Step Right Up: Teen Volunteers

When I was a teenager, the idea of volunteering at a library never occurred to me. Then again, neither did the idea of participating in a summer reading club or asking a librarian to recommend a book. That’s why I’m fascinated by the recent explosion of teens seeking to volunteer at libraries.

If you’re still on the fence about starting a volunteer program, here are the reasons you should: it will force you out of your comfort zone and teach you important lessons about flexibility, creative thinking, patience, and communication.

Just think about the benefits you’ll be adding to a teen’s life. It will most likely be their first exposure to the workforce, they’ll gain confidence, they’ll learn the value of hard work—and perhaps they may even consider becoming a librarian one day.

Before you begin your program, lay the groundwork with your staff and gain support from administrators. In both cases, you must sell them on the benefits and realities of using teen volunteers. For many, the hardest part is learning to trust teen volunteers, who often have little or no workplace experience.

Here are some crucial things to think about before starting your teen volunteer program: Recruit teens who frequent the library. These teens and their parents will have a better idea of the library and your services.

Create a volunteer recruitment toolkit that supports your recruiting efforts and helps staff better understand the function of teen volunteers. It should include a sample list of tasks, an outline of the days and times that are available, a calendar of the summer volunteer months, your business card, and a volunteer application.

Offer your volunteer teens an orientation. Make sure to cover important things that will affect their day-to-day work, including length of shifts, the check-in/sign-in location, proper dress code, name tags, and emergency contact information. A tour of the library, including the location of the staff break room and restrooms, is also helpful.

Introduce your library staff to teens and encourage both sides to learn each other’s names. Consider taking photos of your volunteers and posting them in the staff room.

Don’t just give out the worst assignments. If you think they are monotonous and less than stimulating, chances are that your volunteers will feel the same. Mix the tasks up: a little shelving, a little computer work, a little creativity, a little physical work, and a little personal interaction. Be prepared to give teens both positive and negative feedback.

Not every task fits every teen. Help teens discover their talents by offering them a wide array of possibilities. Outgoing teens can hand out programs, welcome patrons to an event, or help visitors with computer questions. Artistic teens would love reading to children, assisting with storytime, or designing programs and displays. Shy teens can make name tags, as well as develop scavenger hunts and word puzzles for younger children. Those who are more detail oriented can help with inventory supplies, labeling, making sure periodicals are in order, and preparing summer reading packets.

Remember, volunteers are meant to complement the work of a library’s paid staff, not to replace it. While hiring teens as shelvers isn’t the ultimate goal, it can be the mark of a well-run teen volunteer program—the more experience teens acquire, the more meaningful that experience and the more likely they are to become caring, competent adults. You don’t have to begin with a program involving hundreds of teens. Start small—but just start. The enthusiasm and energy of your teen volunteers, even if they’re just a handful, will lead you in the right direction.