Volunteer Services strives to match your skills and interests with Library needs. We also strive to have a diverse volunteer program that reflects our community. Volunteer positions are open to all individuals who meet the qualifications (with or without reasonable accommodation) for each position regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, religion, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or HIV status.
We accept adult volunteer applications for currently available volunteer opportunities only.
Find out how to apply for a volunteer opportunity HERE.
Opportunities as of 4/12/2018
Special Events
Do you want to run fun events for the public? Do you love the Library and want to help the public participate in programs? The library is looking to grow a team of volunteers to facilitate public programs. Special event volunteers provide ongoing assistance to APL with one-time events. Volunteers are not required to meet a monthly time commitment, but will assist with special events on an as needed basis. Volunteers will help with public events such as the Adult Summer Reading Program, Million Mile Month, and other one-time programs. Event locations vary, shifts are between two and four hours. Interested in helping, but can't make any of the listed dates? Send in an application to be added to the team for future events
Current needs:
Dance with your partner of choice at Prom. PRIDE Prom, that is! There’s music, dancing, a drag show, lip sync contest, photo booth, drag makeup station, and more – don’t miss this celebration of love and equality at the Central Library. We need 2 – 3 volunteers to help decorate the Special Event Center in rainbows galore from 4 to 6 PM . We are also seeking 2 volunteers who would love staffing a Pronoun Station from 6 to 9 PM – you would be helping our prom-goers make buttons with their preferred pronouns (she/her, him/his, they/their, etc.) to wear for the evening. Finally, we’ll need some help taking decorations down after the event ends – we expect this will take about 30 minutes. Please feel free to wear colorful and/or fancy Prom outfits.
- Thursday June 7th 4-6pm | Central Library
- Thursday June 7th 6-9pm | Central Library
Celebrate the 21st “birthday” of Harry Potter. We will have a craft, a trivia scavenger hunt, Quidditch pong, mock butter beer and a photo booth. Volunteers will assist with set up and take down as well as running a craft booth, game booth and photo booth. 6 volunteers needed for a 2-4 hour shift.
- Friday June 29th 5pm-9pm | Old Quarry Branch Library
The door is locked and the clock is ticking…can you escape in time to save Austin? Make your way through our Escape Room and find out! Volunteers are needed to help set up the escape room in between groups and photograph winning teams. 8 or 4 hour shifts available, 2 volunteers needed per day.
- Saturday July 7th 11am-7pm | Pleasant Hill Branch Library
- Saturday July 21st 11am-7pm | Ruiz Branch Library
- Saturday July 28th 11am-7pm | Twin Oaks Branch Library
- Saturday August 4th 11am-7pm | Little Walnut Creek Branch Library
Experience the ultimate podcast evening - participate in a live podcast recording of Adult Story Hour, hear a panel of local podcasters, experiment with podcasting recording equipment, create a podcast album cover and sign up to get a professional headshot for your webpage. Volunteers will assist with making "album art", help attendees create portraits, and run the snack station.
- Friday August 24th 5pm-9pm | Manchaca Road Branch Library
Help out with Dia De Los Ninos at the St John Branch! Volunteers are needed for this afternoon event to help children at craft stations, serve refreshments and help with storytimes. This is a fun, one time event connecting children with books.
- Friday May 25th 2:30-5pm | St John Branch 7500 Blessing Ave
New Central Library Docent Program
Do you love the New Central Library and want to show it off to the public? Do you enjoy working with people and providing information? Help us showcase our beautiful, new library. We are looking to build a team of volunteers to greet and provide tours to the public. Help us provide access to information in our world class facility. Interested volunteers will provide tours to the public upon request, as well as leading private planned tours. Volunteer opportunities are flexible, opportunities are available for a weekly timeslot or arranged as needed. Volunteers will receive special training for this role. Please contact the Volunteer Coordinator for more information.
Circulation
Volunteers arrange Library materials onto sorting carts in alphabetic and numeric order before shelving the materials in the stacks. Volunteers may also dust shelves, shelf read and help keep Library areas tidy. This position requires volunteers to push carts up to 75 pounds and to bend, stoop and stretch with or without reasonable accommodations. The position is best suited for those who love to organize and like to work independently. Shifts are 2 hours. Minimum 3 month commitment required.
Current needs:
Manchaca Branch | 5500 Manchaca Rd
- Mondays | 1 volunteer needed for a weekly 2 hour shift
- Fridays | 1 volunteer needed for a weekly 2 hour shift
- Saturdays | 1 volunteer needed for a weekly 2 hour shift
Twin Oaks Branch | 1800 South Fifth Street
- Fridays 12-2pm or 4-6pm | 1 volunteer needed for a weekly 2 hour shift
- Saturdays 1-3pm | 1 volunteer needed for a weekly 2 hour shift
Pleasant Hill Branch | 211 E William Cannon Dr
- Fridays 3pm-5pm | 1 volunteer needed for a weekly 2 hour shift
University Hills Branch | 4721 Loyola Ln
- Thursday afternoon | 1 volunteer needed for a weekly 2 hour shift
Recycled Reads | 5335 Burnet Road
Volunteers assist staff in sorting books and materials for recycling, repurposing, or re-sale. Duties involve unloading boxes, checking for damage, sorting books by subject and value, and shelving materials. Some volunteers also assist customers with check out and donations. This position requires volunteers to push carts up to 75 lbs. and to bend, stoop, and stretch and to work with office equipment with or without reasonable accommodations. Work is best suited for detail-oriented individuals. Previous experience working in retail and warehouse/stocking skills is helpful. Shifts are 4 hours with a minimum 6 month commitment required.
Current needs:
- Thursdays 12pm-4pm | 1 volunteer needed for a weekly 4 hour shift
- Saturdays 2pm-6pm | 1 volunteer needed for a weekly 4 hour shift
- Sundays 12pm-4pm | 1 volunteer needed for a weekly 4 hour shift
Children’s Room Greeter
The Children's Greeter Team welcomes the hundreds of families that come in on weekends to the Children's Room, helps customers find books, answers basic library questions, and helps keep the Children's Room tidy. This is also a great job for buddies so grab a friend and join us! Volunteers should be able to handle a high volume of requests and all the bustle that comes with lots of families. This is a position for self starters who are patient, caring and able to deliver excellent customer service.
Current needs:
Central Library | 710 W Cesar Chavez Street
- Saturdays 10am-1pm, 12pm-3pm, or 3pm-6pm | 6 volunteers needed for a weekly shift
- Sundays 12pm-3pm or 3pm-6pm | 4 volunteers needed for a weekly shift
Community Programs
Volunteers develop curriculum and lead participants in various Library programs.
Computer Class Instructor
Volunteers will instruct adults on how to use Microsoft Word and other Microsoft Office programs. Preferred skills include: comfort leading and instructing adults on the computer, answering questions about basic computer use, and the ability to communicate with a variety of people. Volunteers should be 18 years or older and bilingual (Spanish) is a plus!
Current needs:
Little Walnut | 835 W Rundberg Lane
- One evening or weekend per week | 1 volunteer needed for a weekly shift
Technology Assistant
Volunteers will share their computer skills with adults in need of assistance. Key responsbilities are: supervise computer area; assist customers with computer related-questions; assist library staff in shelving materials when the compter area is not busy. Knowledge of computers and other electronic media is required. Volunteers should be 18 years or older and bilingual (Spanish) is a plus!
Current needs:
Pleasant Hill | 211 E William Cannon Drive
- Weekdays 10-12 | 1 volunteer needed for a weekly shift
Little Walnut | 835 W Rundberg Lane
- 2pm-6pm Sundays | 1 volunteer needed for a weekly shift.
