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
How to Turn Away Volunteers and Still Have an OK Day
In this August, 2017 article, Elisa Kosarin shares her basics for making this difficult experience manageable.
Volunteer Screening / InterviewingInterviewing VolunteersStaff Training 2017
Small Library VolunteerMatch Success -- Johnson City TX
In this 4 & 1/2 minute video, Johnson City Texas Library Director, Maggie Goodman, shares her successful experience in posting a need for IT… more
Capacity BuildingEngaging High Impact VolunteersOn-line Volunteer RecruitmentVolunteerMatch Tools and Resources rural, small, maker space, LinkedIn, VolunteerMatch 2017
Small Library VolunteerMatch Success Story - Brownwood Texas
In this 2 minute video, Brownwood Texas Library Director, Becky Isbell, shares her successful experience in posting a need for a skilled graphic… more
Capacity BuildingEngaging High Impact VolunteersOn-line Volunteer RecruitmentVolunteerMatch Tools and Resources rural, Skilled Volunteers, VolunteerMatch 2017
Demographic Trends Shaping America and Service
Beth Steinhorn of VQ Strategies takes 2018 Pew Research results and extrapolates them for volunteer engagement professionals by addressing the… more
Capacity BuildingMillennials 2018
The Essential Guide to Managing Volunteers at Your Nonprofit
A free comprehensive overview for volunteer management from VolunteerPro.
Capacity Building 2018
Getting the Highest Visibility on VolunteerMatch – How to RePost Your Listing
Keeping your volunteer opportunity near the top of the list in your zipcode is critical to keep it visible to potential volunteers. One of the… more
VolunteerMatch Tools and Resources RePost 2018
Gaining Staff Buy-In for Volunteer Engagement
This chart created by Carla Lehn identifies the common reasons that staff are resistant to the idea of engaging volunteers in their work, and… more
Capacity BuildingStaff Training staff buy-in 2018
Volunteer Background Checks: Giving Back without Giving Up on Privacy
How do nonprofit organizations screen volunteers? There are several options. The choices depend largely on the volunteer job involved and the… more
Volunteer Screening / InterviewingCapacity BuildingStaff Training background checks, screening 2018
Three Things We Know About Engaging Millennials in Your Cause
A quick read on what Millennials are interested in to help you in your recruitment efforts.
Millennials Millennials 2018
Getting Staff Buy-In for Volunteer Engagement
Video clip on this topic from a Get Involved Volunteer Engagement Institute in Oakland California in May 2015. (26.5 minutes)
Engaging Staff and Unions 2018
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
Can We Reject a Volunteer?
What do you do when someone applies to volunteer and you realize they will not work out? How can we justify rejecting anyone who steps forward and… more
Interviewing VolunteersStaff Training Fire, reject, complaints 2018
You Can't Fire Me, I'm a Volunteer!
This quick read from Blue Avocado focuses on addressing volunteer dissatisfaction points to the right way to handle disgruntled volunteers.
Staff Training Fire, disgruntled 2018
Building Capacity: Strategic Volunteer Engagement
In this Points of Light blog post, the point is made that organizations that build a culture of volunteerism, and purposefully embed volunteerism… more
Capacity BuildingStaff Training Strategic 2018
VolunteerMatch Re-Posting Tutorial
Reposting is THE MOST IMPORTANT step you can take to get your opportunities noticed on VolunteerMatch. Why? Because VolunteerMatch searches are… more
VolunteerMatch Tools and Resources VolunteerMatch 2018
Grow Staff Volunteer Harmony
Tips from Energize Inc. on helping staff to work more productively with volunteers.
Engaging Staff and Unions staff buy-in 2018
GenerationOn Projects, Ideas and Resources
Looking for possible library volunteer projects for kids, teens and/or families? Check out GenerationOn's projects and resources to get some… more
Millennials Teens, family volunteering 2018
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
New Volunteer Manager's Toolkit
Get Involved Webinar Archived June 27, 2018
New to volunteer management? Looking for a refresher on the basics? This one hour webinar, presented by… more
Capacity BuildingInterviewing VolunteersStaff Training 2018
Successfully Managing Library Volunteer Program Changes
What should you do when it’s time to change the policies and procedures that govern or guide the volunteers that work with your organization? How can… more
Capacity BuildingStaff Training change management 2018