Developing a Mutually-Enriching Library Volunteer Program

As we seek to improve access to collections and better serve our communities, we often find our time and resources limited. One promising solution is to call upon volunteers. But what resources are there to aid us in doing so? The literature on library volunteers includes a longstanding debate on costs and benefits, and a public-library centric discussion of volunteer programs. There is a need for further research on how academic, and particularly theological, libraries can develop volunteer programs that will benefit both libraries and volunteers.

This webinar will address that gap by exploring the growth of a volunteer and docent program at Pitts Theology Library. To enhance access to special collections, Pitts Theology Library has found an opportunity for further volunteer involvement. Using this example as a case study, Rebekah Bedard, Reference Librarian and Outreach Coordinator at Pitts Theology Library will outline the steps a theological library can take to develop a fruitful volunteer program: (1) planning, (2) recruiting, (3) training, (4) supervising, (5) motivating, and (6) evaluating. We will then analyze the benefits of a volunteer program. Finally, we will explore resources that theological libraries large and small can use to develop their own mutually enriching volunteer programs.