Carla Campbell Lehn

From Library Volunteer to Library Advocate (eBook, PDF)

Tapping into the Power of Community Engagement

• Format: PDF

Produktbeschreibung

This guide will show you how to reinvigorate your library's volunteer program using your community as a resource. Volunteers are essential to a library's well-being, but running a volunteer program is a complicated task that could often be done so as to bring more benefit to your library. This book draws on the author's decades of experience in public libraries and the nonprofit arena, and on cutting-edge professional trends in volunteer management, to show you how to tap into each of your volunteer's talents and match them to your library's needs. Providing multiple tactics for improving your library's volunteer program, the book covers redoubling your recruitment efforts to attract more volunteers, more logically assigning roles, and growing your relationships with volunteers. In addition, it addresses common problems with volunteers and potential barriers to success and explains how to overcome them. No matter what size your library, its volunteer staff, or its budget, this practical book will help you to streamline your volunteer program and more effectively engage the community to transform your library into a flourishing community center.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Bloomsbury Publishing Inc
• Seitenzahl: 216
• Altersempfehlung: ab 7 Jahre
• Erscheinungstermin: 24. Mai 2018
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781440856716
• Artikelnr.: 68184237

Autorenporträt

Carla Campbell Lehn is principal of the Lehn Group, where she provides consultation and training services to not-for-profit and government clients. She is former Library Programs Consultant of California State Library.

