South Shore Public Libraries
Volunteer Policy

South Shore Public Libraries welcomes those who wish to donate their knowledge and skills to the provision of public library service in our region. Volunteers contribute to the well being of their community by supplementing the work of paid staff, and are a valuable part of the library's relationship with the community it serves. Volunteers derive benefits from their contribution of effort by developing skills, accumulating work experience and by actively supporting regional library service.

To ensure that a volunteer's time with us is well spent, guidelines for the efficient integration of these workers into our system have been developed, outlining the obligations of South Shore Public Libraries and the volunteer to one another. These guidelines apply to those who independently offer us their time as well as to those participating in the programs of other institutions.

1. Before volunteer work begins, each volunteer must meet with the Coordinator of Volunteers for screening, to discuss possible projects appropriate to individual skills or interests and to arrange mutually convenient work schedules and for orientation to the library in general. The volunteer will then meet with their staff supervisor for on-the-job training and orientation for the library location.
2. A volunteer must commit him/herself to the completion of a specific project with a given time-frame, or to a specific schedule and number of hours of work. Arrangements can be made to extend hours or undertake new projects upon agreement of the paid library staff involved with an individual volunteer. A volunteer must notify a staff contact, in advance if possible, of any departure from agreed-upon work schedules caused by illness or travel.
3. South Shore Public Libraries staff must provide the volunteer with a description of the task(s) it has been agreed the volunteer will undertake, and supply orientation, training, equipment, and materials necessary to complete the assignment.
4. Volunteers must abide by all policies and practices of South Shore Public Libraries and accept the supervision of an assigned staff contact.
5. Appropriate library staff will prepare written evaluations of a volunteer's work if requested to do so.
6. The Chief Librarian will arrange for appropriate recognition of volunteers who have made a special or substantial contribution to the South Shore Public Libraries' service in her/his opinion or that of the South Shore Regional Library Board.

Passed-September 18, 1984
Amended 2000