Successful Volunteer Engagement Strategies for Libraries: Capturing the Talent of Baby Boomers and the Generations that Follow

Date, Location

Tue, 09/20/2011 - 9:30am - 3:30pm

North Central Regional Library Distribution Center
16 N. Columbia
Wenatchee, WA 98801

About the Event

Baby boomers and the generations that follow are seeking new ways to use their skills and experience to make a difference in their communities. While libraries are uniquely positioned to benefit from these volunteers, there is a disconnect between the volunteers’ intent and their actual participation because they do not find the volunteer opportunities they seek. Multiple studies have shown that Boomers’ interests in volunteerism are vastly different from those of current “senior volunteers,” and that organizations seeking to recruit them will need to adjust their volunteer engagement practices.

This course is focused on just that – how to start or “re-tool” a volunteer engagement program that will not only capture the talents of these potential volunteers, but will reap the benefits of ongoing support for the library that comes from having these persons meaningfully engaged.

This course will provide tools, techniques, resources and models for volunteer engagement so that participants will be able to:

•         Understand the potential for engaging high impact, skilled volunteers to assist libraries – baby boomers and the generations that follow.

•         Engage this talent to extend the library’s capacity in the community and to benefit from these new library advocates and supporters.

•         Understand what motivates volunteers in order to create diverse and meaningful skilled volunteer positions to attract a broad range of community volunteers.

•         Implement the elements of a successful volunteer engagement program.

•         Address potential barriers to volunteer engagement, including union issues and staff resistance.

•         Understand current trends and issues in volunteer engagement, including online recruitment and legal issues.

Presented by Carla Lehn, The Lehn Group. Register here.

 

Presented by: Carla Lehn, The Lehn Group

Work, Civic Engagement, and Lifelong Learning
Carla Lehn
Library Development Services
California State Library
Sacramento, California
clehn@library.ca.gov
(916) 653-7743
Carla Lehn has over 25 years experience working with nonprofit organizations as a manager, volunteer administrator, and technical assistance provider, developing and managing projects on a local, state, regional and national level. Her Masters Degree in Community Development is from the University of California at Davis.
She started her career as a VISTA volunteer, and worked for the United Way in Sacramento for over a decade. Carla served for several years as an outside consultant for the State Library, working with California libraries on volunteerism, board, and community development issues. Carla’s current assignments at the State Library include Literacy, the statewide Rural Library Initiative, LSTA and Outcome Measures projects, in addition to volunteerism, board and community development.
Carla is the author of several published articles on volunteerism, as well as the California State Library’s 1999 book on the subject entitled: Volunteer Involvement in California Libraries: Best Practices. Her own volunteer involvement currently includes serving as a member of the California Library Association’s Membership Committee, she has been a Girl Scout leader for 15 years, and does volunteerism training for local girl scout staff and volunteers.

Cost: Free

To Register:

Register at http://www.sos.wa.gov/library/libraries/training/trainingView.aspx?event...