Hot Topics Archive

Month Topic Update
What's New for April 2023 Recently added resources

Do you work with library volunteer coordinators/ liaisons in your branches or other departments? If yes, here are a couple examples of guidelines created by other library volunteer engagement coordinators in that position: (Note: If you’ve got one to share, please e-mail to me at clehn@califa.org)

       Deschutes Public Library, Oregon

       Metropolitan Library System, Oklahoma City

       Columbus Metropolitan Library, Ohio

 

Building Staff Buy-In for Volunteer Engagement -- January 18, 2023 Webinar recording

 

Developing and Managing Volunteer Programs

 

Two one hour December webinars presented for AmeriCorps members attached to California Library Literacy Services are now available for viewing by all:

Volunteer Engagement 101 -- Learning Objectives included: What Motivates Volunteers, Utilizing Skilled Volunteers, and Designing Volunteer Job Descriptions and Recruitment Plans. NOTE: Passcode required to view the video: Rr2sqKs+

Volunteer Engagement Tools for Success which includes a tour of best practices on VolunteerMatch is archived separately here: NOTE: Passcode required to view the video:  2%czJp

 

 

Hot Topic for March 2023 Volunteer Recognition

Rethinking Volunteer Recognition

 

Volunteer Appreciation Guide

 

Volunteer Recognition: Just Say No to Years of Service Awards

 

Volunteer Recognition Ideas

 

Using the Internet to Recognize Online Volunteers

 

Staff Volunteer Appreciation Survey

 

Ways to Appreciate Volunteers Without Centering Them as the Hero

Hot Topic for February 2023 Friends of the Library

Resources for Friends of Libraries

 

Connecting with Today’s Volunteers to Transform the Friends of the Library (1 hour archived webinar)

 

Mesa (AZ) Public Library's amazing online booksale operation (about $100,000/year) is volunteer driven and supervised by the library's volunteer coordinator. We appreciate Mesa sharing a 10- minute video about the project, as well as the volunteer job description and a number of invaluable, well-researched training pieces that can be used to prepare volunteers to take on these roles.

 

Beyond Younger Volunteers: White Paper on What Rural Friends Groups Need to Thrive

 

How to Recruit New Members for Your Association on Social Media

 

Book Store Fundraiser – “Secret Santa” – Indianapolis IN

What's New for January 2023 Recently added resources

Tips for Communications and outreach that honor diversity, equity, and inclusion

 

7 Tips for Managing Volunteers

 

Tips to Attract & Retain Skilled Volunteers that Grow Your Nonprofit

 

How to Align Your Mission with Millennials and Civic Engagement

 

The Virtual Volunteer Life Cycle: A Complete Guide

What's New for December 2022 Recently added resources

Changing the Frame: Civic Engagement Through A Racial Equity Lens

 

First Day Volunteer Orientation Checklist

 

Reading Buddies Volunteer Job Description – Columbus OH

 

Developing a Successful Intern Program

 

Teen Volunteer Summer Reading Program Orientation Agenda

 

QuickStart Guide for New Volunteers

 

Rethinking Retention: Understanding Strategic Volunteer Relationships

Hot Topic for November 2022 Trustees Resources

California Public Library Trustees Toolkit

Resources for Library Trustees by State

Nonprofit Board Member Codes of Conduct and Ethics

Statement of Ethics for Library Trustees - Cedar Rapids IA

Board of Trustees Policy Manual - Cedar Rapids IA

Taking Action on Board Diversity: Five Questions to Get You Started

If Your Board Looked Like Your Community

Working with Legislators: An Advocacy Briefing Guide for Board Members

3 Tips for Finding New Board Members

Five Survey Templates to Measure Volunteer and Board Satisfaction

What's New for October 2022 Recently added resources

Teen Team Volunteer Program Assistant Job Description

 

Volunteer Orientation and Training: The Ultimate Guide

 

Volunteer Appreciation: Not just a week, but a culture

 

