Opportunities From: Volunteer Portal | City of Hillsboro

The U of O's Natural and Cultural History Museum brings their traveling outreach program to the library this summer with "BEE AMAZED".  Volunteers help the U of O outreach team as they provide information and hands on activities all about Oregon's 500 plus bee species!  Everyone will be buzzing!  They'll teach you what you need to know to facilitate your activity, and you'll get to learn some great stuff and interact with our patrons!  Volunteers also help with set up and take down. 

Volunteers who have completed all the steps to becoming a library volunteer including;  interview, background check, signed waivers, and online orientation, attend an in-person walk-through at the library where they will most often volunteer.  This is required of all volunteers accepted into the Library on-going volunteer program. 

Enthusiastically inspire patrons to participate in our signature event, The Summer Reading Program!  Each year has a different theme, but the task is consistent.  Volunteers invite patrons to the table and share information about how to participate in the summer reading program.  Readers of all ages may participate, with slightly different forms for each sections (children, teens, adults).  Online training is provided giving you an overview of the year's process/theme.  Many patrons have done this for years, so just need to pick up their new reading log, and if they are children or teens, get a chance to select a free book!  If time allows, (Meaning you don't have another patron waiting for information) you'll help guide them through the different age categories for their free book.  (they don't have to pick a book from their age category, some of them may read above or below their age, so they can choose what they want).  Be sure to share with them the schedule of programs (outreach and in library) that go along with the summer theme.  (Details usually in the summer event guide, or on a handout you can give them).  Once they've completed their reading log, they'll bring it back and you, the volunteer, enthusiastically praise the accomplishment, have them (or the parent) fill out the short survey, and then award them their certificate, raffle ticket, and a ticket to the end of summer reading program party!  During downtimes, keep the shelves stocked and looking nice.  It's always a great idea to take a look at the various books so you can suggest things to the patrons.  It's always an opportunity to ask them if they have a library card, if they don't be sure you refer them to the librarians at the service desk so they can get one!  

This storytime is always focused on a science theme including a science based activity related to the story.  Volunteers assist with set up, and are proactive in assisting young attendees with the hands on science portion of the activity. Volunteers will assist with clean up afterwards. Volunteers should be prepared for a high degree of interaction, have patience, and the ability to know when to provide help to the little learners. All will be attending with an adult, but some adults are more engaged than others. Volunteers will support storyteller by making sure supplies are available and being safely used, and anticipating the needs to keep the activity components ready to go at all times.  Discovery Storytime alternates with Simple Science monthly alternating between both libraries. 

Sunday (formally Simple) Science is a hands on mini science event held once a month alternating between the two libraries. Volunteers help the STEM librarian with setting up the science activity tables, helping patrons experience the hands on science, and then staying to clean up and put away the supplies.  These events typically attract older toddlers to about grade 3, are very popular, and can be somewhat chaotic and loud. Some parents are more engaged then others so volunteers must be proactive in looking for opportunities to help little learners who may not understand the concept and need help accomplishing the hands on task. Online overview available prior to first shift, contact Volunteer office for link. 

Shute Park Library offers Spanish language computer/technology skills classes for our patrons.  We're looking for a bi-lingual tech class helper to support our teacher and patrons during these classes.  No teaching experience needed, but you do need to be conversationally fluent in Spanish, be comfortable with basic computer skills, familiar with Chromebooks and Google Apps (Docs, gmail, drive), and have an ease working with people with varying backgrounds and skill levels.  

Our cooperative is celebrating it's 50th year!  They are celebrating at a number of member libraries with Shute Park the Hillsboro location.  It's a busy day for Shute Park with a lot of people expected, not only for this, but for the other events happening at the library that day.  We're looking for a couple of volunteers to help us do some light set up/clean up, and to host the refreshment table handing out some bagged snacks, maybe pouring a cup of lemonade, and generally welcoming people in.  You'll have some talking points and WCCLS staff or library staff will be on hand to answer questions about the Coop on how it provides Washington County with an amazing resource not found in many places.  

Help our patrons keep up with reading over the summer by hosting our summer reading program display at each library.  You'll explain how the summer reading program (SRP) works, help people understand how to use their reading log and help them pick out a free book to start them on their reading journey. It's busiest in June, so SRP volunteers are encouraged to help support our summer outreach and summer family events too during the rest of the summer.  The kiosk display remains through August.  Volunteers view online training prior to taking a shift at the display.  Shifts are two hours during open library hours with the busiest times typically 10 AM-4 PM.  

Bring your creative vision to light by developing a themed maker cart to share with patrons, or engaging patrons in using the existing maker carts by providing patrons with instructions and encouragement to create a successful project.  Maker Cart programmers offer pop up programs in the Collaboratory during after school hours beginning September 2024.  Hours are Monday-Friday 2:45-5:00 PM or 4:30-7:00 PM.  Volunteers may overlap time, but sign up for only one shift segment.  Current maker cart themes include button making, puzzles, board games, needle felting, embroidery, origami, knitting, screen printing, ozobots, cubelets, scrapbooking, Lego Mindstorm, Chess, Rubik's Cubes, Friendship bracelets.  Maker Cart programmers may also design their own project to offer to patrons always with an eye on what our Collaboratory space has to use in terms of materials.  Volunteers stay in the maker space with their project while guiding patrons with instructions on how to do the project.  Instructions should be simple on a project that could be completed in a one-two hour block of time.  Instructions provided in writing and in person, and in both English and Spanish.  Volunteers creating a maker cart will be expected to make an example project and provide the instructions.  Volunteers using the current maker carts are expected to make an example following the provided instructions.  

Assist storyteller Librarian by helping set up the room, pass out namebadges, help attendees find a seat, help with the activities as directed by librarian and help clean up the space after the story.  This storytime is for babies, birth to 12 months.  

English/Spanish storytime for toddlers to pre-K helpers support the storyteller by welcoming patrons, helping set up the room, helping with any crafts, and helping to clean up.  Most helpful to have a somewhat fluent grasp of Spanish to be able to interact with attendees.