Storytime Assistant
This volunteer will help our Youth Librarian during the two back-to-back storytime programs; one for toddlers ages 18 months to 3 years, one for preschoolers ages 3-5. Help the Youth Services Librarian prepare the room, assist in handing out materials during the program, participate in the program by dancing and shaking along, and straighten up the room between and after storytimes.
Current needs:
Twin Oaks Branch | 1800 South Fifth Street
- Wednesdays 9:30am-12:30pm | 1 volunteer needed weekly for a 3 hour shift
Movie Program Facilitator
This volunteer will assist with Old Quarry’s monthly Family Movie matinee, as well as the Kid’s Summer Fest movie program. Volunteers would be responsible for setting up and breaking down the program, running the Blu-Ray player, making and distributing popcorn, and supervising the program as the movie plays. Dates vary, programs run monthly throughout the school year and bimonthly in the summer.
Current need:
Old Quarry Branch | 7051 Village Center Drive
- Thursdays and Fridays from 3-5:30pm | 1 volunteer needed bimonthly for a 2.5 hour shift
Mystery Book Club Facilitator
The Austin Public Library is looking for a mystery-lover to facilitate a monthly book club. This volunteer will choose 11 mysteries (one for each month), facilitate discussion monthly, and run a white elephant book exchange in December. Due to the nature of this position we are looking for a 6 month minimum commitment; a one year commitment is preferable. Come have fun with fellow book lovers and help out your local librarians!
Current needs:
Pleasant Hill Branch | 211 E William Cannon Dr
- Third Tuesday of the month 6:30pm-8:30pm | 1 volunteer needed monthly for a 2 hour shift
Austin History Center
The Austin History Center is the local history division of the Austin Public Library. The History Center provides the public with information about the history, current events, and activities of Austin and Travis County. We collect and preserve information about local governments, businesses, residents, institutions, and neighborhoods so that generations to come will have access to our history.
Current needs:
Collections Volunteer
Collections volunteers will work with specific parts of these collections to process the materials and to update the records used to track and provide access to them. Volunteers can expect to work with periodicals, vertical files, photographs, audiovisual material, architectural files, archives and manuscripts, and maps. Preferred qualifications include experience working with archival resources, experience processing archival resources, proficiency with technology, and experience with Microsoft Access.
- Anytime during open hours Tuesday – Friday 10am-6pm, weekends may be possible after 6 months | 2 volunteers needed for a weekly 2 hour shift
Digitization Volunteer
Digitization volunteers will work with specific parts of these collections to process the materials and to update the records used to track and provide access to them. Volunteers can expect to work with periodicals, vertical files, photographs, audiovisual material, architectural files, archives and manuscripts, and maps. Prefered qualifications include experience with archival resources, experience with specific collection type, proficiency with technology, and experience with Microsoft Access.
- Anytime during open hours Tuesday-Saturdays 10am-6pm, Sundays 12pm-6pm | 1 volunteer needed for a weekly 2 hour shift
Social Media Ambassador
Support the Library by becoming a Social Media Ambassador. Help raise the awareness of APL on social media while raising our awareness of you--our best supporter! Sign up HERE. No minimum commitment or volunteer application required!
Don't see a volunteer position for you? Contact Volunteer Services and tell us what you want to do. We will see if this potential volunteer position supports the Austin Public Library commitment to our community.
Support the Library by volunteering for the Austin History Center Association! They are looking for Oral History, Administrative, and Community Program volunteers. This is NOT an Austin Public Library volunteer opportunity. Check out their website for full details and to complete AHCA's volunteer application process.
Support literacy by volunteering for the VICTORY tutoring program! They are looking for volunteers to provide 1:1 tutoring in grades 1-12 in a variety of academic subjects. This is NOT an Austin Public Library volunteer opportunity, however, many VICTORY locations are located in APL branches. Check out their website for full details and to complete VICTORY's volunteer application process.
