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
Preparing Co-Workers to Lead Volunteers Online and On Land
Ideas for training staff to engage with volunteers.
Staff TrainingCapacity Building Staff Resistance, staff buy-in, staff training 2022
Privilege, Bias and Microaggressions
On Aug 25, 2022 Points of Light and the Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration led a conversation exploring identity, privilege, bias and… more
Capacity BuildingStaff Training privilege, bias, microaggression, diversity, equity, inclusion 2022
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
Professional Ethics in Volunteer Administration
These handouts and powerpoint are from a webinar titled: "Sticky Situations: Applying Ethics to Your Work with Volunteers" presented by Katie… more
Staff Training Ethics, CVA 2022
Putting Corporate Volunteers to Work
This one-hour webinar (2012) presents evaluation points to help volunteer managers determine if their program is ready to engage, or expand the use… more
Volunteer RecruitmentVolunteerMatchEngaging High Impact VolunteersVolunteerMatch Tools and Resources business partnerships, group volunteering, corporate relations 2012
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
QuickStart Guide for New Volunteers
Not a library, but a lovely example to get ideas from.
Volunteer Orientation orientation, handbook 2022
Racial Equity and Inclusion Resources for Volunteer Engagement Leaders
This is a terrific list of links to articles, books, research, podcasts, movies and toolkits on this subject put together by MAVA - the Minnesota… more
Staff TrainingCapacity Building inclusive, inclusion, equity, racism 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
Recruit Volunteers Online: Find Your Next 20 COVID Superheroes with Smarter Strategy
The author describes three essential strategies needed to build a presence online that can recruit the ideal volunteers you need, those that are… more
On-line Volunteer Recruitment Recruitment, online recruitment 2021
Recruiting Local Volunteers to Increase Diversity Among the Ranks
This blog post by Jayne Cravens provides some ideas for expanding diversity among your volunteers. Includes a number of links to related topics as… more
Staff Training diversity, equity, inclusion, Recruitment 2022
Recruitment Success Story - Flagstaff Arizona
In this 4 minute video, Claudine from the Flagstaff library talks about her successes in finding a volunteer to serve as her assistant volunteer… more
Capacity BuildingEngaging High Impact Volunteers online booksales, Book sale 2019
Reimagining Service in California- Karen Baker
Karen Brown, Secretary of Service and Volunteering in California, discusses trends in skilled volunteering at the Get Involved: Powered By Your… more
Capacity BuildingEngaging High Impact VolunteersStaff Training Video, trends 2010
Research and Case Studies Regarding Virtual Volunteering
Research on virtual volunteering compiled and updated in March 2022 by Jayne Cravens of Coyote Communications.
Capacity BuildingEngaging High Impact Volunteers virtual, virtual volunteer 2022
Rethinking Retention: Understanding Strategic Volunteer Relationships
This one hour webinar was presented as part of the Get Involved: Powered by Your Library initiative on September 29, 2022 by Jennifer Bennett,… more
Capacity BuildingInterviewing Volunteers retention, attrition, Recruitment 2022
Rethinking Volunteer Recognition
This 2018 archived Webinar from Verified Volunteers presents research shows that there is a disconnect between what volunteers are seeking in terms… more
Capacity BuildingEngaging High Impact Volunteers recognition 2018
Revitalizing Library Volunteer Engagement
One hour archived recording of a WebJunction webinar: Library volunteerism is evolving. Gone are the days of looking for tasks to keep your… more
Engaging High Impact VolunteersEngaging Staff and UnionsOn-line Volunteer Recruitment 2018
Rural Volunteer Toolkit
This toolkit was researched and written VISTA volunteers serving in Appalachian Coal Country, and in rural Colorado. They have included some of… more
Capacity Building rural, Volunteer Recruitment, partnerships 2012
Safety While Volunteering - COVID 19 Policies/Procedures - San Jose CA
Powerpoint presentation used by San Jose Public Library to share COVID-19 policies and procedures with volunteers.
Volunteer Orientation COVID-19 2021
Sensory Story Time Volunteers - Redwood City CA
This one hour webinar was presented for the Get Involved: Powered by Your Library initiative on December 6 2023 by Pam Evans, Youth Services… more
Staff Training Storytime, story time, sensory, disabilities 2023