Volunteer Application
Friends of the Library
There are any number of ways for you to help:
browse the possibilities below!
- Shelver
- Shelf-Reader
- Shelf Maintenance
- Materials Processing
- Inventory
- Book Repair
- Publicity
- Book Reviews
- Assist with Children’s Programs
- Card Catalog
- Newspapers
- Periodicals
- Housekeeping
- Mini Workshops
- Filing Patron Cards
- Genealogy Research
Shelver
Accurate shelving is one of the most important jobs in the library. Shelvers must be committed to paying close attention to detail to ensure that every book is returned to its appropriate place on the shelf. The Livingston Public Library has over 40,000 volumes. If a book is shelved in the wrong place, it may never be found by patrons looking for it. Misshelved books are often assumed to be “missing” and are replaced, costing the library hundreds of dollars a year and keeping important resources out of the hands of those who need them.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Has thorough knowledge and understanding of the filing rules for the Dewey Decimal System.
- Accurately shelves books and other library materials in their appropriate position.
- Checks surrounding area while shelving on a continuous basis to identify areas where library materials have been misshelved.
- Reshelves appropriately, any books or other library material found to have been misshelved.
- Re-sets loose book-ends, straightens books that have slipped, keeps shelves looking neat.
Position Requirements:This position requires great attention to detail and a willingness to interrupt his/her own work to correct the misshelving of others. An understanding and respect for the importance of accurate and neat shelving is essential.
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Shelf-Reader
Shelf-reading is an important job in the library. Since it is vital that a book be returned to its appropriate place on the shelf, the shelf-reader can insure this by reading the Dewey number on each book and determining if it is in the correct shelf order. If a book is shelved in the wrong place, it may never be found by patrons looking for it. Misshelved books are often assumed to be “missing” and are replaced, costing the library hundreds of dollars a year and keeping important resources out of the hands of those who need them.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Has thorough knowledge and understanding of the filing rules for the Dewey Decimal System.
- Ensures that each book has been shelved correctly by “reading” the call number on each book and determining that it is in order.
- Checks surrounding area on a continuous basis to identify areas where library materials have been misshelved.
- Reshelves appropriately, any books or other library material found to have been misshelved.
- Re-sets loose book-ends, straightens books that have slipped, keeps shelves looking neat.
Position Requirements:
This position requires great attention to detail and a willingness to interrupt his/her own work to correct the misshelving of others. An understanding and respect for the importance of accurate and neat shelving is essential.
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Shelf Maintenance
“Facing” the shelves is useful for keeping them in neat and orderly condition. As patrons remove books from the shelves, open areas are left, in which books can fall over or even fall to the floor. Books are also “re-shelved” in places other than the correct location for the book; i.e., on top of a row of books or on an empty spot on the end of the shelf.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Straighten books on the shelf. Put book-end in position at the end of the row of books. The book-end or wire holder should not be too tight (books should be easily removed from the shelf), but secure.
- Move books to the front edge of the shelf, so they are all at the same place on the shelf. This creates a neater, more usable area from which to remove books for patron use.
- Remove all loose books (those on top of other books, those lying on the end of the shelf, etc.) and place on the Circulation Desk to be checked through the computer. This verifies that the loose books have been checked in properly and are ready to be used.
“Facing” the shelves is useful for keeping them in neat and orderly condition. As patrons remove books from the shelves, open areas are left, in which books can fall over or even fall to the floor. Books are also “re-shelved” in places other than the correct location for the book; i.e., on top of a row of books or on an empty spot on the end of the shelf.
Position Requirements:
This position requires attention to detail and a willingness to spend time creating a neater, more useful area for library patrons to find materials. It requires someone who has an understanding and respect for the importance of neat shelving and arrangement of library materials.
