Ever Thought About Volunteering at Your Public Library?

April 21-27, 2024, is National Volunteer Recognition Week, and a week isn’t nearly long enough to recognize the hundreds of volunteers who enrich our library communities through the thousands of hours they contribute!  In 2023, more than 2,500 volunteers at the Twin Cites metro public libraries (Anoka County Libraries, Carver County Libraries, Dakota County Libraries, Hennepin County Libraries, Ramsey County Libraries, Saint Paul Public Libraries, Scott County Libraries and Washington County Libraries) contributed nearly 50,000 hours of their time supporting the libraries in many ways.

There are volunteer opportunities for teens and adults.  Jodi Edstrom, Director of the Carver County Library system, describes the mission of their library volunteer program as “connecting volunteers with experiences that foster a sense of appreciation and inclusion, while also building lasting relationships and providing personal growth opportunities.”

While the types of assistance provided by volunteers varies somewhat across the libraries, here are examples of volunteer activities at some branches:

• Collection Help (adults and teens)
  • Cleaning discs
  • Finding books libraries users put on hold
  • Getting materials from the book drop
  • Making sure DVDs, magazines, newspapers and more are in the right place on the shelves
  • Moving items
  • Shelving items
• Library Support ( adults and teens):
  • Dusting bookshelves
  • Straightening shelves
  • Restocking public computers with pencils and paper
• Storytime (adults and teens)
  • Making copies
  • Helping set up arts and craft projects
• Summer Reading Program (teens):
  • Assisting Youth Services Librarians with special programs and events including setting up, counting attendees, and cleaning up

Many library systems offer homebound services, and adult volunteers help deliver library materials to patrons who are unable to visit a library branch.

Volunteering for the library can be an ideal introductory job experience for teens. Librarian Lisa Pollard, who works with volunteers at the Scott County Library, talks about their Spotlight Crew youth volunteers who help with summer reading programs and children’s events: “Young kids love interacting with a super-cool teen, and they get really excited when a teen praises them for reading or asks them what they like to read.  Plus our youth volunteers gain valuable “first job” experience as they complete an application and orientation, sign up for shifts, wear a uniform – a Spotlight Crew t-shisrt – and learn about workplace rules and expectations.”

Let’s meet a couple of teen library volunteers, Dion and Elon, who recently started volunteering at the Wentworth Library in Dakota County.  Dion and Elon are twins in 9 ^th grade who thought volunteering at the library “seemed pretty cool.”  They also volunteer at their church, so they aren’t new to the volunteer experience.  Their favorite thing about volunteering at the library is that it’s a quiet environment and they enjoy keeping books organized.

Dion plans to be a psychologist and Elon plans to be a chef, and they recommend comic books and recipe books.

Dion and Elon are great examples of volunteers supporting a community resource that they use themselves and that benefits their community.

For more information on volunteer opportunities at the metro public libraries, visit https://www.melsa.org/volunteer-opportunities/

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