Teen Volunteering at the Library
Before we begin
Please note that these opportunities are open to 6th-12th grade students only. Adults interested in volunteering should visit the Friends of the Library page for more information.
All in-person volunteers must have a Volunteer Form on file. Please fill one out and email it to Madison, the Teen Services Librarian, or print it and bring it with you the first time you come to volunteer.
School Year Opportunity
Teen Advisory Board
Do you have great ideas for teen events at the library? What about books you’d like to see? Do you just want to hang out and eat a snack? Come join the Teen Advisory Board (TAB) at GADML!
The group meets monthly during the school year (September-May) to earn volunteer hours, eat snacks, and discuss what you’d like to see at the Library!
When we meet
TAB generally meets the first Monday of each month from 6-7pm in the Teen Room. Here are the dates for the 2023-2024 school year:
2023
September 11
October 2
November 6
December 4
2024
January 8
February 5
March 4
April 8
May 6
Why you should join
Everyone who comes to a TAB meeting earns one volunteer hour just for attending. Joining TAB gives you access to TAB-exclusive additional volunteer hours.
How to get started
Just show up! We’ll have snacks and a seat ready for you Registration is not required.
Summer Opportunity
VolunTeen Program
Some of what volunteers do includes:
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Running the Summer Reading Program prize desk
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Assisting with children’s programs
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Serving as movie ushers
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Assisting Youth Services staff as needed
Orientation Info
Orientation sessions are mandatory each summer you choose to volunteer.
Registration is required. There will be several sessions each June, but you only need to attend one of those sessions. Registration opens each year on the first Monday in April.
Why you should join
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The VolunTeen program is the best way to earn multiple hours at once. Prize desk shifts are generally about 3 hours long and most teens have more time to volunteer in the summer because of fewer school and sports commitments.
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Summer volunteers also establish good work habits in a low-pressure environment.
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The VolunTeen program looks great on resumes and college applications.
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If you volunteer for at least 10 hours over the course of the summer, our teen librarian will be happy to write you a recommendation letter for college or scholarship applications.
Ongoing opportunities
Sanitizing Toys
1 HOUR COMMITMENT
To help the Library with sanitizing toys or wiping down picture books email Madison, the Teen Services Librarian, to let her know what day and time you’d like to come in.
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All in-person volunteers must have a Volunteer Form on file. Please fill one out and email it to Madison, or print it and bring it with you the first time you come to volunteer.
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Make sure to bring headphones so you can listen to music or an audiobook while you’re working.
Creating Book Lists
3 HOUR COMMITMENT
Help us out with book suggestions in the Teen Room by creating a YA book list! Book lists must follow one of the following themes or you may suggest your own (with approval):
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February: Black History Month
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March: Women’s History Month
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April: Autism Awareness Month
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April: National Poetry Month
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May: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
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May: Jewish American Heritage Month
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May: Mental Health Awareness Month
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June: LGBT Pride Month
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July: Disability Pride Month
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September: Hispanic Heritage Month
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October: National Arts & Humanities Month
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November: Native American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month
Additional details
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All books added to book lists must be a YA book currently owned by GADML. You can check for books we own by searching for them in the catalog. Make sure it says “YA FIC” under the Label column.
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Book lists must fit on one 8.5x11 sheet of paper (front and back) with a minimum of 10 books listed. You must include a short (1-2 sentence) summary of each book. Feel free to get creative with the design and layout but keep in mind that all book lists will be printed in black and white.
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You may choose to include your name and school on the book list or not. It is completely your choice.
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Book lists must be emailed to Madison, the Teen Services Librarian, before the start of the month the book list is for. Each teen may submit up to one book list per month.
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Note that a Librarian may provide changes that must be made before printing. You may not log your hours until your book list has been approved.
Meet Madison!
Teen Services Librarian Email: mroberts@midland-mi.org
Madison manages all teen programming and teen volunteering. She also loves chatting with teens about books, marching band, and Taylor Swift. Madison graduated from Michigan State and Wayne State so feel free to celebrate sports wins with her or make fun of her obsession with green schools.