Training Materials | Get Involved! Resource Clearinghouse

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.

Keyword

Title	Keyword	Tags	Year
Union Issues and Staff Resistance Early in the Get Involved initiative we determined that the two biggest potential internal barriers to moving toward engagement of skilled volunteers… more	Engaging Staff and Unions	Unions, Staff Resistance, staff buy-in	2008
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 Building, Engaging High Impact Volunteers	Book to action, Video, book discussion, community service	2012
Up Your Game with Skills-Based Volunteering A discussion of skills-based volunteering which can be provided through specialized volunteer-matching organizations.	Staff Training, Capacity Building	Skilled Volunteers	2023
Virtual Homework Help Coach Online Training - San Jose CA During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, San Jose Public Library moved it's homework help program online. This is the online training they use to train the… more	Job Specific Volunteer Training	Homework Help, COVID-19	2020
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 Building, Staff Training	virtual volunteer	2015
Virtual Volunteer Orientation - San Jose CA This online training was developed to introduce new volunteers to the San José Public Library and provide a basic overview of the volunteer policies… more	Engaging High Impact Volunteers, Capacity Building	virtual volunteer, virtual, orientation, Volunteer Orientation	2020
Virtual Volunteers: Keys to Success and Sustainability More and more organizations rely on a hybrid workforce – with staff and volunteers working on-site and on-line. More recently, engaging volunteers… more	Staff Training, Capacity Building	virtual volunteer	2022
Volunteer Appreciation Guide is Volunteer Appreciation Guide is a free resource developed by Wild Apricot to offer tips and advice for volunteer programs just getting started… more	Capacity Building	recognition	2019
Volunteer Assessment and Selection- Jennifer Rackow As part of a day-long training, Jennifer Rackow helps you assess and select the best candidates to become volunteers in your program. Search for… more	Capacity Building, Engaging High Impact Volunteers, Interviewing Volunteers, Staff Training	Video, volunteer selection	2009
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 / Interviewing, Capacity Building, Staff Training	background checks, screening	2018
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
Volunteer COVID-19 Safety Guidelines - Cedar Rapids IA General guidelines for volunteers returning to the library during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.	Capacity Building, Job Specific Volunteer Training	COVID-19	2020
Volunteer Engagement 101 This one hour archived video was presented by Carla Lehn of the Get Involved: Powered by Your Library initiative for the incoming AmeriCorps members… more	Staff Training	job descriptions, Recruitment, Staff Resistance, staff buy-in, Motivation	2022
Volunteer Ethics & Risk Management: Should You Bring Volunteers In? This blogpost on ethics and volunteer liability and risk management was prepared by Toby Johnson during the Covid-19 Pandemic of 2020. It serves as… more	Staff Training	Risk Management, liability, Liability Waiver	2020
Volunteer Involvement in California Libraries: Best Practices This is the State Library's 245 page book on Volunteer Involvement for libraries -- author Carla Lehn. Includes Chapters and sample materials… more	Volunteer Recruitment, Engaging High Impact Volunteers, Staff Training	Volunteer Recruitment, volunteer coordinator, staff training	1999
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
Volunteer Matching: Finding the Right Role for Every Volunteer Fitting each volunteer with the right role is critical to success.	Engaging High Impact Volunteers, Capacity Building, Staff Training	job descriptions, placement, onboarding, interview	2023
Volunteer Orientation - Circulation - Huntington Beach, CA Orientation slides used by Huntington Beach Public Library with volunteers in Circulation.	Materials Handling, Job Specific Volunteer Training, Volunteer Orientation	book shelving, Circulation	2012
Volunteer Orientation - Media Center - Huntington Beach, CA Powerpoint slides used in orientation of Huntington Beach Public Library's Media Center volunteers.	Materials Handling, Job Specific Volunteer Training, Volunteer Orientation	Shelving	2012
Volunteer Orientation and Training: The Ultimate Guide A 2022 article from Wild Apricot on what to consider when planning volunteer orientation and Training.	Capacity Building	volunteer training, orientation	2022