Inhaltsangabe

Preface Why This Could Work for You: California's Experience Summary Notes
Appendix Get Involved: Powered by Your Library-Possible Scalable Approaches
for Successful Replication by States Acknowledgments Chapter 1. Why
Volunteers? Benefits of Engaging Volunteers at the Library Benefit 1:
Volunteers Help to Enhance or Expand Library Services Benefit 2: Volunteers
Bring Specialized Skills Benefit 3: Volunteers Share Their Connections
Benefit 4: Volunteers Supplement Staff Time Benefit 5: Volunteers Bring New
Energy and Ideas Benefit 6: Engaged Volunteers Naturally Transform into
Strong Library Supporters Benefit 7: Volunteers Give More What Will Get in
Your Way? Union Issues and Staff Resistance Developing a Volunteer
Engagement Mission Statement Get a Volunteer to Do It: Myths about
Volunteers Myth 1: Volunteers Can Replace Paid Staff Myth 2: Volunteers Are
Free Myth 3: Volunteers Are Self-Managing Chapter Summary Notes Appendices
Sample Library Volunteer Engagement Mission Statements Mission Statement
Homework Assignment Chapter 2. Volunteerism Trends Changing the Landscape
Consider These Trends Trend 1: Generational Differences The Silent
Generation (Born 1926-1945) Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964) Generation X
(Born 1965-1980) Millennials (Born 1981-2002) A Special Word for Friends of
the Library about Generational Issues Trend 2: Skilled Volunteers
Real-Life Example: Skilled Volunteers Trend 3: Shift from Volunteer
Management to Volunteer Engagement Trend 4: Corporate Volunteerism Trend 5:
Technology Advances Online Recruitment Virtual Volunteers Real-Life
Example: Virtual Volunteer Online Meeting Technologies Micro-Volunteering
Real-Life Example: Micro-Volunteering Social Media and Volunteering
Real-Life Example: Where the Need for Social Media Assistance, Online
Recruiting, Virtual Volunteering, and Online Meeting Technology Converged
Trend 6: Collaboration with Other Organizations Strategic Collaborations
Local Volunteer Support Organizations Chapter Summary Notes Chapter 3. Why
People Volunteer Motivation Why Written Volunteer Job Descriptions? Job
Description Reason 1: Clarifies Roles Job Description Reason 2: Serves as
Your Primary Recruitment and Placement Tool Job Description Reason 3: Basis
for Feedback and Support Job Description Reason 4: Serves as an Agreement
Job Description Reason 5: Prevents Common Problems Designing Good Volunteer
Job Descriptions Title Position Overview and Impact Key Responsibilities
Qualifications Training and Support Provided Time Commitment Commitment
Length Benefits of Volunteering Ongoing Library Contact Location Date
Revised Initial Contact Person Grounds for Termination Job Description Tips
Tip 1: Don't Write Them without Input from Others Tip 2: Be Sure What
You've Written Is Realistic Tip 3: Include Enough Information to Recruit
the Right Person Tip 4: Think Strategically: What Do You Need? Tip 5:
Consider Creating Some Program Management Positions for Volunteers
Real-Life Example: Management Positions for Volunteers Tip 6: Delegate Part
of the Volunteer Engagement Duties to Volunteers Real-Life Example:
Assistant Volunteer Coordinator Chapter Summary Notes Appendices Volunteer
Job Description: Public Speaker Volunteer Job Description: Speaker's Bureau
Coordinator Volunteer Job Description: Assistant Volunteer Coordinator
Chapter 4. Volunteer Recruitment A Special Word for Friends of the Library
about Volunteer Recruitment Recruitment Methods Passive Recruitment
Targeted Recruitment Qualifications and Benefits to the Volunteer How Could
We Locate Them? Personal Connections and the Best Person to Do the Asking
Real-Life Example: Personal Connections and the Best Person to Do the
Asking Local Recruitment Options Online Recruitment Online Recruitment with
Ineffective Recruitment Strategies What If They Say No? Chapter Summary
Notes Appendix Targeted Recruitment Plan Chapter 5. Success Factors for
Volunteer Engagement Success Factor 3: Careful Screening Interviewing
Reference Checks Saying No to a Volunteer after the Interview Placement
Considerations Real-Life Example: Social Media Specialist, No-Photographer,
Yes Success Factor 4: Orientation and Training Orientation Real-Life
Example: Importance of Volunteer Orientation Training In-Service Training
Staff Training Success Factor 5: Staff Buy-In Success Factor 6: Feedback,
Collaboration, and Support Feedback Collaborating with and Supporting
Skilled Volunteers Real-Life Example: Developing an Agreement with a
Skilled Volunteer Success Factor 7: Recognition/Acknowledgment Real-Life
Example: "Career Path" as Recognition/ Acknowledgment Real-Life Example:
Recognition Must Be Meaningful to the Volunteer Real-Life Example: Special
Opportunities as Recognition Real-Life Example: Special Efforts to
Acknowledge Volunteers Success Factor 8: Sustainability Strategies
Sustainability Strategy 1: Substitute Positions Sustainability Strategy 2:
Break Assignments into Smaller Pieces Sustainability Strategy 3: Job Share
Sustainability Strategy 4: Team Assignments Sustainability Strategy 5:
Consultant Positions Sustainability Strategy 6: Seasonal Volunteers
Sustainability Strategy 7: Two-Deep Leadership The Long-Term Sustainability
