Become a Teen Volunteer at Summit Free Public Library

June 1, 2026 – May 31, 2027

For more information, click on the links below.

• Who can be a Teen Volunteer
• What will you do as a Teen Volunteer
• What qualities does the library want in a Teen Volunteer?
• What behavior does the library expect from a Teen Volunteer?
• What do I do once I’ve finished all of my required hours?
• Here are the complete list of rules you have to follow

Who can be a Teen Volunteer?

The library’s teen volunteer program is open to students in Grades 7 thru 12th grade. Students in sixth grade can begin to volunteer at the library in January of their sixth grade year; exceptions can be made if a sixth grade student needs community service credit for an after school program, or for religious obligations such as CCD and Hebrew School. Teens age out of the Teen Volunteer program on July 1 of the year that they graduate high school.

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What will you do as a Teen Volunteer?

Here are just some of the ways that you can volunteer at the library

• Banned Books Readers: Earn five hours of community service by participating in our Banned Books Readout on October 6, 2026. Sign Up to participate in our Banned Book Readout, read a banned book cover to cover, and choose an excerpt of the book to read aloud in front of an audience
• Book Buddies: During the school year, you can read with a younger children at the library.  
• CATSS Critics: Check out a Juvenile Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, or Adult Fiction Book from the Summit Free Public Library. Read the book, and either write a review about the book, or film yourself doing a booktalk video.
• Data Entry: Create virtual lists of books in the library’s new catalog for library staff members to share, or create lists of materials that you have read and would like to share with your peers.
• Craft Helper: Help the library staff create crafts for library programs, or design the library’s bulletin boards. 
• Program Assistance: Assist the librarians with library programs
• Think It Lab Helper: Before the library closes, help clean the Think It Lab, and set up additional craft supplies for the weekly craft.
• Teen Advisory Board: Become a member of the library’s Teen Advisory Board, attend meetings, give input and plan library programs. 

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What qualities does the library want in a Teen Volunteer?

If any of the jobs above seem interesting, then your time as a volunteer at the library won’t even seem like work!

• Creativity! Are you handy with a pair of scissors? Are you a glue stick pro? Can you wield a staple gun? There are a lot of crafts at the library, so this job is perfect if you love making stuff.
• Organization! Libraries are all about organization and this means constant upkeep of things that get out of order. So if you get a sense of satisfaction when things are orderly, this is the right place for you!.
• Attention to detail! While we don’t expect perfection, we would rather a task be done carefully than a rushed job completed in a hurry.
• Learning! We might ask you to do something you’ve never done before, which is a great way for you to learn new skills!.
• Tech savvy! If your cell phone never leaves your hand and your tablet is your best friend, you’d be a great fit for Virtual Program Assistance, or to be a Tech Helper.
• Readers:  Some of the tasks that you can do from home are perfect for those of you who really do like to read in your spare time.
• Love of the library! We hope that you want to help out at the library because you enjoy using the library yourself. We love sharing the library with you and we’re happy that you want to share your talents with us!

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What behavior does the library expect from a Teen Volunteer?

• Dependability. We expect you to show up on time and stay for your entire shift. If you can’t make it, we expect that you or your parent will let us know.
• Respect. We expect you to be respectful of library patrons, staff members, and other volunteers. Your behavior while volunteering reflects upon the library.
• Focus. We expect you to keep socializing to a minimum. You will not use your cell phone, unless there is an emergency.
• Neatness. We expect you to clean up after yourself and put back any items or tools you’ve used during your shift. Library staff should not have to clean up after you when you leave.
• Communication. We expect you to tell us if you don’t understand instructions for a task you are given, or if you don’t feel comfortable doing a certain task. Give us the chance to clarify the task, or the opportunity to give you a different task you are better suited for. Most importantly, we want you to speak up for yourself!

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What do I do once I’ve finished all of my required hours?

If you are volunteering to fulfill required community service hours for any reason and have finished your requirement, that’s fine; you don’t have to sign up for any more shifts.

However, if you love your library and want to make an impact above and beyond your required community service, we encourage you to do so.  

Also, if you have signed up for our Teen Advisory Board, you are required to attend as many of the meetings as you are able until the end of the school year.

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Here is the complete list of rules you have to follow

• Please be respectful of library patrons, staff, and other volunteers. Your behavior while volunteering reflects upon the library.
• Only show up and sign in on your scheduled days. If you show up unannounced, there is no guarantee you will receive work, and the library staff may send you home.
• Please stay home and contact the library if you are sick or have tested positive for COVID-19.
• Please arrive on time for your scheduled shift. If you cannot volunteer due to sickness or scheduling conflict, pleas cancel online and contact the library.
• Please track your volunteer hours using the online Teen Volunteer Time Sheet for any volunteering you have done in the library or remotely. You will also receive a bookmark with this information when you complete your shift at the library.
• You are required to do the work assigned of you in order to receive full credit for your hours. If completing a task remotely, the librarians will write out the steps you must follow. If you have a question about any assignments, please call the library.
• If completing a task from home, you will return your items to the library, as mentioned by the library staff.
• Please refrain from using your cell phone or other devices unless there is an emergency or you are required to use it for an assignment.
• Please focus on your assignment and keep socializing to a minimum.
• Do not walk away from your work without alerting a library staff member. If you walk away without letting anyone know, you will not receive full credit for your hours.
• You must clean up and put away what you used while volunteering. Do not leave a mess for library staff to clean up.
• If your behavior becomes a problem, or you continue to break the rules listed above, you may be asked not to return to the volunteer program.

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