Skip to main content

Oregon State Flag An official website of the State of Oregon »

Oregon.gov Homepage

Volunteer Program


Volunteers are an invaluable presence at the State Library. We rely on our fantastic volunteers to help us fulfill our mission and vision, and welcome any dedicated individuals who are looking to donate their time and talents. Whether you are hoping to fill some free time, to gain new skills, or just wanting to give back, the State Library is a great place to achieve your volunteering goals. 

Click here for Volunteer Opportunities 

Benefits of Volunteering at the State Library:

Volunteering is a great way to support your community, and if that is what you are trying to achieve then the State Library can help! State Library volunteers make a huge and immediate impact on the lives of customers and staff. For instance, they narrate local-interest audio books for the Talking Book & Braille Library, repair and preserve books and maps, and review automated optical character recognition text to help make digitized historical collections more accessible. These efforts benefit not only researchers, state employees, and people with print-impairments here in Oregon, but also similar groups across the country.


Another benefit of volunteering at the State Library is gaining skills that can help you when pursuing your career. We have library professionals and library school students who provide reference services with the State Library’s Answerland program and assist individuals with all kinds of questions. This opportunity offers volunteers valuable hands-on experience that brings to life what they learn in a classroom or workplace.


the words we need you with a hand pointing towards the reader

There are too many benefits of volunteering to list here, and the benefit of volunteering may differ from person to person. We are happy to work with you to help you achieve your goals when volunteering!



Presidential Volunteer Service Awards:

The eagle and shield from the great seal of the united states with the words "The President's Volunteer Service Award around itThe State Library of Oregon is an official Certifying Organization for the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. We want to make sure our volunteers are recognized for directly contributing to the continued tradition of proving the value of libraries by improving the quality of life for others, preserving Oregon’s history, and supporting the pursuit of knowledge and understanding.


Hours spent volunteering at the State Library can be counted both towards yearly awards and the Lifetime Acheivement Award. Visit the Presidential Volunteer Service Award website for more detailed information about eligibility.


Frequently Asked Questions:

​Yes! Even though there are no volunteer opportunities advertised, please feel free to submit a volunteer application. We will keep your application handy for when a new opportunity is available. We will keep your application for 6 months and reach out to those in the order of applications received and based on fit (some volunteer opportunities require specific skills and experience to complete).​

​Please contact Joel Henderson by email at joel.henderson@slo.oregon.gov or by phone at 503-871-6134.​

 

​Yes. Although we do not have a requirement for time volunteered per week. We do our best to balance the need of the task supervisor and the availability of the volunteer. Some tasks have a strict schedule and time commitment, while others are more flexible. All volunteer opportunity listings found on Volunteer Match will include the desired schedule for the task.​

​You must be at least 14 years of age to be considered for a volunteer position. We have made exceptions for younger volunteers when they are volunteering with a group.​

​First, review the open volunteer opportunities on the State Library’s page on Volunteer Match. Second, fill out a volunteer application. The Volunteer Coordinator will review your application and reach out to you shortly after. If selected for a volunteer opportunity, we will set up a meeting to discuss the task in more detail and review the State Library volunteer policies and expectations. Lastly, we will set your schedule, introduce you to your task supervisor and train you on the task you’ll be completing.

Maybe. We have previously offered summer work experience programs for high school students. However, there are a few requirements for this opportunity to happen. Those requirements are:

  1. ​We normally take only 1 student at a time, so it’s first come, first serve.
  2. Programs normally last around 2 months.
  3. Please contact Joel Henderson by email at joel.henderson@slo.oregon.gov no later than April 15th. This gives us time to brainstorm a list of tasks. We will notify you if we were able to come up with enough tasks to offer a summer work experience opportunity no later than May 15th.
  4. A weekly time commitment will be based on the needs of the tasks and the availability of the student. In most cases the students will volunteer between 6-10 hours per week.

If an opportunity is available, this is a great chance for students to learn about the State Library and gain some valuable experience they can use for future employment. 

​Maybe. We have had opportunities for groups to volunteer before; although sparingly. We would be happy to talk to you about any available opportunities, please contact Joel Henderson by email at joel.henderson@slo.oregon.gov.

 

Yes, we have at least one ongoing remote volunteer opportunity at all times for folks looking to help out from the comfort of their own home. Opportunities may be added as need is expressed from other divisions so please check back frequently.


Other ways to volunteer:
For college students looking to get work experience in their field of study.

Oregon's online reference service - a place where librarians help Oregon residents find answers to questions.