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
