Volunteers

Joanna Axelrod Darin WilliamsonYouth Services Librarian Teen Services LibrarianEscondido Public Library Carlsbad City Library(760) 839-4266 (760) 602-2058jaxelrod@ci.escondido.ca.us Dwill@ci.carlsbad.ca.us

HILE

High

Impact

Low

Effort

Pre-Planning• Determine the basics:

– Minimum age– Minimum number you need to run your SRP– What types of jobs you will need help with

• Develop Job Descriptions / Skill Sets– Decorator– Event Crowd Control– Supplies Officer

• Restocking prizes• Preparing for craft projects

– Registration/Reporting– Promotion/Recruitment of program and participants

• Create Volunteer Application• Set Application Deadline

Where Can I Find Them?!?• Schools!

– How?!?• Morning announcements• School news t.v. commercial

– Bear Valley Middle School Escondido, CA

• Make this an ongoing, weekly occurrence– Who?!?

• Groups such as National Honor Society; AVID advisors; Student Government; Peer Leader groups

• Your Library!Work with your library volunteer coordinator

• Online! – Put an ad on your library website, MySpace or other Second Life

apps, and recruit your regulars!

Where ELSE Can I Find Them?!?

• Community Service Groups– 4H– Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts

• Religious Organizations

• Mall

• Movie Theaters

Interviewing the Candidates: (PPPPPP) Proper

Planning prevents pathetic poor performance

more professional process =

better volunteer =

better experience

Now That I Have Them What Do I Do With Them?!?

• Training schedule and agenda– Benefits of being a volunteer– How to record your hours and “clock in” for your shift– Role and responsibilities of volunteers– How scheduling works

• Last Minute Call Sheet– How the Summer Reading Program works– Role Playing - examples of difficult parents, shy children,

difficult children, etc– Quiz them on important concepts– Decorate t-shirts/name tags

• Contract

Which Ones Are The Volunteers?!?

• Identifying the Volunteers– T-shirts– Name tags– Hats / Antennae– Designated Desk/

Work Area

SRP Volunteer 2008SRP Volunteer 2008

SRP Volunteer 2008SRP Volunteer 2008

SRP Volunteer 2008 SRP Volunteer 2008

Saying Thanks!• Volunteer Appreciation Party

– Pizza Party– Progressive Sundae Party

• Satisfaction Survey– Did 2 hour shifts work for you?– What prizes did you like best from the program?– If you were in charge of the SRP & the teen volunteers, name

one thing you’d change, or do differently – What was your favorite part about being a SRP volunteer? – Name the last song you listened to on your iPod, or mp3

player… – Was anything unclear about the SRP (guidelines, prizes, reading

goals, etc..)?– What can volunteers wear next year to identify themselves as

volunteers?

Saying Thanks! cont.

• Letters of Recommendation– Personalize with strengths and job duties– On library letterhead– Include total hours volunteered

• Mail merge

Retention of Volunteers:

• Get emails

• Contact them in their preferred manner

• Maintain a database

• Keep it fun

• Call back the good ones next year

The Trifecta: a Perfect Volunteer Experience for All

• Numbers of manageable volunteers

• Getting the “right” volunteers

• Details