Volunteer Policy
The Billerica Public Library Volunteer Program is designed to expand and enhance public service to the community. Volunteers generally provide support services to paid staff and work on special projects. Volunteers are expected to act in accordance with library policies and to reflect positive customer service attitudes to all library patrons.
Selection of Volunteers
Volunteers are selected based on their qualifications in relation to the needs of the library at any given time, and based on their ability to commit to a consistent schedule of volunteer hours.
Prospective volunteers are requested to fill out an application form and will be interviewed by the appropriate staff member.
Roles and Responsibilities
The library depends on its volunteers for a wide variety of tasks. We ask that volunteers be reliable in their commitment to the library and notify the library in advance if they are unable to work their regularly scheduled time slot. In turn, volunteers will be notified immediately on any given day when the library opens late or closes early for any reason.
Volunteers are expected to refer all requests for information to the library staff, other than purely directional questions (e.g. where is the bathroom; where is the children's room, etc.)
Volunteers are asked to keep an accurate record of the hours they work each week. Training and Supervision
Volunteers will receive specific training in their assigned duties. All reasonable care will be taken to ensure the safety of volunteers and to make sure the volunteer feels comfortable in their assignment.
Typically, a volunteer works a 2-3 hour time slot each week. Individual work schedules and specific time commitments will be mutually arranged in advance.
Community Service
Persons who seek volunteer assignments at the Billerica Public Library to meet a requirement set by an outside agency for the performance of community service shall be subject to the above selection process and all other provisions of this policy.
