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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Volunteers Can Make or Break Your Space: Volunteer Involvement in a Makerspace
In this July 24, 2025 webinar, Makerspace Librarian Trina Camping of the Woodland Public Library (CA) shares what she’s learned about how best to… more |
Engaging High Impact Volunteers, Capacity Building | maker space | 2025 |
How to Engage Gen Zers as Volunteers and Advocates
Trying to attract younger supporters sometimes feels as foreign as deciphering an ancient scroll. Compared to the traditional methods we’re… more |
Capacity Building | Gen Z | 2025 |
Building the Case to Fund Volunteer Engagement
Based on our annual survey of the Get Involved listserv, we find far too many missed opportunities to engage community members as library supporters… more |
Staff Training, Capacity Building | funding, staff buy-in, leadership buy-in | 2025 |
Stop Rejecting Volunteers. Start Redirecting Them.
Redirection communicates helpfulness, preserves dignity, and keeps the door open for future connection. It is the opposite of “thanks but no thanks… more |
Staff Training, Interviewing Volunteers | rejection, interview | 2025 |
Multi-Generational Panel on Volunteering
This March 2025 panel of volunteers from varying generations provides some keen insights into engaging each group. This event was produced by the… more |
Baby Boomers, Staff Training | generations, Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z, Millenials | 2025 |
Creating an Effective Volunteer Impact Story
A good volunteer impact story does more than describe what someone did — it shows why what they did mattered. It connects actions to outcomes, and… more |
Staff Training, Capacity Building | public relations, leadership buy-in | 2025 |
Engaging Gen Alpha to the Silent Generation: Volunteer Strategies for Nonprofits
This brief article gives a great description of each generation along with what defines them and tips for engaging each in volunteering. |
Baby Boomers, Staff Training | generations, Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z, Millenials, Gen Alpha | 2025 |
Neurodiversity Inclusion Tips
Have you considered neurodivergent applicants in your organization's recruitment strategy? An estimated 15-20% of the world’s population identifies… more |
Staff Training | neurodivergent, neurodiversity, inclusion, diversity, inclusion | 2025 |
Volunteer Recognition Ideas Across Generations
Ways to think about the types of recognition you provide for different generations of volunteers. |
Baby Boomers, Millennials, Staff Training | recognition, generations | 2024 |
A Guide for Creating Inclusive Volunteer Position Descriptions
This is one part of the 2024 "Is Everyone Welcome? Tools to Broaden Volunteer Engagement" toolkit found here: https://www.idealist.org/en/orgs/is-… more |
Staff Training | inclusive, Position Descriptions, job descriptions | 2024 |
Managing Volunteer Risks -- Where Are You Now?
In this blog, Volunteers Insurance Service Association, Inc. (VIS) suggests that to know where you need to be in managing your organization’s risk of… more |
Staff Training | Risk Management | 2024 |
Engaging the Volunteer of the Future
This 1 hour webinar was presented by Jennifer Bennett, Education & Training Director for VolunteerMatch in January 2024. In this webinar you’ll… more |
Capacity Building, Staff Training, Millennials | Millenials | 2024 |
Working Together: Developing Neurodivergent and IDD (Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled) Inclusive Volunteer Opportunities
This webinar was recorded on June 6, 2024. Speakers: Cecily Ponce de Leon, Plano Public Library; Jungwon DeVone, Somerset County Library System; and… more |
Staff Training | neurodivergent, disabilities, special needs | 2024 |
Surveys in Volunteer Engagement
On February 8, 2024, this Get Involved live Zoom discussion focused on Surveys in Volunteer Engagement. The group discussed types of surveys and… more |
Staff Training | surveys | 2024 |
Books and barks: Library pet programs for everyone
This quick read points to a variety of programs libraries have started focused on "furry friends." Take a look! |
Staff Training, Job Specific Volunteer Training | Pet Therapy, dog, reading | 2024 |
| Capacity Building, Staff Training | disabilities, inclusive | 2024 | |
The Human Side of Recruitment
This webinar was presented by Beth Steinhorn of VQ Strategies on July 10, 2024. Recruitment is more than simply posting online ads. Ultimately,… more |
Staff Training, Interviewing Volunteers | Recruitment, pitch, interview | 2024 |
Disability Awareness and Inclusive Behaviors
This is a section of another publication that provides some great guidance. It starts on Page 9 of "Serving Patrons with Disabilities in Small and… more |
Staff Training | inclusive, inclusion, disabilities | 2024 |
Tips for Selecting a Volunteer Management Database
Wendy Johnson of the Indianapolis Public Library presented this session for the Get Involved Initiative in July 2024. If it's time to investigate a… more |
Staff Training, Capacity Building | volunteer management system, vms, database, Tracking, Reporting | 2024 |
Time Management for Volunteer Engagement Coordinators: Putting Volunteers to Work to Help YOU
This one hour webinar was recorded March 7, 2024, and was presented by Jennifer Bennett, CVA, Director of Education and Training for VolunteerMatch.… more |
Staff Training | time management, Program Assistant | 2024 |