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
Build Staff Buy-In for Volunteer Engagement
Often one of the biggest challenges to volunteer engagement is the resistance of paid staff. Often attitudes and fears of our co-workers prevent us… more
Staff TrainingCapacity BuildingEngaging Staff and Unions Staff Resistance, staff buy-in 2023
Volunteer Recognition Ideas
Sixty volunteer appreciation ideas from Keela.com
Staff Training recognition 2023
Introduction to the Purpose-Driven Vounteer Impact Model
Volunteers contribute to a library’s mission, labor, donations, awareness, and reputation. Yet, reports about volunteers often omit these… more
Staff Training impact, outcome measurement, Data Management 2023
Staff Training: Volunteer Vaccination Verification - San Jose CA
Training developed by San Jose Public Library for volunteer engagement staff at branches to learn how to do volunteer vaccine verifications in order… more
Staff Training COVID-19 2022
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
VolunteerMatch "Tour"
This is a recording of an online meeting "Tour" provided for incoming AmeriCorps members attached to California Library Literacy Services in December… more
VolunteerMatch Tools and ResourcesStaff TrainingOn-line Volunteer Recruitment VolunteerMatch, Skilled Volunteers, skilled, virtual, virtual volunteer 2022
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
Service Enterprise & Libraries: Is it for you?
This webinar was presented on July 27, 2022, and was presented by and based on the Points of Light Service Enterprise certification experiences of… more
Staff TrainingCapacity Building Service Enterprise, strategic planning 2022
Tools for Volunteer Engagement Success
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
On-line Volunteer RecruitmentVolunteerMatch Tools and ResourcesStaff Training VolunteerMatch, online recruitment 2022
Building Back Better: Assessing Needs & Identifying New Opportunities
This is the recording of a 1 hour webinar presented by Beth Steinhorn of VQ Volunteer Strategies for the Get Involved initiative on March 17, 2022.… more
Staff TrainingCapacity Building COVID-19, trends, strategic planning, planning 2022
Bringing Volunteers Back: “Re-Booting” as We Come Out of the Pandemic
This one-hour live online meeting was held on July 13, 2022 and features California library volunteer engagement leaders sharing their experiences… more
Capacity Building COVID-19 2022
Tips for Communications and outreach that honor diversity, equity and inclusion
Nine tips for communication that can be used as a checklist.
Capacity BuildingStaff Training communications, diversity, equity, inclusion 2022
Bibliography on Volunteer Engagement
Bibliography and Web Resources on Volunteer Engagement developed by Carla Lehn
Capacity BuildingStaff Training bibliography, Lehn 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
Consequences of Good v. Bad Volunteer Experiences
A brief article detailing a couple of ways to make your volunteers have a good experience, or to respond to situations where someone's had a bad… more
Staff Training 2022
5 Tips for Recruiting Volunteers
Five recruitment tips for volunteer management consultant, Rob Jackson.
Capacity Building Recruitment 2022
Online Book Sale Operation - Mesa AZ
The link below to a 10 minute video will introduce you to the Mesa Public Library's amazing online booksale operation (about $100,000/year) which is… more
Engaging High Impact VolunteersCapacity BuildingJob Specific Volunteer Training online booksales, Friends, Friends of the Library, Booksales 2022
I Just Don’t Have Time: Prioritize Your Way to Productivity
If you don't manage your time, your time will manage you. Determining what to focus our attention on is an essential critical skill. So often we… more
Capacity BuildingStaff Training time management, volunteer leaders, productivity 2022
5 Tips for Recruiting Volunteers
Five recruitment tips from Volunteer Management consultant Rob Jackson.
Capacity Building 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