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Materials Processing
New and gift books are processed before being placed on shelves for checkout. The processing is necessary for a number of reasons: to identify the book as part of the library collection, to assign a call number to the book so that it can be shelved in the appropriate subject or author area, and to provide protective covering or lamination to insure a longer shelf life.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The volunteer assisting with book processing would be trained to do the work involved in this area. The following are some of the duties involved in book processing:
- HARD COVER BOOKS are stamped with the library stamp, and a date due slip is inserted in each book. Shelf-list cards have been placed inside the book temporarily for use in determining the specific call number for each book. This number is in the upper left-hand corner of the card. The call number is typed on a label, which is then placed on the lower part of the spine of the book. A clear, plastic book cover is placed over the paper cover normally on the book. Each book is given a bar code number, which will identify that particular book in the Circulation system computer. The small, matching number strip is placed on the shelf-list card for that particular book.
- PAPERBACK BOOKS are stamped with the library stamp and also receive the date due slip inside. The bar code and call number label are placed on the book cover, and the entire cover is laminated with clear plastic.
Position Requirements:
This position requires attention to detail and willingness to receive training in the duties of the position. The person should also have a concern for the neatness and accuracy required in preparing the books for use; i.e., neatness and accuracy in typing labels, standard format of labels, care in attaching plastic book covers, neatness in applying the laminating film.
Audio and video materials have special processing requirements. Sometimes the case in which they are received can be used in the library collection; other times a new plastic case must be used as a replacement. In the latter case, parts of the cover are used to provide a description of the material. They are assigned a Dewey number, as in the case of books, to provide an order for shelving.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Audiocassettes: After deciding whether the original or a replacement case will be used, audiocassettes receive bar code numbers, date due slips and labels showing the call number. The call number is found in the upper left hand corner of the shelf list card, which is kept temporarily with the cassette. Sometimes special processing must be done to make best use of the information on the original case. A label protector is placed over the call number label.
- Videocassette: Some new videocassette can be used as they are, with appropriate labels, date due slips, bar codes added. Some must be put in plastic video cases, using parts of the original cardboard case. As in the case of audiocassettes, the label is covered with a clear label protector.
Position Requirements:
Volunteers can be trained to do the entire sequence of processing audio-visual materials. This position requires attention to detail, as well as the ability to “create” special cases when necessary. It is also important to have concern for the neatness, accuracy and consistency of labels.
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Inventory
The library does an inventory of its complete collection once a year to determine which materials are lost, stolen or, for some other reason, missing. The inventory is done using a scanning wand. The bar code in each item is scanned, and after about 1400 entries, the scanning information must be “dumped” into a disk in the Circulation computer . Many persons are needed to do the inventory scanning, so that the time required for inventory is as short as possible.
Duties and Responsibilities: The person doing inventory makes note on an inventory sheet. of the title and call number of the first book inventoried. When the inventory time is finished for that day, the title and call number of the last book are recorded. The time spent doing inventory is also recorded on the sheet. (Batteries on the scanner carry a charge for approximately six hours; after that time, the scanner must be recharged before inventory can continue.)
The procedure for scanning is simply to run the scanner over the bar code in a book. When the bar code number is entered, the scanner emits a “beep” and the number appears on the scanner screen. If, after several tries, the bar code number does not enter, simply type in the number (you do not need to add the “T”) and push “Enter”. This number will then appear on the scanner screen.
Position Requirements: This procedure requires attention to detail, plus the ability to do fairly routine activity over a period of time. Accuracy is important, particularly in typing in the bar code numbers, for the inventory process provides information on exactly which items are missing from the library.
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Book Repair
Library materials are in a constant state of use/repair, due to various factors: careless use; substandard binding, glue, paper; age; moisture; damage from book drop, etc.
Duties and Responsibilities: Various mending procedures are needed: taping or regluing pages, spine repair, replacement of audio or video cases, replacement of worn labels, etc.
Position Requirements:The person assisting with mending procedures would be trained in performance of these tasks. Attention to detail is important, plus the desire to keep the books usable for as long as possible. Concern for quality of work is also important.
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Publicity
The library tries to make the public aware of our activities, through newspaper announcements and articles, posters in central locations, flyers and signs on display in the library, etc.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Assist with writing articles to publicize various library activities or programs.
- Assist in the designing of publicity materials: print layouts for flyers, signs, etc.
