You Can't Do That! Really? Highly Skilled Volunteers in Unusual Places

This panel grew out of CLA Volunteer Engagement Interest Group

GET Involved - Volunteer Match Accounts through the State Library
Carla Lehn, State Library

• http://getinvolvedca.org/
• Includes sample volunteer positions
• sample skills you might be looking for 

• Volunteermatch.org account for every CA library
• Listing of all volunteer opportunities in a 20 mile radius
• Brings back most recently posted results at the top
• Tool included in the account that refreshes your posting so that you stay near the top
• Least hits had typos & grammatical errors
• Most hits ever:  "Change the world in your pajamas"
• Don't just say the name of the volunteer position, try to make it catchy and fun
• How will the volunteer make a difference?
• Want them to click on the "I want to help!" button -- sends an email referral to one or multiple people
• Can customize return message with upgraded state account; include docs; ask questions in advance
• volunteermatch.org partners with LinkedIn now

• Widget for your website that takes you to a hub site that aggregates all the volunteer opportunities within 20 mi of zip code but organized with library opportunities on top
• Make sure you include a good photo of a volunteer doing what the job is -- GET gives you stock photos you can use (http://getinvolvedca.org/photos/all)

The Rogue Volunteer - Robin Hoklotubbe, Santa Clarita

• May be bored to death -- need to be challenged
• Signs to a rogue volunteer
• Tend to be bright people who want to create their own path, maybe misses being an authority
• Small shifts in rejecting authority
• Gossip a lot to create alliances 
• Recruitment Process
• Interview w/Volunteer Coordinator
• Try to save menial tasks for teens
• Adult volunteers do holds, picks, STAR reading/storytime, bookstore, FOL
• One-on-One Training (even teens)
• Teen test -- make them scrub the tables and do lower level things -- if they start rolling their eyes, they don't move up because you have to be willing to do anything for the library
• Volunteer Recognition
• Sincere thank you, acknowledgement
• High Profile - get mayor, city council, etc.
• Volunteers add value to the library so that librarians can spend more time with the public and walk them to the shelf, etc. to build relationships with the community