So You Want To Be a Teen Volunteer?

This part is for teens!

Did you know that you could be a volunteer at the library? I know that most of you have required service hours for school and almost all of you wait until the last minute to finish those hours. That’s okay. We’ve all been there; I put the “pro” in “procrastination”. But sometimes you need to think ahead, especially when you have 100 hours of service time to fulfill! Why not start this summer at the Boston Public Library? Teen Central has open spaces for high school students in grades 9-12 who are looking for volunteer experience. Yes, I know you could spend your summer with friends on the beach or at the pool ... but you and I both know that a lot of you are more likely to spend a lot of time inside with the air conditioner blasting. Why not come to the library? We have AC and video game tournaments, plus you can get a jump start on your service hours before the school year even begins! Your classmates will be so jealous this time next year when your hours are completely finished and they haven’t even started.

Some things you can do while getting service credit:

• Help with library tasks (putting books on shelves, finding missing books, etc)
• Run video game tournaments
• Do fun summer programs (hip hop jeopardy anyone?)
• Learn new technology (3D printing, vinyl cutting, mixing music, and more!)
• Get a special behind-the-scenes tour of the library, including the library book “car wash”
• Gain job experience and build your resume

Grab a couple friends and fill out the Teen Volunteer Program application or email teencentral@bpl.org with any questions. 

This part is for adults! (Or for anyone who wants more information)

Teen Central is looking for volunteers and we need your help. Do you know any teens in grades 9-12? That’s the only requirement! This volunteer program is different than others you might have encountered in other libraries. When we created this program last year, our vision was not just to help fulfill the tasks of the library. It was to have a space for teens to gain more experience in the skills needed to be successful in any job setting. Teens begin by filling out an application online or in person at Teen Central, and then will be contacted for an interview. While volunteering, teens will perform library tasks, attend career workshops, assist with programs, and be given the opportunity to bolster their soft skills such as communication, collaborating with other volunteers, and strategic organizing. They will also gain leadership skills by participating in peer-to-peer activities such as training incoming volunteers at the beginning of the school year.

Please refer students to stop by Teen Central in Copley Square or to email teencentral@bpl.org for more information.

And if you are beyond high school, not to worry! There are still adult volunteer opportunities for you at the Boston Public Library.