Managing Volunteers: Striking a Balance with EmployeesELIZABETH KARGES

LIS7700

DECEMBER 17, 2014

https://openclipart.org/image/300px/svg_to_png/195998/Volunteering_SVG.png

“Volunteers are presumably cheap, but unless they are managed and directed, and unless they understand what they are supposed to do and what they are not supposed to do, they may cost a lot more than their nonsalaries” (White, 1993, p. 67).

History: Volunteers in Libraries

1970s: Library Unions peak (Nicol & Johnson, 2008) 1975: New York Public Libraries ban the use of

volunteers due to union concerns American Library Association responds to concerns by

establishing “Guidelines for Using Volunteers in Libraries” (ALA, 1975)

Primary themes: Library staff and governing body must approve

volunteer use Volunteers may not replace paid staff members

Literature Review: Volunteer Rates Few libraries keep consistent data on volunteers (number

of hours worked by volunteers, times volunteers most frequently donate their time, etc.)

Bernier (2009): Young adults volunteer most when not in school (June, July, December), and contribute more hours than adults in the Oakland Public Library system.

Curry (1996): Unionized Canadian libraries: larger libraries (>10,000 patrons) utilized few volunteers, while smaller libraries almost always employ volunteers.

Waters & Bortree (2012): Studied differences between women and men in volunteer retention rates.

Literature Review: Benefits of Volunteers

Free labor! (Leonard, 2012) For teens, provides valuable work experience (Bernier,

2009) Volunteers take on menial tasks, freeing librarians to

spend more time focusing on their main duties (McGown, 2007) SCU example: helping Highland Park Library get ready

for their opening Help run additional or one-time programs

SCU example: assisting at the Alphabet Forest at the Minnesota State Fair

Literature Review: Drawbacks of Volunteers

Scheduling Recruiting Lack of training Hidden costs (Nicol & Johnson, 2008) Matching skills to the volunteer Perception that volunteers are able to do librarians’

jobs just as well (so why pay a librarian for work that volunteers do for free?)

http://volusialibrary.org/volunteer/students.html

Literature Review: Volunteer Management

Zimmeck (2000): Common complaints among volunteers: Lack of autonomy Inability to put skills to use Conflicts with “professionals,” second-class status

McGown (2007): Coordinating school library volunteers: Clear communication and organization Keep a list of substitutes Showing appreciation is essential

Steps in the Right Direction: Orientation

Allows management to motivate paid employees and volunteers by defining the library’s mission, vision and goals

Thoroughly explains procedures and job duties in the library

Ensures everyone is on the same page Create a “Volunteer Handbook” based on Employee

Handbook, including relevant items to volunteers (Hayden, 2012)

Steps in the Right Direction: Delineation

Make a clear distinction between work done by volunteers and work done by paid employees Shelving and shelf reading? Answering reference questions? Circulating materials? Planning a new program?

Prevents paid employees from doing “menial” work Volunteers are able to work without stepping on the

toes of paid employees’ duties

Steps in the Right Direction: Appreciation

Acknowledge the work your volunteers do—it may be the only thanks they get

Keeps volunteers motivated and improves retention (Russell-Sauve, 2012)

Ideas (McGown, 2007): Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon Small gifts (a donation made in their name, awards,

etc.) Just say “Thank you!”

Questions?

References American Library Association. (1975). Guidelines for Using Volunteers in Libraries. American

Libraries, 2(4), 407-409.

Bernier, A. (2009). Young Adult Volunteering in Public Libraries: Managerial Implications.

Library Leadership & Management, 23(3), 133-139.

Curry, A. (1996). Volunteers in Unionized Canadian Public Libraries: A Finely Tuned

Partnership. Libraries & Culture, 31(1), 144-158.

Hayden, K. A. (2012). Volunteers Need Management, Too. ILA Reporter, 30(6), 22-23.

Hewitt, B., & Eve, J. (2012). The Use of Volunteers in Local Study Library Projects: A Case

Study of the Walter Gardiner Photography Project. Evidence Based Library and

Information Practice, 7(1), 41-52.

Leonard, K. B. (2012). Volunteers in Archives: Free Labor, But Not Without Cost. Journal of

Library Administration, 52(3-4), 313-320. DOI: 10.1080/01930826.2012.684529

McGown, S. W. (2007). Valuable Volunteers: How to Find, Use and Keep Them. Library Media

Connection, 26(2), 10-13.

References Nicol, E. A., & Johnson, C. M. (2008). Volunteers in Libraries: Program Structure, Evaluation,

and Theoretical Analysis. Reference and User Services Quarterly, 48(2), 154-163.

Russell-Sauvé, C. (2012). Creating a Positive Volunteer Environment: The InfoCamp Way. Alki:

the Washington Library Association Journal, 28(3), 8-9.

Waters, R. D., & Bortree, D. S. (2012). Improving volunteer retention efforts in public library

systems: how communication and inclusion impact female and male volunteers

differently. International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, 17, 92-

107. DOI: 10.1002/nvsm.438

White, H. S. (1993). The Double-Edged Sword of Library Volunteerism. Library Journal,

118(7), 66-67.

Zimmeck, M. (2000). The Right Stuff: New Ways of Thinking About Managing Volunteers.

Institute for Volunteering Research. Retrieved from

http://www.ivr.org.uk/images/stories/Institute-of-Volunteering-Research/Migrated-

Resources/Documents/R/The_Right_Stuff.pdf.