- Post flyers or other publicity in central locations such as the Post Office, some downtown businesses, etc.
Position Requirements: This position would require a person who has interest in and some ability in writing for the news media. A person with desktop publishing experience and interest in design and/or layout of poster, flyers, etc., would be very useful.
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Book Reviews
Occasionally the library submits short reviews of new or high interest materials to the newspaper. This increases the level of interest for such materials.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Become familiar enough with new materials to write a short review of a book, video, audiocassette, etc. Sometimes it is possible to use existing reviews in library periodicals as a source of information. Submit reviews to a member of library staff prior to their appearing in the newspaper.
Position Requirements:
This position requires a person with writing ability and the ability to condense ideas and information into short reviews. The reviews should give a brief insight into the item, without revealing too much of its content, and contain enough information to make the item appealing to the public.
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Assist with Children’s Programs
The library has a number of programs for children of various ages, planned largely by Children’s Librarian Bonnie Travis:
- Babies and Books: A new program for children 1-3 years of age. Stories, finger plays, music.
- Story Hour for 3-5 year-olds: Stories, puppets, music, finger-plays, selecting books.
- After school programs for school-age children: stories, music, puppet shows, reader’s theater, crafts, treats.
- After school movies for school-age children: a feature film is shown upstairs once a month on early-release day.
- Library orientation hours for school classes, often providing assistance with research using library materials; explanation of card catalog, vertical file, Reader’s Guide, etc.
Duties and Responsibilities: Volunteers can assist the Children’s Librarian with many aspects of these programs: planning, reading a story, helping with an activity or craft, leading music, working with individual children, making name tags or other materials to be used, etc. It is important to spend some time with the Children’s Librarian prior to the program to determine how the volunteer can be of most help.
Position Requirements: These tasks require a person who finds it comfortable to work with groups of children, assisting them when needed at whatever level they may be. A person wishing to read stories may want to discuss story-reading or story-telling skills with the Children’s Librarian prior to reading to a group of children.
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Card Catalog
When new books are added to the library collection, new cards are produced and filed in the card catalog. These cards are filed either in the author/title section or in the subject section of the catalog, all according to specific filing rules established by the American Library Association.
Duties and Responsibilities: Filing Catalog Cards: A volunteer assisting with filing cards would spend some preliminary time reading the rules for filing and becoming familiar with the filing system. This library uses a word-by-word alphabetical filing system.
Cards filed by volunteers would be checked by a member of the library staff.
Revision of Older Cards: A number of older cards in the catalog do not provide complete information about the item being described. Many of these cards need to be replaced. A volunteer could be trained to pull the complete set of old cards and to refile the new set.
Position Requirements: This position requires considerable attention to accuracy. Just as books need to be shelved accurately, the cards must be filed correctly for patrons to locate the item they need.
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Newspapers
The library receives a number of newspapers on a daily or weekly basis. The newest papers are kept on a rack in the reading room for approximately one week. Older issues are moved into the storage area, where they are kept for several months. (Livingston papers are kept for a year and then converted to microfilm.)
Duties and Responsibilities:If a volunteer were working at the time newspapers are delivered, they could be trained to put the newest issues out on the newspaper racks.
Once a month, the oldest month of newspapers needs to be pulled and put in bags for recycling. Once a year the Livingston Enterprise must be pulled, put in order by date, and placed in boxes for shipment to the company that converts the paper to microfilm.
Position Requirements: This position requires attention to detail when pulling the issues to be recycled and especially when making sure all issues of the Enterprise are included and in order. (It also requires a person who doesnÕt mind getting newsprint on his/her hands!)
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Periodicals
The library receives a large number of magazines, which must be processed and kept in order on the shelves.
When the current issue of a magazine is received, it is checked in, stamped, and reinforced with plastic tape on the bound edge. The issue being replaced by this new issue has a green date label attached to the upper left corner, showing that it may now be checked out. (Newest issues do not leave the library.)
