Volunteer
To volunteer at MPL, please fill out the application below. Adult applications are evaluated quarterly.
There are no volunteer opportunities currently. Please check back soon.
Our Policy
It is the policy of this organization to provide equal opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual preference, age, or disability.
Volunteering is a true commitment of time, both yours and ours. If you offer to volunteer, we depend on you to be here on time. If you are not able to come in at your scheduled time, please call and let us know. Training will be provided prior to starting any volunteer work. Thank you for completing the application form below and for your interest in volunteering with Missoula Public Library.
Adult Volunteer Application Form
*The volunteer application form is currently closed.
1. Please fill out each step in the form below. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk.
2. After clicking Submit, please be patient as the form processes. A message will appear if form submission is successful.
3. Keep an eye out for an email response from us when a volunteer position becomes available.
On-Shelf Holds
Reports To: Volunteer Coordinator or Senior Circulation Associate or Assistant Director
- Time commitment: One day/week, 1-5 hours
- Purpose: Pull hold requests from the shelves based on daily reports. The volunteer retrieves the materials on the list from the shelves. The volunteer then inducts the materials into the automated materials handler.
- Qualifications:
- Knowledge of the purpose and function of public libraries.
- Ability to use the alphabet and numbers as applied to the Dewey Decimal Classification System.
- Physical capacity to retrieve materials on shelves at all shelving heights, sometimes with the aid of a step stool.
- Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
- Duties include:
- Searching for materials on shelves from lists
- Inducting materials into the automated materials handler
- Training: Participants will receive training on locations of collections within the library, the procedure for completing their task, and the safety and use of the automated materials handler.
Book Shelver
Reports To: Volunteer Coordinator or Senior Circulation Associate or Assistant Director
- Time commitment: One day/week, 1-5 hours
- Purpose: Prepares materials for shelving, and shelves materials in alphanumeric order while ensuring the shelves are in order and tidy
- Qualifications:
- Knowledge of the purpose and function of public libraries.
- Ability to use the alphabet and numbers as applied to the Dewey Decimal Classification System.
- Skill at sorting and shelving materials in alphanumeric order.
- Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
- Physical stamina to lift, stoop, stand, walk, push carts, and reach up to higher shelving, sometimes with the aid of a step stool.
- Duties include:
- Sorting and shelving checked in materials on prepped departmental carts or shelves to their correct location in the collection stacks.
- Verifying correct order and location of library materials on the shelf and correcting any errors discovered
- Training: Participants will receive training on sorting and shelving materials as well as on locations of the collections.
Welcoming Ambassador
Reports To: Volunteer Coordinator or Senior Circulation Associate or Assistant Director
- Time commitment: One day/week, 1-2 hours
- Purpose: Be a public presence at the Main St. entrance while managing the library store.
- Qualifications:
- Be friendly and outgoing.
- Knowledge of the library building to answer directional questions.
- Ability to use the Square cash register to make sales.
- Skill at stocking and facing out merchandise.
- Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
- Physical stamina to stand for the duration of the shift.
- Duties include:
- Greeting people as they enter the library.
- Answering directional questions from the public.
- Maintaining the items, shelves, and tidiness in the Store.
- Selling Store items via the Square cash register
- Training: Participants will receive training on interacting with the public, arranging sale items, and using the Square cash register.
Outreach Assistant
Reports To: Volunteer Coordinator or Programming Librarian or Bookmobile Specialist
- Time commitment: One day/every 4 weeks, 3-5 hours
- Purpose: Assist with library outreach and the delivery of library materials.
- Qualifications:
- Knowledge of the purpose and function of public libraries.
- Must be able to maneuver 40+ pounds of library materials.
- Requires travel around the community and loading/unloading materials in all kinds of weather.
- Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
- Duties include:
- Interacting with patrons to determine preferences and requests.
- Selecting materials to bring to a stop based upon stated parameters.
- Transports materials to and from an outreach stop with the use of a cart/dolly.
- Lifts bins into position for patron browsing.
