{"id":14601,"date":"2016-12-21T00:01:27","date_gmt":"2016-12-21T05:01:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/?p=14601"},"modified":"2016-12-21T11:03:24","modified_gmt":"2016-12-21T16:03:24","slug":"managing-child-volunteers-library","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/2016\/12\/managing-child-volunteers-library\/","title":{"rendered":"Managing Child Volunteers in Your Library"},"content":{"rendered":"

Writing on behalf of the Managing Children\u2019s Services Committee today, I am taking this opportunity to start a conversation on what I feel can be an overlooked management duty: overseeing child volunteers. While this task is certainly rewarding and often times extremely entertaining, overseeing what is most likely a young person\u2019s first experience in a service environment can be a challenge to even seasoned managers. If your library does not currently host a child volunteer program, know that finding a balance of tasks that are interesting to the volunteer, beneficial to your library program, and developmentally appropriate can seem overwhelming, but the payoff for both the volunteer and your library\u2019s overall services can be tremendous. In my work in different types of\u00a0children\u2019s libraries, I\u2019ve managed both children seeking volunteer service hours and children that just want to learn more about the inner workings of their favorite space, and I\u2019ve learned a little along the way. Here are three tips on making the most of your time while managing your littlest helpers.<\/span><\/p>\n

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