Volunteer
Volunteers are the heart of the Placitas Community Library
Placitas Community Library is largely run by a staff of approximately 90 volunteers. Through their generous donation of time, the library is available to the community.
Our staff of volunteers performs day-to-day activities at the library such as assisting our patrons at the Help Desk, shelving materials, and cataloging. Library volunteers also help with special events, art and design, landscaping, publicity, and more. All levels and types of skills are needed. Orientation and training are provided.
Volunteering offers you opportunities to meet other interesting people, learn new skills, and make an essential contribution to our Placitas community. If you would like to join us, we’d love to have you.
We have an immediate need for the volunteer positions below:
Updated 5/8/24
- Adult Programs Committee Member: This position involves meeting monthly as a committee member to plan, develop and coordinate through presentation the various programs that the library hosts yearly.
- Landscape Team: Volunteer for landscaping work days held periodically throughout the year. You will be put on an email list and notified when a work day is being scheduled.
- Parking Jedi: Assist with parking for special events held at the library when larger crowds are expected. There are approximately 6 events a year that need parking assistance. Daytime or nighttime shifts are 2 hours long. You will be put on an email list and notified when an event is being held.
- Building Maintenance Committee Member: Committee members to meet monthly to ensure that all routine maintenance is being covered for the library and to plan for occasional maintenance jobs such as painting of sheds, commemorative brick laying etc.
- Community Liaisons: Volunteers needed to orient the public in opening, closing, and using audio visual equipment for meetings that have been scheduled. Assisting with set ups and take downs for meetings. Assisting with coordination of parking needs with adult programming and Children’s programs with the coordinators for those departments.
Volunteer Positions
Placitas Community Library puts on two or three special programs for adults every month. These include talks by authors, how-to workshops, history presentations and more. Volunteers are needed to arrange for speakers, work with the program speaker on special needs, set up the room for the event, create and distribute flyers, arrange other publicity. Persons are also needed to work on the Adult Programs Committee in planning and supervising events.
The library has a need for someone to create flyers, posters, signage, and other similar work. The work can be done at home. Familiarity with basic computer programs for creating documents is a plus. Those with additional skills can update our various social media accounts through a login identity created by the library. The various flyers or posters will then be broadcast to those who follow Placitas Library.
Members evaluate Placitas Community Library facility various needs and assure facilities are properly maintained. Large repairs are reported to Sandoval County. Minor repairs as well as replacing water fountain filters or programming the outside lights during our star parties are sometimes necessary.
Describing new acquisitions so that they can be found on the library’s shelves and in the Placitas Community Library catalog. The work is done using a specific computer program, and requires attention to detail, curiosity, and diligence. Volunteers need to be willing to work a set schedule, weekly.
Placitas Community Library offers two or three special programs for children every month and a series of weekly programs over the summer. These include story time for 2-5 year olds, a book club for 7 – 11 year olds, and talks by authors of children’s books. Volunteers are needed to assist with these programs, arrange publicity, and so forth. Persons are also needed to serve on the Children’s Services Committee to plan and supervise special events for children such as Dia de los Muertos, Lunar New Year, and other festival-type celebrations. We could use a volunteer to keep the children’s section of the website up-to-date.
Placitas Community Library has a Donated Books Team that helps financially support the library with books and DVD donation sales. This team processes and prepares books donated by the community. They list books for sale on the PCL Amazon account as well as place books and DVDs in the lobby for sale. Some of these books are also catalogued and put into the library collection.
From time to time professional advice is needed from CPAs or other financial experts as questions arise. Volunteer non-paid position.
This is an opportunity to work at your own schedule depending on grant agency deadlines. Persons with knowledge of grants and grant-writing techniques are needed to secure funding for library acquisitions, equipment and furnishings, children’s and adult programming, and provision of special services.
Welcome our patrons and assist them in using the library’s materials and services. Involves use of the online circulation system, knowledge and understanding of the library’s philosophy and policies, checking materials out and in, plus answering questions patrons may have on any topic. Volunteers are needed for a set schedule, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, or as back-up on-call.
Coordinates with contracted computer support company (Red Road Networks) for necessary services. Provides initial trouble-shooting for computer problems prior to referring to RRN. Updates software as needed. Provides advice to library management team on computer software and hardware.
If you enjoy the great outdoors, this may be the job for you. Members plan upgrades and expansions of the library’s gardens, participate in workdays, and help keep the grounds looking good.
From time to time legal issues arise about contracts, funding, liability, and so forth. Attorneys licensed to practice in New Mexico are needed to respond to legal questions.
The business and affairs of the library are governed and managed by the Board of Directors. The Board sets library policy, supports library services and activities, evaluates the Library Director, and raises funds for library operations. Terms on the board are for three years and are renewable. Attendance at monthly meetings is required as well as committee work.
Item-specific barcodes are placed in each newly cataloged book or other item, and the location label is added to the outside of the material. After processing/labeling is completed, the materials are ready to be shelved and checked out by our patrons. Volunteers are needed to work on a weekly basis.
Also known as “shelf-reading”, maintaining shelf order is essential in order for patrons and staff to find materials in the library. A volunteer checks a particular set of shelves on a regular basis to ensure that all the materials in that area are in the correct call number order. Volunteers are also needed to shelve new materials and materials that have been removed from the shelves. Volunteers may work at their own schedule but on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis.