Training Materials
Learn more about best practices in volunteer recruitment and engagement, and how to get the results you need.
NOTE: These are examples from public libraries and should be reviewed and modified to ensure fit with local policies and culture.
| Title | Keyword | Tags | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
Train Volunteers with this Simple 4-Step Framework
This is a June 2025 episode of Tobi Johnson's podcast. She says: "Whether you’re building a new training from scratch or refreshing your… more |
Staff Training | Training, volunteer training | 2025 |
Is Everyone Welcome? Tools to Broaden Volunteer Engagement
The "Is Everyone Welcome Toolkit" aims to support leaders of volunteers to be more equitable in their practice so more people feel welcome in the… more |
Staff Training, Engaging High Impact Volunteers, Capacity Building | diversity, equity, inclusion | 2025 |
Is Everyone Welcome? Tools to Broaden Volunteer Engagement
This is the recording of the April 15, 2025 webinar: Is Everyone Welcome? Tools to Broaden Volunteer Engagement. When segments of the community do… more |
Staff Training, Capacity Building | diversity, equity, inclusion, Recruitment | 2025 |
How Can the Nonprofit Field Better Support Volunteerism?
A very brief article to challenge the way you think about volunteers, and think about ways you can be more supportive to increase effectiveness. |
Staff Training | Recruitment, supervising | 2025 |
Statement on Artificial Intelligence - Indianapolis Public Library
Statement on AI from the leadership team of the Indianapolis Public Library - February 2025. |
Staff Training | AI, Artificial Intelligence | 2025 |
From Nice to Necessary: Unleashing the Impact of Volunteering Through Transformative Investment
Points of Light believes volunteering is one of the most powerful tools we have to strengthen communities. They commissioned this report in 2025 —… more |
Staff Training, Capacity Building | funding, investment | 2025 |
The Volunteer Engagement Leader’s Playbook: Building Influence, Credibility, and Impact
Too often, volunteer involvement is treated as a program—a siloed effort managed by one department—rather than as a strategy that can transform an… more |
Staff Training, Capacity Building | 2025 | |
Why Your Library Needs a Reading Dog
In 2010, the University Of California - Davis completed a study on reading dog programs, which found that readers who participated in a 10-week… more |
Staff Training, Job Specific Volunteer Training | Pet Therapy, dog, reading | 2025 |
Hands-On Help and Generous Giving: How Volunteering and Donations Fuel Each Other’s Impact
Studies show that giving and volunteering work collaboratively to support each other and that volunteers are 14.5 percentage points more likely to… more |
Capacity Building, Staff Training | fundraising, giving and volunteering | 2025 |
Resources for Internship Programs - Idealist
Several articles on interviewing, hiring, and training interns, as well as managing an internship program. |
Interviewing Volunteers, Capacity Building | intern, internship | 2025 |
Volunteering: An Antidote to the Epidemic of Loneliness
In this webinar, experts and global leaders explore how volunteering serves as a powerful antidote to the growing epidemic of loneliness. The… more |
Capacity Building, Staff Training | loneliness | 2025 |
20+ Volunteer Survey Questions to Improve Your Program
This guide covers the ins and outs of volunteer surveys, from the best questions to ask to top tips for making the survey process a success. |
Staff Training, Capacity Building | surveys | 2025 |
Let’s Make Volunteering Accessible to All
In this episode of Volunteer Nation, Tobi Johnson is joined by Allyson Ferrari, Director of Connections at Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually… more |
Staff Training, Capacity Building | diversity, equity, inclusion | 2025 |
If Volunteers Were Yelp Reviewers: Would You Get 5 Stars?
Imagine if volunteers could rate their experience with you like they rate restaurants . . . what would they say? This article suggests 5 ways to… more |
Staff Training | recognition, impact, appreciation | 2025 |
6 Ways to Make Your Volunteer Opportunities Appeal to Short-Term Volunteers
Short-term volunteers bring invaluable fresh energy and a diverse skill set, contributing significantly to the success of initiatives. However, to… more |
Engaging High Impact Volunteers, Staff Training | short term, job descriptions | 2025 |
8 Volunteer Recognition Ideas to Show Your Gratitude
A few new ideas mixed in with some old ones . . . worth a look. |
Staff Training | recognition, appreciation | 2025 |
6 Ways to Make Your Volunteer Opportunities Appeal to Short-Term Volunteers
The shift towards shorter volunteer commitments is no longer a passing trend; it's a lasting change. Short-term volunteers bring invaluable… more |
Capacity Building, Staff Training | Recruitment, job descriptions | 2025 |
Success with Idealist
This webinar was recorded on December 3, 2025. Jennifer Bennett, Director of Education and Training for Idealist helps us make a successful… more |
On-line Volunteer Recruitment, Staff Training | Idealist, Recruitment | 2025 |
Introduction to LGBTQ+ Inclusion
This 90-minute webinar presented by All Children - All Families covers foundational information related to serving LGBTQ+ youth and families. Topics… more |
Staff Training | LGBTQ+, equity, diversity, inclusion | 2024 |
Disability Inclusive Volunteering Toolkit
Whether your organization already understands the benefits of welcoming volunteers of differing abilities, or has less experience with including… more |
Staff Training, Capacity Building | disabilities, inclusive, inclusion, diversity, equity | 2024 |