Get Involved: Sustaining Skilled Volunteer Engagement in Public Libraries

Get Involved, a statewide initiative since 2009, expands the visibility and contributions of skilled volunteers in public libraries by providing promising and proven volunteer engagement practices through library staff networking and training.

The Get Involved online clearinghouse supports libraries with resource materials for recruitment, training, administration, and utilization of volunteers. In addition, seven regional networks of library staff who work with volunteers collaborate to plan and implement workshops and webinars to provide training to library staff so they can best support and engage skilled volunteers and sustain effective volunteer programs.

35,970

volunteers in public libraries

Photo of a volunteer helping at the computer.
853,000+

hours contributed by volunteers

Photo of two volunteers sorting books.
$33.8 M+

Estimated value of volunteers’ time

Photo of a volunteer reading to a child.

Volunteer statistics from fiscal year 2021-2022 California Public Libraries Survey

Value of time estimate based on figure provided by Independent Sector.

Get Involved is supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.