The Richland County Public Library receives a tremendous amount of support from many dedicated volunteers. Together with regular staff, volunteers perform varied assignments that help accomplish the daily work of the library, as well as many special projects throughout the year.

Volunteers are recognized with individual awards for accumulated service hours, an annual recognition event and the selection of RCPL Volunteers of the Year.

As a RCPL Volunteer You Are Able To:

• Acquire new skills and gain recognized work experience.
• Expand your social horizons.
• Serve in your own community.
• Keep up with the latest books.
• Help, and be appreciated for it.
• Contribute to the success of the largest, busiest public library system in South Carolina

   

How Can I Get Involved?

If you are interested in joining the Volunteer Program, contact the Volunteer Coordinator at 929-3436 or cdolan@myrcpl.com, or you may browse the Vacancy Notebook and complete an application. Some current positions are listed at the bottom of this page. A Vacancy Notebook and application forms are available at any of our 10 library locations. The Volunteer Application is also available in .PDF format so you can download and print a copy. This requires that Adobe Acrobat Reader be installed on your computer. You can download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader from the AdobeWeb site. Junior Volunteers must apply at the location where they wish to volunteer. Please note that volunteer positions are selective, but anyone who is interested is encouraged to apply. We look forward to hearing from you!

Volunteer Positions

Volunteers at our information desk greet and provide information and assistance to our Main Library patrons. This is an excellent volunteer position for an outgoing individual who enjoys working with the public and has excellent customer service skills.   Positions are available on alternate Wednesday mornings from 9-12 and alternate Sunday afternoons from 3-6 p.m.  This position does require orientation training and a minimum volunteer commitment of six months.

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  Conversational Partners for Let's Speak English - Conversation Partners talk one-on-one with international participants, asking questions and assisting the participant in finding the right words to communicate in English.  This is a great opportunity for volunteers to discover other cultures, exchange ideas, and make new friends!   Minimum qualifications for volunteers include fluency in English, excellent communication skills, and an outgoing and pleasant personality. The Let's Speak English program is held at five RCPL locations. One hour session each week starting  in January. For additional information please call the Volunteer Coordinator or check the program schedule at www.myrcpl.com/LSE.
   

 Teen Volunteer Opportunites- Teens make a big difference at RCPL. Volunteers on our Teen Advisory Board meet once a month to provide programming ideas and assist with web-site content development for Teen Central. Teen volunteers in the Children’s Library may sort and organize library materials, create displays, help with library programs or provide computer assistance to elementary and middle school students. You can volunteer as often as weekly to once and month and earn community service hours at the library.

• Junior Volunteer - Rising fifth graders and older can apply to volunteer and help the library with a variety of tasks. Our Junior Volunteers sort books, cut out name tags for our storytime participants and help keep the library neat and organized. Our Junior Volunteers make a difference whether they volunteer year round or as part of our special summer program.