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
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
Outdoor Programming and Outreach Best Practices - Oklahoma City OK
Developed by the Metropolitan Library System in Oklahoma City during the COVID-19 pandemic as a guide for staff.
Capacity Building outdoor, outreach, programming, COVID-19 2021
Engaging Volunteers: A Comprehensive Literature Review
Literature Review completed for AmeriCorps by ICF International in 2021.
Capacity BuildingStaff Training literature 2021
Volunteers and the Law: Legal Considerations
A good summary of legal issues from Tobi Johnson & Associates, 2021.
Staff Training law, legal 2021
3 Tips for Finding New Board Members
Great advice for how to think about and plan for board member recruitment.
Capacity BuildingEngaging High Impact Volunteers boards, Trustees, Recruitment 2021
How to Write Volunteer Recruitment Messaging that Converts
Strategies to enhance your volunteer recruitment.
Capacity Building Recruitment, Volunteer Recruitment 2021
Volunteer Safety Precautions in a Pandemic World - Indianapolis IN
Safety precautions for volunteers returning to the Indianapolis Public Library during 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
Job Specific Volunteer TrainingCapacity Building COVID-19 2020
Power, Privilege, and Volunteerism
Volunteerism can reinforce patterns of power and privilege (whites and people of means as volunteers, and communities of color or those without means… more
Staff Training equity, inclusive, inclusion 2020
Introduction to Virtual Volunteering
This 35 minute recording is a presentation made by Jayne Cravens of Coyote Communications for the 2020 Points of Light Conference.
Staff Training virtual, remote 2020
Fighting Racism Through Diverse and Inclusive Volunteer Engagement Programming (Part 2 of 2)
Part 2 of thoughts on how to audit your own diversity, equity and inclusion strategy (DEI) in how you engage volunteers from Jerome Tennille, CVA,… more
Staff TrainingCapacity Building racism, inclusive, diversity, Recruitment 2020
NextGen Nexus: Moving Beyond Awareness
This article answers the question: How do we build awareness about our issue among young Americans?
Millennials Gen Z 2020
Engagement as a Path to Inclusion and Justice
This brief article from Beth Steinhorn at VQ Strategies outlines 4 questions we can all ask ourselves for developing and implementing a plan that… more
Capacity BuildingStaff Training inclusive, racism, diversity 2020
What Do Volunteers Want?
This article discusses the importance of following up with volunteers -- keeping them in the loop through good communication.
Capacity BuildingEngaging High Impact Volunteers communications, followup 2020
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