Adults | Teens | Internships and school projects
Adult Volunteer Application | Teen Volunteer Application 
Volunteer Ethics and Rules | Volunteer Newletter

Hal Garlett
2009 Volunteer of the Year.

The Round Rock Public Library has a variety of volunteer opportunities for adults and teens. Prospective volunteers should fill out the adult or teen application form (PDF) and bring it to an orientation session with any other documents. Adult volunteers should call the Volunteer Coordinator to schedule an interview.

General requirements
The Library asks for a minimum commitment of 20 hours over a three month period with the exception of some Teen and Youth Services programs and our Technical Services division. Volunteers typically commit to 2 to 4 hours per week.

New volunteers must attend a volunteer orientation, held on the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. and on the third Saturday of each month at 10 a.m. In addition to these times, look for an additional Saturday orientation at 10:00 a.m. on June 5.

Teen volunteers need to bring a letter of recommendation to the orientation. Adult volunteer should contact the Volunteer Coordinator to schedule an interview. All volunteers need to agree to abide by  the library Volunteer Ethics and Rules.

Adult volunteers are recognized at an annual Volunteer Award Party. Teen volunteers enjoy a pizza party at the end of the summer.

Not all opportunities are always available. For more information on volunteering in general, or if you have a specialized skill that you think the library can use, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator by e-mail or call 218-7005.

The Library cannot accommodate Community Service Restitution requirements. Contact the Round Rock Volunteer Center.

Adult volunteers
The Library needs adult volunteers in its Youth Services Division, Public Services Division and its Technical Services Division.
Application (PDF) |E-mail

The Youth Services Division occassionally needs adults interested in activities for children or young adults. Volunteers working with children must pass a background check through the Round Rock Volunteer Center. Opportunities include:

• Program assistant — Assist with children’s programs and parties.
• Outreach volunteer — Present a Storytime at other facilities. Requires a 6 to 12 month commitment.
• Teen Room volunteer — Primary duties include arranging activities to occupy teens, answer basic questions, monitoring behavior. Must be able to relate to teens.
• Clerical assistance — Help in program preparation;straightening, shelving and shelf reading; cleaning books; general clerical tasks. Need two volunteers for a minimum of 2 hours per week. 

The Public Services Division needs volunteers at least 14 years old who can file in alphabetical order and learn the Dewey Decimal System. Duties may include:

• Carting and shelving
• Shelf reading
• Maintaining the magazine collections
• Checking-in 
• Clerical assistant
• Computer class assistant
• Special projects

The Technical Services Division needs adults at least 18 years old willing to commit to 40 hours over six months. Tasks include:

• Processing — Process new books and other material.
• Cataloging — Copy catalog library materials (experience necessary).
• Acquisitions — Assist with ordering and receiving materials.
• Weeding — Assist in withdrawing materials from the shelves. This is a specific project and may not be on going.
• Tagging — Assist in retagging our entire collection. Specific project for one week in the March - April timeframe.; exact dates are not yet determines. Contact the Volunteer Coordinator by e-mail or call 218-7005 if you are interested in helping with this project.

Opportunities for library school students
Some areas require volunteers who are library school students, graduates or undergraduates intending to enter a library school program or internship. These positions require approval by the division manager. They include:

• Service desk assistant — Provide basic reference and circulation services.
• Ask a Librarian — Assist with our e-mail reference service. Must have e-mail access and be willing to respond to questions within 48 hours.

Teen volunteers 
The Teen Volunteer Program accepts volunteers 14 and up. All teen volunteers must have a parent’s or guardian’s signature and a letter of recommendation in addition to the teen volunteer application.

The letter of recommendation should be on letterhead from a recognized organization such as a school or church. It should reflect the applicant’s skills and attitude.

The Library benefits tremendously from the contributions of its teen volunteers. In return, we hope they learn to work in a professional environment with confidence and skill. We provide qualifying teens with letters of service for any organization that requires proof of community service.

Teen volunteer opportunities include:

• Year Round Program — Sort, shelve and help out in summer or all year round.
• Summer Reading Program assistant — Help with the Summer Reading Program (Summer only).
• Teen Room volunteer — Must be 18-19 years of age. Primary duties include arranging activities to occupy teens, answer basic questions, monitoring behavior. Must be able to relate to teens. After school hours, primarily 4-6 pm (hours are a bit flexible)
• Clerical assistance — Help in program preparation;straightening, shelving and shelf reading; cleaning books; general clerical tasks. Need two volunteers for a minimum of 2 hours per week. 

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Internships and school projects
The Library offers opportunities for internships and school projects. We can accommodate Capstone and other internships, and individuals doing class projects. While these are primarily for library school students, other undergraduate and graduate internships and projects will be considered. Examples include:

• Statistical analyses
• Pilot project development and testing
• Cataloging and/or indexing genealogical and reference materials
• Collection analyses
• Student-designed projects

Contact 512-218-7006 or e-mail to inquire about working on a project. For more information on volunteering in general, e-mail or call 218-7005.