- Training: Participants will receive training on material selection, some bookmobile functions, and appropriate patron interaction.
General Duties Volunteer
Reports To: Volunteer Coordinator
- Time commitment: 2-4 hours, once a week. We ask for at least a 6-month commitment
- Purpose: To support/assist staff with day-to-day library maintenance
- Qualifications:
- Knowledge of the purpose and function of public libraries.
- Able to file alphabetically/numerically
- Able to work independently
- Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
- Duties include:
- Assisting with programs and special projects.
- Pick up recycling from containers around the library.
- Sharpen pencils.
- Dusting shelves and books.
- Pulling back issues of magazine/newspapers on schedule.
- Straightening (facing) shelves.
- Refiling maps into map cases.
- Alphabetize index cards.
- Cutting paper with paper cutter.
- Keep newsletter kiosks neat and up-to-date
- Shelf reading back issues of magazines.
- Label and file new materials for travel bags.
- Pull dated items from travel bags.
- Pulling dated items from newsletter kiosk.
- Training: A general library orientation will be provided and specific job training will be given on-site.
Donation Processor
Reports To: Assistant Director, Cataloging department, or Volunteer coordinator
- Time commitment: 1-3 hours/week.
- Purpose: Assess and process donated materials
- Qualifications:
- Able to work independently.
- Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
- Able to lift up to 30 pounds.
- Duties include:
- Assess donated materials and sort to Friends of the Library sale.
- Review and restock in-house sale shelves as needed.
- Prepare books that haven’t sold for other disposition as indicated.
- Check donated materials for copies within the library and check on shelf copies for condition.
- Training: General training on suitability of donations and the criteria for disposition.
Book Mender
Reports To: Volunteer coordinator
- Time Commitment: 1-3 hours/week and training sessions as needed
- Purpose: To provide mending for library print materials
- Qualifications:
- Good small motor skills and eyesight.
- Good attention to detail.
- Knowledge of best practices for assessing and mending library print materials.
- Duties include:
- Keep track of materials used for repair and report need for additional materials
- Assess items sent to mending
- Mend or clean items as needed
- Re-cover books as needed
- Training: Review of best practices for mending print materials at MPL.
MakerSpace Monitor
Reports To: MakerSpace Specialist or Volunteer Coordinator
- Time commitment: 2-3 hour shift a minimum of 1 day/week.
- Purpose:
- Provide public service to patrons that need basic assistance in the MakerSpace
- Keep the materials in the MakerSpace in order
- Provide control over materials in the MakerSpace.
- Qualifications:
- Able to follow directions.
- Able to work independently.
- Able to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
- Duties include:
- Assist patrons with materials or programs in the MakerSpace.
- Training: Instruction on how to use the tools in the MakerSpace
MakerSpace Instructor
Reports To: MakerSpace Specialist or Volunteer Coordinator
- Time commitment: 2-3 hour shift a minimum of 1 day/week.
- Purpose:
- Provide instruction on specific materials in the MakerSpace
- Qualifications:
- Knowledge about a specific program or function in the MakerSpace
- Able to teach small groups
- Able to work independently.
- Able to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
- Duties include:
- Teach class on specific materials or programs in the MakerSpace.
- Training: Instruction on how to use the tools in the Makerspace
Vital Records Index Data Entry Volunteer
Reports To: Volunteer Coordinator or Librarian overseeing the index
- Time commitment: Average of 1-2 hours per week
- Purpose: Missoula Public Library creates and maintains the electronic vital records index to the Missoulian newspaper. Volunteers enter the records for this index under the supervision of the librarian who oversees the index.
- Qualifications:
- Strong attention to detail.
- Ability to use a computer; ability to type accurately and fill out online forms; ability to read handwritten records for transcribing into the database.
- Applicant should be organized and dependable.
- Duties include: Filling out online forms with data already pulled from the newspapers to create new database records for the Vital Records Index.
- Training: Participants will receive training on how to read records and use the database to enter records.