEngaging High Impact Volunteers Prestney, Lehn, Get Involved, Australia 2014
Homework Tutor Training - Huntington Beach
Powerpoint used by Huntington Beach Public Library to train their volunteer Homework Help Tutors.
Job Specific Volunteer Training tutor mentor homework help 2014
Millenials Want to Make a Serious Impact
This blog post from Catchafire.org describes the Millenial generation -- the 80 million born between 1980 and 2000 -- and their interest in… more
Millennials Millenials 2014
Virtual Volunteer - 4 minute interview
This 4 minute interview is with a volunteer who couldn't come to the library to volunteer, but still wanted to help with her high level social… more
Capacity BuildingStaff Training virtual volunteer 2015
Library Volunteer Program Improvement Model
VolunteerMatch worked with the California State Library to develop this self-assessment tool for library volunteer engagement programs. Once you… more
Capacity BuildingVolunteerMatch Tools and Resources Assess, evaluation, program evaluation, planning 2015
Skilled Volunteer Interview: Social Media Specialist
This is a 4 minute interview with a volunteer who served as a Social Media Specialist for the California State Library. Her volunteer Position… more
Engaging High Impact VolunteersMillennials Skilled Volunteers, Millennials, social media, virtual 2015
Today's Volunteer: The Shift from Management to Engagement
Video clip on this topic from a Get Involved Volunteer Engagement Institute in Oakland California in May 2015. (9.5 minutes)
Capacity BuildingEngaging High Impact VolunteersStaff Training 2015
A Few Pointers on the Unpleasant Topic of Firing Volunteers
Sarah Jane Rehnborg, Ph.D. discusses some of the "whys" and "hows" on this important topic.
Staff Training Fire, dismiss, problem 2015