Volunteer
Benefits of volunteering
- Learn new skills.
- Meet new people.
- Share your talents.
- Gain work experience.
- Be part of our award-winning library system.
Requirements for volunteering
- Respect for diverse lifestyles, cultures, religions, and values.
- Friendly attitude and professional demeanor.
- Good communication and listening skills.
- Follow instructions and complete a variety of tasks.
- Ability to work independently and cooperatively.
Adult & Teen Volunteer Opportunities
Keep materials in order and shelves neat. Volunteers adopt a subject area that is of personal interest and maintain its order, accessibility, and appearance.
Branch: All Branches
Age: 14+
Schedule:
- 1–3 hours per week.
- Minimum 6-month commitment.
- Training and a shelving exam are required before you begin.
Responsibilities:
- Maintain shelf order, accessibility, and appearance.
- Meet with Library staff to learn about the chosen area or area of need.
- Put materials in dewey decimal order.
- Pull materials to the front of the shelf.
- Shift materials if necessary.
- Dust and clean shelves.
- Collect litter for disposal.
- Ensure materials belong in your section.
Preferred skills:
- Able to alphabetize and organize numerically.
- Detail-oriented and organized.
- Ability to reach top and bottom shelves, bend, and stretch.
The Enchanted Garden volunteers help maintain the garden through planting, tending, and harvesting. Volunteers will learn about raised bed gardening, native plants, and pollinator habitats. This is an opportunity to connect with other volunteers and learn sustainable gardening techniques. Novice to experienced gardeners are welcomed.
Applications: Accepted in March
The Enchanted Garden is relatively small, and spots fill up quickly. You may be referred to volunteer at another program outside of HCLS.
Branch: Miller
Age: 14+
Responsibilities:
- Seed and plant vegetables
- Prune perennial plants
- Harvest vegetables and fruits for the Howard County Food Bank
- Maintain garden beds
- Manage compost bin system
- Connect with other like-minded community members!
Note: Capacity reached for 2026; no longer accepting volunteers.
Share your expertise by informally teaching effective communication in your native tongue. This opportunity is available to fluent speakers of all languages.
Teen Volunteers: Get Involved
Volunteers encourage customers to participate in Summer Reading Games, support staff with a variety of tasks like display, data entry, class prep, etc., and distribute prizes at the culmination of Summer Reading.
Ages 14-17
Branch: All Branches
Age: 11-17
Responsibilities:
Meet monthly to discuss topics that interest teens
Share ideas for book displays, classes, and programs/events
Learn and contribute to library initiatives
Have fun and engage with other teens!
This opportunity is unique to each branch and the participating teens
Branch: All Branches
Age: 14-17
Responsibilities:
- Share ideas for a class you would like to teach or assist with
Gain mentorship/assistance with writing a proposal - Learn to form a lesson plan
- Enjoy the experience of teaching community members within HCLS branches
Before teaching, the teen will need to complete a questionnaire and proposal form to be approved by instructors
This opportunity is unique to each branch and the participating teens
Adults Volunteers: Make an Impact
Welcome customers to the Makerspace and encourage them to explore the STEM tools. Provide support as they create, build, design, and bring their ideas to life! Training on makerspace tools and equipment will be provided.
Branch: Glenwood
Ages: 18+
Schedule: 1-2 hrs. weekly
Responsibilities:
- Share expertise on equipment in the Makerspace.
- Suggest equipment to help customers achieve their goals.
- Organize, clean, and refill supplies.
- Assist with classes as needed.
Preferred skills:
- You love creating and working with your hands.
- You are a creative maker and teacher.
- You are a problem solver.
- Able to quickly learn new software and programs.
- A workable knowledge of Makerspace tools.
- Experience with any of the following hardware /software:
- Cricut or Silhouette machines
- Adobe Creative Suite
- CAD software and/or 3D printers
- Garage Band or LogicPro
- Lego Mindstorms
Teach reading, writing, speaking, and listening to adults who do not have a high school diploma and/or learners who speak English as a second language. Library staff provide ongoing instructional support, and all materials are free.
Branch: Central Branch
Ages: 18+
Schedule: 1-3 hrs weekly
Responsibilities:
- Provide one-to-one adult tutoring.
- Participate in new instructor orientation.
- Complete at least eight hours of annual training.
Preferred skills:
- Instructors are required to have a bachelor’s degree.
Come enhance English speaking skills conversationally. Informal engagement with community members who are learning English as a second language.
Share recipes and visit a local store to showcase the ingredients used—in-person grocery store tour. Photos and/or videos will be taken and may be shared on HCLS platform.
Please note
- Most volunteer assignments require standing, pushing, pulling, bending, stretching, kneeling, squatting and lifting.
- Volunteering requires interacting with customers and staff courteously, pleasantly, and efficiently.
- Volunteers must adhere to HCLS policies and procedures, wear a name badge, and record their volunteer hours.
- Currently, there are no volunteer opportunities for students under 14. Anyone under 18 must have guardian permission.
- Service-learning hours may be available. Students are responsible for verifying that their hours qualify.
- Volunteers are required to record volunteer hours, arrivals, and departures.
- Most opportunities require a commitment of at least 6 months.
- We don’t accept volunteers fulfilling court-ordered community service hours.