Home Delivery Driver Agreement

 

15 Most Popular Strategic Planning Templates

 

Insights & Impact 2020: Measuring the Social Impact of Volunteerism

Hot Topic for September 2022 Video Clips from Breauna Dorelus of Connecting the Cause

White Supremacy in Volunteerism – Perfectionism – (20 minutes)

 

Creating a Community Centered Volunteer Orientation – (14 minutes)

 

Ways to Appreciate Volunteers without Centering them as the Hero - (19 minutes)

 

Memorializing Volunteer Experiences without Harming the Community you Serve -- (15 minutes)

What's New for July 2022 Recently added resources

A Savior No One Needs: Unpacking and Overcoming the White Savior Complex

Volunteer Exit Survey – London Public Library

Annual Report on Volunteer Engagement – Los Angeles Public Library

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Resources - California State Library

Sample Confidentiality Statement

Recruit Volunteers Online: Find Your Next 20 COVID Superheroes with Smarter Strategy

What's New for May 2022 Recently added resources

Virtual Volunteers: Keys to Success and Sustainability

10 Must Have’s for a Well-Crafted Volunteer Job Description

15 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Volunteer Coordinator

Library Express Homebound Delivery Volunteer – Indianapolis Public Library IN

Home Delivery Driver – Indianapolis Public Library IN

Adult Volunteer Application – Arlington Heights IL

Adult Volunteer Application – Lincoln City OR

Hot Topic for April 2022 Gaining Staff Buy-In for Volunteer Engagement

Build Staff Buy-In for Volunteer Engagement

Grow Staff Volunteer Harmony

Confidentiality and Other Objections to Volunteers

Gaining Staff Buy-In for Volunteer Engagement

Preparing Co-Workers to Lead Volunteers Online & On Land

Union Issues and Staff Resistance

What Leaders of Volunteers Can Do to Gain Executive Attention

Could Volunteers Replace Paid Staff?? Have No Fear!

Hot Topic for March 2022 Sample Forms

COVID Liability Release Form – Sherwood OR

Records Retention Practices – Indianapolis Public Library IN

Vaccine Verification Form for Volunteers -- San Jose CA

Volunteer Reference Check Form -- Indianapolis Public Library

Volunteer Reference Check Questions – Kitchener Public Library

Confidentiality of Customer Records Form

Volunteer Time Record – Fresno County Library

Workers Comp Coverage Volunteer Agreement

For Sample Volunteer Applications Click on Management Tools, then from the Drop Down Menu select “Adult Volunteer Applications” or “Teen Volunteer Applications” and click “Apply”

More may be found by typing "forms" into the search box.

Hot Topic for February 2022 Skills-Based Volunteers

Assistant Volunteer Coordinator

Virtual Job Coach

Volunteer Job Coach

Tech Tutor

Tech Coach

Public Relations Strategist

Social Media Specialist

Social Media Specialist 2

 

Coordinator, Photo and Video Services

Computer Coach Program Coordinator

Volunteer Screeners

Small Library Skilled Volunteer Success Story

Creation Station Coordinator

45 Unique Useful Projects for Skilled Volunteers

Capacity Commons Guidebook on Skills-Based Volunteerism

Skills-Based Volunteerism 201: Project Scoping and Planning

Skills-Based Volunteering Toolkit

 

