* What are other libraries doing with their volunteers? A lot; not enough. * Where do you find/solicit volunteers? Word of mouth, our website and the Round Rock Volunteer Center. * What are your greatest challenges with library volunteers? We're trying to develop a core of people who can be advocates for the library to the community. The challenge is to not just be a place where they come and put in their hours, but that they feel appreciated as a person and a contributor. We're working on trying to get all staff to make a greater effort to know the volunteers and express an interest in them as well as just say thank you as they leave. The bigger challenge is for some volunteers to provide meaningful tasks rather than the routine, shelving and clerical work. This is especially true for our teen volunteers. * What do you find most rewarding in working with library volunteers? Listening to their stories and experiences; exposing them to the library; knowing that we are providing a service for the community by providing a place for other people to contribute to their community. It varies from staff to staff, but all in all it's a win-win situation. * How do you track volunteer hours? Do you use written time cards? An online database? Other? Volunteers record their hours on sheets kept at various work areas around the library, the sheets are collected at the end of the month and a staff member enters the hours onto a spreadsheet. * How do you communicate with your volunteers (personal email, phone, email distribution list, blog, website, wiki, etc.)? Generally by personal contact, we use the mail for invitations and cards such as get well, etc. We also phone volunteers on occasion. * Do you have volunteer policies and/or guidelines? If so, what do they look like and how do you distribute them? We have a volunteer hand out that is given to the volunteer at their orientation as well as a map of the library. The handout includes a letter from the director, our policies and guidelines, a copy of dress codes and a list of staff and phone numbers. * How do volunteers apply and what information is required? They can come to us through the Volunteer Center or we have one scheduled orientation session a month or they can make an appointment with one of four staff who comprise out volunteer team. Name; address; phone number; email address; emergency contact information; where applicable we note their interests, skills. For teen volunteers we also note how many hours they need for what organization/activity; get their parents signature. * What tasks do you assign volunteers? It's as needed. Some volunteer opportunities are limited or not needed at all times. The following is a list of things we've are doing or have done with volunteers: put incoming materials in order on carts; shelve materials; check in materials; help at our service desks with basic circulation functions and reference questions (this is limited to professional librarians, library student or other interns); help with weeding collections; data entry; process new materials; repair existing materials; check in new items in acquisitions; help prepare bindery orders; copy cataloging; conduct computer classes for the public (and we hope that two of our current volunteers will be presenting gardening classes); write press releases; create signage and other marketing related activities; translate materials (brochures); help to identify Chinese language materials for our catalogers; help with preparing materials for story times and other children's programs; outreach story tellers to local daycares and the Y; act as a disc jockey/moderator at teen gaming tournaments; organize local history materials; we will be having a volunteer help to digitize some local history materials in the near future; a Teen Advisory Board that helps direct teen events and book club; help with summer reading logs, prizes, etc.; * How do you manage volunteer schedules, abilities, and preferences? Schedules are set up when volunteers start. They are flexible and often changed as agreed on by the volunteer and the person they are working for. Out only requirement is that they let us know if the are unable to make their scheduled time. As to their abilities and talents, we have a dialog with them as they complete our application-what are their interests, what is their background, etc. We then give a mini-tour of the library. It's a behind the scenes look at what we do. We ask the volunteers what they see themselves doing her and try to come up with a good fit. This also means touching bases with the various divisions and exploring what their needs are. * How do you recognize volunteers? (Do you... celebrate anniversaries? host an annual reception? etc.) We have an annual luncheon for our adult volunteers and another celebration for our teen volunteers. That's generally a pizza party but it's also been a pizza/swim party. We give special recognition to the volunteer with the most hours overall and by division. Staff votes on a volunteer of the year. These volunteers re recognized with an extra gift. We give certificates, longevity pins, and small gifts in addition to the luncheon. Volunteers are also invited to the staff holiday party. We are ironing out a method for recognizing their birthdays and we send out cards when they are unable to come in due to a major illness or loss in their family. * Other comments?...please share! We no longer work with court mandated community service workers. We are consolidating our teen volunteer program. It was three different programs and still is to some extent but we're trying to find more opportunities for them. Teens under the age of sixteen are required to provide a letter of recommendation from school, church, scouts, etc. Tricia Brauer Volunteer Co-ordinator Round Rock Public Library 216 E. Main St. Round Rock, TX 78664 512-218-7007 512-218-7061 (fax) A word ... is the skin of a living thought and may vary greatly in colour and content according to the circumstances and time in which it is used. - Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. <[email protected]> Please note that our city has instituted a spam blocking program. It is currently in its early stages, and some business-related mails are being blocked. If I have not responded to your email (and I almost always do), please resend to my personal account at [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> . Foreign emails, hotmail accounts, and some yahoo and .org accounts are the common extensions being blocked. I am sorry for this inconvenience. ________________________________ From: D Ricklefs Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 4:33 PM To: Tricia Brauer Subject: FW: Volunteers in libraries: questions from a newbie Please respond. We have a good program structurally. And you can always ask them to email you for a copy of the manual. You may also want to talk about the team, too. Dale Ricklefs, Library Director Round Rock Public Library 216 E. Main Street, Round Rock, Texas 78664 512-218-7010; 218-7061 (fax); 669-1753 (cell); [email protected] -------------------------------------------------------------- Please note that our spam blocker blocks many emails, especially yahoo, gmail, and similar sites. You may get a "mailbox full" message. This means you have been blocked. Please call at one of the numbers above if you are having problems getting through. Thank you! From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Laurie Mahaffey Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 2:58 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [ctls-l] Volunteers in libraries: questions from a newbie Please take a few minutes to answer some questions about volunteers in libraries. We could all use this information. ;-) Thanks. Laurie Laurie Mahaffey, Deputy Director Central Texas Library System, Inc. 1005 West 41st Street Austin, Texas 78756 www.ctls.net<http://www.ctls.net> [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> 512-583-0704 x18 800-262-4431 x18 ________________________________ From: Lisa Metzer [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 2:42 PM To: Laurie Mahaffey Hello all, As Adult Services Librarian, I manage the Library's Volunteer Program. I began my job as Adult Services Librarian at the Wells Branch Community Library one week ago. Prior to this position, I worked in a special library (National Geographic Libraries and Information Services) as Learning Librarian. I enjoy working with and helping people! I recently compiled a list of survey questions related to public library volunteer programs, and I'm interested in your comments and experience. Please reply to the following questions, as applicable. I'm happy to share the results with the listserv after compiled. I will begin reviewing and compiling the comments beginning Wednesday, February 11; please reply prior to this day. * What are other libraries doing with their volunteers? * Where do you find/solicit volunteers? * What are your greatest challenges with library volunteers? * What do you find most rewarding in working with library volunteers? * How do you track volunteer hours? Do you use written time cards? An online database? Other? * How do you communicate with your volunteers (personal email, phone, email distribution list, blog, website, wiki, etc.)? * Do you have volunteer policies and/or guidelines? If so, what do they look like and how do you distribute them? * How do volunteers apply and what information is required? * What tasks do you assign volunteers? * How do you manage volunteer schedules, abilities, and preferences? * How do you recognize volunteers? (Do you... celebrate anniversaries? host an annual reception? etc.) * Other comments?...please share! Lisa
