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
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
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
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
First Day Volunteer Orientation Checklist - Kitchener Public Library
This checklist is used by the Kitchener Public Library for a volunteer's first day of orientation/training.
Volunteer Orientation checklist, orientation, Training 2022
QuickStart Guide for New Volunteers
Not a library, but a lovely example to get ideas from.
Volunteer Orientation orientation, handbook 2022
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 TrainingCapacity Building virtual volunteer 2022
Library Express - Frequently Asked Questions - Indianapolis IN
Prepared by the Indianapolis Public Library for their home delivery program, Library Express.
Job Specific Volunteer Training Homebound, Home delivery, delivery 2022
How to Write Volunteer Recruitment Messaging that Converts
Strategies to enhance your volunteer recruitment.
Capacity Building Recruitment, Volunteer Recruitment 2021
Co-Creating Racial Equity in Volunteer Engagement - MAVA
The Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement has been conducting research and education on race equity in volunteerism for 5 years. This is the… more
Staff Training diversity, equity, inclusion 2021
22 Simple Tips for Managing Virtual Volunteers
Help with planning for, implementing and managing volunteers who work remotely.
Engaging High Impact VolunteersStaff Training virtual, virtual volunteer, remote 2021
Insights & Impact 2020: Measuring the Social Impact of Volunteerism
This report describes new ways to calculate the value of volunteer time. These approaches rely on data from Independent Sector and from the U.S.… more
Capacity Building ROI, Reporting, annual report 2021
Getting it Right! Nine Areas Managers of Volunteers Sometimes Get Wrong
A terrific brief article by Martin Cowling to help us find our way.
Capacity Building 2021
Closed Captioning Volunteer Job List - Cedar Rapids IA
When the library started sharing programs online they wanted to ensure they are accessible to those who utilize closed captions. This volunteer… more
Job Specific Volunteer TrainingCapacity Building virtual, virtual volunteer, remote, closed captioning, COVID-19 2021
Book to Action - Palo Alto City Library (CA)
Palo Alto's Book to Action page
Staff Training Book to action 2021
Strategies for Attracting Today's Volunteers - DOVIA Sacramento Webinar
This archived webinar was presented by Carla Lehn for DOVIA Sacramento in February 2021. Learning Objectives for the session:
Participants in this… more
Staff TrainingOn-line Volunteer RecruitmentEngaging High Impact Volunteers Recruitment, online recruitment, Volunteer Job Description, Webinar 2021
Book to Action - Whittier Public Library CA
Whittier Public Library's 2021 Book to Action project
Staff Training Book to action 2021
Addressing Issues of Equity in Volunteerism
A brief article on this important subject with some ideas about where to look and what to do.
Capacity Building diversity, equity, inclusion 2021
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
A Savior No One Needs: Unpacking and Overcoming the White Savior Complex
White savior complex is a term that’s used to describe white people who consider themselves wonderful helpers to Black, Indigenous and People of… more
Staff Training diversity, equity, inclusion 2021