Strategy: Reach Out to Younger Volunteers Chapter Summary Notes Appendices
Volunteer Orientation and Training Outline Volunteer Public Relations
Specialist Job Description Chapter 6. How It All Gets Done Roles for the
Library Director Roles for the Board Roles of the Volunteer Engagement
Coordinator, Director, or Manager Considerations for Volunteer Engagement
Leaders Placement of Volunteer Engagement in the Library's Structure
Clarify the Term "Part-Time" Who Is/Are Your Supervisor(s)? What Should
Your Title Be? Helping Staff to Understand Your Role What Resources Are
Available for Volunteer Engagement? Volunteer Engagement Services Structure
Do You Have Any Responsibility for Friends or Foundation? Avoiding Burnout
of the Volunteer Engagement Coordinator Have a Job Description Have a Plan
Learn to Delegate Effectively Real-Life Example: Volunteer Project Leader
Seek Out Professional Development Opportunities Join a Volunteer
Coordinator Network or Start One Yourself A Word about Utilizing a
Volunteer as Volunteer Engagement Coordinator The Roles of Staff in
Volunteer Engagement Chapter Summary Notes Appendices Matrix: Roles in
Volunteer Engagement Sample Job Description: Volunteer Engagement
Coordinator Volunteer Job Description: Senior Book Repair Technician
Volunteer Job Description: Book Repair Technician Chapter 7. Administrative
and Legal Issues Liability and Risk Management What Is the Law? Best
Protections Internal Policies and Procedures Additional Screening
Procedures Training Procedures Insurance A Word about Background Checks
When to Do a Background Check Who Will Do Your Background Checks? Treat
Applicants Fairly Will Potential Volunteers Be Turned Off by All This? Who
Pays for the Background Check? Data Management Measuring Success Measuring
Outputs (Things You Can Count) Anecdotal Information Return on Investment
Measuring Outcomes (What Difference It Made) Measuring Progress on Library
Strategic Plan Goals Measuring Progress toward Volunteer Engagement Goals
The Future of Volunteer Impact Measurement Chapter Summary Notes Chapter 8.
Volunteer Engagement Strategy Summary Ask for Help: Seek Input Demonstrate
the Possibilities Gain Support of Management Establish an Understanding of
the Benefits of Volunteer Engagement throughout the Organization Designate
Staff for the Volunteer Engagement Effort Establish Roles for Volunteers
Plan, Plan, Plan Be Relevant to the Library's Strategic Plan Be Included in
the Library's Strategic Plan Develop and Monitor an Operational Plan for
Volunteer Engagement Be an Organization-Wide Service, Not a "Volunteer
Program" Engage Skilled Volunteers Gain Staff Buy-In Lead by Example
Develop Internal Relationships Utilize Multiple Recruitment Methods Measure
and Share Results Don't Forget about the Library Support Groups Chapter
Summary Epilogue: Let's Get Started! Call to Action Step 1: Understand Your
Role Step 2: Determine Priorities to Know Where to Begin Tool 1:
Organizational Readiness Assessment Tool 2: Volunteer Program Benchmark
Assessment Tool 3: Library Volunteer Program Improvement Model Step 3: Let
Human Nature and Your Own Humanity Be Your Guide Cheerlead Engage and
Empower People Communicate Well and Often Be Supportive Summary Appendix:
Troubleshooting Introduction The Big Four The Staff Are Not Supportive: How
Do We Get Them to Buy In? Our Union Won't Allow Us to Use Volunteers I
Don't Have Enough Time for This! Can I Fire a Volunteer? Alternatives to
Firing Real-Life Example: Alternative to Firing Firing a Volunteer
Real-Life Example: Firing a Volunteer Motivation-Related Issues Volunteer
Absenteeism The Volunteer Doesn't Return after the First Week The Volunteer
Isn't Doing the Job Right Volunteers Only Want to Do What They Want to Do
When Someone Brings His or Her Own Idea Recruitment Issues How Does One
Recruit Skilled Volunteers? How Does One Go about Finding Virtual
Volunteers? Can I Say No to a Potential Volunteer? I'm Not Getting the
Results from VolunteerMatch I Was Hoping for: What Can I Do? Library
Director and Management Support Issues Our Volunteer Services Department Is
an Afterthought at Our Library How Can I Get My Manager to Accept This? How
Can I Make the Case That I Need More Resources? No Funds for a Full-Time
Volunteer Engagement Coordinator? What about a Volunteer as Volunteer
Engagement Coordinator? Other Management and Administrative Issues Keeping
Track of Volunteer Data Liability Issues How Do We Know If We've Been
Successful? We Have Low Attendance at Our Annual Volunteer Recognition
Brunch: Why Don't Volunteers Want to Be Thanked? I Need Training in
Volunteer Engagement and Don't Have the Funds Retention (Sustainability)
Issues Handling the Departure of a Key Volunteer I Can No Longer Get
Volunteers to Take One of Our Most Important Jobs, and It's Critical to Our
Operation: What Can I Do? Special Groups of Volunteers Court-Appointed
Volunteers Youth Volunteers Volunteers with Disabilities Friends of the
Library Summary: Addressing Issues and Problems You May Encounter Notes
Resources Local Volunteer Support Organizations National Organizations and
Networks Library-Specific Volunteerism Resources Resources for Volunteers
with Special Needs Annotated Bibliography of Books Summary Notes Index