About the Program

The Junior Volunteer program at the Hingham Public Library is a community service opportunity for children and youth ages 12 – 17. The Junior Volunteer program provides valuable educational experience and supports the operation of the children and young adult services department at the Hingham Public Library. The Junior Volunteer program gives participants the opportunity to:

• Learn about the services, organization and operation of public libraries
• Develop general office and library skills
• Contribute to the community

What Junior Volunteers Do

Junior Volunteers assist the library staff in the following ways:

• Straighten shelves & put library items away
• Create fun and engaging displays
• Work on collection projects with staff
• Prepare craft materials for children’s programs
• Perform general office tasks

Service Terms

Junior Volunteers serve the library up to two hours per week for the duration of their community service at the library (students needing to complete community service hours by a specific date may be serving a different amount of hours per week).  We follow the Hingham Public Schools calendar and observe all school breaks, holidays, and emergency cancellations.

Training & Supervision

Junior Volunteers will receive training during their first several volunteer sessions, as well as instruction on any new task they are assigned. They will also have ongoing supervision by an adult member of the library staff at all times.

Expectations

Junior Volunteers are expected to arrive on time and to call ahead of time if they are not able to be there for their shift. We understand that volunteers will have ongoing commitments to school, sports, and other extracurriculars - if you encounter a scheduling conflict due to a school event, a band concert, sports game, etc., we ask that volunteers please just let us know ahead of time so we know not to expect them that week. Junior volunteers should be able to work independently with supervision in order to complete their assignments.

Application Process

Children and youth who wish to become Junior Volunteers should contact the Children's and Young Adult Department if they have any further questions. The application for being a Junior Volunteer can be accessed here. Applicants can also pick up a copy at the Children’s Desk.