Duties and Responsibilities: Magazines are constantly being put in order, shelved, moved to the magazine “morgue”, where older issues are kept. This is a section of the library where older magazines are filed in storage containers, alphabetically by title, and in order by date. The library keeps for four years those magazines which are indexed in the Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature. At the end of the year, issues for the oldest (fifth) year are removed from the “morgue” and given away, if possible.
Position Requirements: Volunteers can be trained to do most procedures involving periodicals: shelving, straightening, sorting out older issues, making labels for storage boxes, pulling issues when it is time for them to be weeded, finding a particular issue requested by a patron, etc.
As in most cases with shelving, the person may need to be able to get to the lowest and/or highest shelves, requiring some flexibility of movement.
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Housekeeping
The library hires a part-time custodian, but there are still many ÒhousekeepingÓ duties needed in the daily/weekly routine of operation.
Duties and Responsibilities: They might include:
- cleaning – dusting shelves and other library furniture once-a-week cleaning of soiled book covers with special cleaner cleaning glass on doors, windows
- care of plants – watering/establishing a schedule for plant care, such as feeding, repotting, etc.
- outdoor work – rake leaves, put in bags yard care, such as weeding, care of outdoor plants snow removal from library steps and ramp care of planters: planting, weeding,watering, feeding
Position Requirements:
These tasks require a person who prefers or enjoys working outside. It would be helpful in plant care to have a person who has some experience taking care of particular kinds of plants and who knows the appropriate times when tasks need to be done.
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Mini Workshops
If a volunteer has a special skill or interest, they might wish to hold a mini-workshop or perhaps a brown-bag lunch workshop, at which they could discuss their ability, craft, talent, etc. and demonstrate to the group how it is done, what materials are needed, and other information of interest.
Tasks and Responsibilities: The volunteer would need to meet with a member of the staff to schedule the workshop, make arrangements for what needs to be set up, etc.
Themes for such workshops can be as varied as the persons willing to lead them. The following list simply offers ideas which may bring others to mind:
- weaving baskets
- preparing vegetarian meals
- demonstration of musical instrument
- photography
- simple household repairs
- special places to visit
- care of particular plants
- raising certain animals
- writing: poetry, short stories
- watercolor/oil/tole painting
- quilting or some other special sewing
- cooking meals from various countries
- macrame,batik
- candidates for election
Position Requirements: The person leading the workshop should have a special ability in the subject of the workshop, plus having the ability to communicate their ideas and demonstrate the task.
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Filing Patron Cards
When a person asks for a library card, they must show identification and proof that they are county residents. The next step is filling out an application card. After the information on these cards has been entered into the computer, they are filed alphabetically by the patronÕs last name in a master file of patron cards.
Duties and Responsibilities: Organize the cards by letters of the alphabet, using a card sorter.
File the cards in the master file, according to the patronÕs last name.
Position Requirements: This position requires attention to detail, and particularly in the area of alphabetical filing. The volunteer can be trained to use the system of filing currently being used in the library, which may be slightly different from systems used elsewhere.
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Genealogy Research
Due to increased interest in the study of genealogy, the library receives a number of requests for research in this area. Usually the research can be done in the microfilm collection, which contains film of area newspapers such as the Park County News, the Shields Valley Record and the Livingston Enterprise, some dating back to the 1880’s. The library also has print material to aid in such research: genealogical magazines, reference books, vertical file materials.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- When the request has been made for information on a certain person or event, the volunteer can look through the microfilm for the period of time concerned, making note of any information found.
- It is possible to make copies of any useful articles, obituaries, etc., on the microfilm reader/printer for $ .25 per page.
- This information can be verified by a member of the library staff and then made available to the person requesting it, usually by telephone or letter.
- If the request is going to take a longer period of time, the patron should be advised.
- If needed, the print materials in the library can be searched for pertinent information. It may be necessary to consult the requester to determine usefulness of information or to request additional facts.
Position Requirements: This kind of work requires attention to detail and the ability to scan newspapers, magazines. etc., for a pertinent pieces of information. An interest in historical events and persons would also be valuable. Volunteers would be trained in the use of microfilm machines and would be made familiar with print sources in the field of genealogy.
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