What's New for January 2022 Recently added

Volunteer Application – Fresno County Library

Volunteer Handbook – Fresno County Library

Civic Life Today: A Millennial Perspective – 2021 Points of Light report

Tech Tutor Volunteer Position Description

The Best Volunteer Management Software to Meet Every Need

Volunteer Job Description – Job Center Coach – Butte County CA

Teen Conduct Agreement Columbus Metropolitan Library, Ohio

Co-Creating Racial Equity in Volunteer Engagement

Hot Topic for December 2021 Virtual Volunteer Position Ideas

Virtual Job Coach

Closed Captioning Volunteer

Podcast Transcription Volunteer

Spanish Language Virtual Document Translator

Tutor an Adult Learner Virtually

Social Media Specialist

Social Media Coordinator

Virtual Volunteer Ideas for Teens

Examples of Virtual Volunteering Activities

Virtual Volunteering: A Guide for Nonprofits

22 Simple Tips for Managing Virtual Volunteers 

Hot Topic for November 2021 MORE VolunteerMatch Tips and Tricks

Post Virtual Volunteer Opportunities -- NOTE: Virtual opportunities don’t show up in a local search, and in person opportunities don’t show up in a virtual search – if you’re offering an opportunity both ways (i.e., volunteers can come to the library to do it OR they can do it online) you should post it twice – once as virtual and once as local. Using the Copy feature will keep you from having to type it all twice: 

Get Involved/VolunteerMatch widget - This 3 minute video shows how our Get Involved/ VolunteerMatch widget on your library's website will help recruit more volunteers – California libraries can request the widget code from me at clehn@califa.org so your IT folks can post it. If posting the widget is not an option, you can simply post a link to libraries.volunteermatch.org

Looking for another way to make your volunteer opportunities more visible to the best potential volunteer matches for your position?  

Need to Copy an opportunity to post it on multiple branch accounts or tweak it just a bit? No need to re-type!

Did you know that you can add “shift” options to your VolunteerMatch posts?

If you only have a limited number of openings for one of your VolunteerMatch posts, you can change “Sign Up” to “Express Interest

Hot Topic for October 2021 Tips to Improve Your VolunteerMatch Results

Re-posting – Best and easiest thing you can do to make your volunteer listings more visible to volunteers on VolunteerMatch

Include a photo of what it looks like to be a volunteer in the position (more effective than a logo or picture of your library)

Need good photos of volunteers in action? https://getinvolvedclearinghouse.org/ -- Click on Photos then use Dropdown menu to select the volunteer role.  These are professionally taken, photo waivers signed and sized for VolunteerMatch!

Promote Your Listings -- If you have a paid VolunteerMatch account (California Libraries can get one free from the California State Library – e-mail lehn@plpinfo.org) another one of the features you get is called "Promote Your Listings." This 90 second video shows how it can add a self-updating Volunteer page to your library's website.

VolunteerMatch/LinkedIn Reccruitment Partnership - How to get LinkedIn to offer your skilled volunteer position to qualified candidates

VolunteerMatch “Tour” – Using VolunteerMatch to Recruit Skilled & Virtual Volunteers

 

What's New for September 2021 Recently added

Vulnerable Populations Policy for Volunteers - Multnomah County Library OR

Volunteer Guidebook – Hillsboro OR

HandsOn Network Volunteer Leader Guidebook

Sample Volunteer Application form

How to Write Volunteer Recruitment Messaging That Converts

Diversity Statement – Indianapolis Public Library

Hot Topic for August 2021 Strategic Planning

Developing a Strategic Plan for Volunteer Engagement – Recording and materials from July 28, 2021 webinar

SWOT Analysis for Strategic Planning

Why Have Volunteer Department Goals Objectives and Actions?

Truth: volunteer programs have fun with strategic plans (AND reach their goals)

Goal Setting Worksheet

Living into Your Strategic Plan: A Guide to Implementation that Gets Results

Sample Organization Strategic Plan Featuring Volunteerism Goals

Sample Volunteer Strategic Plan - Colorado Parks & Wildlife

NOTE: More resources can be found by clicking on “Management Tools” and using the drop-down menu to select “Strategic Planning.”

What's New for July 2021 Recently added

Write a Captivating Volunteer Position Description that Boosts Recruitment

Could Volunteers Replace Paid Staff?? Have No Fear!

Create a Book Stool!

Volunteer Exit Interview Survey

Volunteer Risk & Screening Levels

Creating One-Time, Short-Term Group Volunteering Activities