Volunteer Opportunities

The Dallas Public Library needs volunteers for a variety of programs. Here's a sampling of the many opportunities available:

• After school homework tutor
• Assist with AuthorSpeak (in spring of each year)
• Assist with Book Repair
• Assist with Computer classes
• Assist with ESL classes
• Assist with Every Child Ready to Read – an early literacy program for parents of preschoolers
• Assist with International Book Fair (in fall of each year)
• Assist with Mayor’s Summer Reading Program Party
• Assist with Poetry Contest Party
• Assist with Tulisoma South Dallas Book Fair (in late summer each year)
• Assist with résumé building for customers
• Assisting with Exhibits and Displays
• Children's Assistant
• Data entry in Volunteer Office & Other Main Library Units
• Face painting for children’s events
• File / inventory maps, news articles, and other materials throughout library system
• Inventory medical collection
• Label microfilm
• Marketing Assistant
• Place sensitive materials in plastic covers
• Receptionist
• Recycle and pack boxes
• Shelve books and other materials
• Spanish-Language Translator
• Summer Reading Club Assistant

For information on scheduling a school or group tour of the downtown Central Library, or for volunteer outreach opportunities, please call: 214-670-1789.

To volunteer at the Dallas Public Library, you will need to complete a Volunteer Application form. Applications are available online (see link above). Or you may pick up an application at any branch library or the downtown Central Library.

If you have additional questions regarding volunteer opportunities, send us an email: volunteer@dallaslibrary2.org or write to:

Volunteer Coordinator
Dallas Public Library
1515 Young Street
Dallas, TX 75201

Community Service Volunteers

Court-ordered Community Service volunteers are required to attend the Dallas Public Library’s community service orientation class before they can volunteer.  Details about volunteering in any of the Dallas libraries are discussed in the class and a handout with specific instructions on how to get started is included.   Class sessions are approximately 1 hour in length and are set throughout the afternoon so volunteers can attend as their schedules allow.  Classes are held in the Volunteer Office on the 1st floor of the Central Library.

The first step in the process is to call: 214-670-7800 and schedule an appointment.  Below are the days and times of upcoming community service orientation classes:

Central Library Volunteer Opportunities

Business & Technology	Inventory of medical collection Inventory of our directory and make an excel list of those titles Labeling our microfilm of car manuals and Sear's Catalogs Barcoding limited access materials Sweeping limited access and dusting floor
Catalog Division	Set up a spread sheet or database Produce reports based on this spreadsheet Prepare the materials for shipping Check-in the materials Update the database/spreadsheet
Children’s Center	Shelf reading Gift processing Poetry volunteers for ceremony Shelving Assisting with displays Table covering adjusting Face painting – International Book Fair Summer Reading Program – volunteers
Fine Arts	Check bar codes Straighten magazines Make labels Straighten magazines
Government Information Center	Shelf shifting Rehouse collection
History & Social Sciences	Data Entry (Computer literate with lots of hours) Bar Coding
Humanities	Stamping limited access materials Entering limited access data
Human Resources	Complete filing
Library on Wheels	Gift Processing Re-shelving Cleaning Outreach Office
Mail Room	Sort materials
Texas/Dallas	Catalog photographs Create list of photographs Sort/list archival plans Rehouse materials Place materials in protective sleeves
Transfer Center	Sort Materials Box Materials

Branch Library Volunteer Opportunities

Arcadia Park 1302 N. Justin Ave. 75211 214-670-6446
Audelia Road 10045 Audelia Rd. 75238 214-670-1350	Adopt-A-Shelf Volunteers After School Programming Computer Workshops Door Greeters Event Assistance Homework Helpers Reserve Request Processing Summer Reading Programming
Casa View 10355 Ferguson Rd. 75228 214-670-8403
Dallas West 2332 Singleton Blvd. 75212 214-670-6445
Forest Green 9015 Forest Ln. 75243 214-670-1335
Fretz Park 6990 Belt Line Rd. 75240 214-670-6421
Grauwyler Park 2146 Gilford Street Dallas, Texas 75235 214-671-1479	Shelving, sorting, labeling books & other materials (DVDs, VHS, CDs) Shelves: Reading, Lifting, Straightening Assist with Book Repair Spanish-Language Translator Children's Assistant Summer Reading Club Assistant Assisting with Exhibits and Displays Sort Donations
Hampton-Illinois 2951 S. Hampton Rd. 75224 214-670-7646	Assist with events Monitor computer use Assist young people
Highland Hills 3624 Simpson Stuart Rd. 75241 214-670-0987
Kleberg-Rylie 1301 Edd Rd. 75253 214-670-8471
Lakewood 6121 Worth St. 75214 214-670-1376	Pick up recycled items Rake leaves Remove stickers from books
Martin Luther King, Jr. 2922 Martin Luther King Blvd. 75215 214-670-0344
Mountain Creek 6102 Mountain Creek Pkwy. 75249 214-670-6704	Shelves: Reading, Lifting, Straightening Recycling Data Entry Assist with Special Events Assist with children and young adults Circulation List
North Oak Cliff 302 W. Tenth St. 75208 214-670-7555	Processing new materials Shelving materials Assist with programming Teach computer classes Straighten library Special projects
Oak Lawn 4100 Cedar Springs Rd. 75219 214-670-1359	Assist ESL students Shelf shifting Assist patrons with computers
Park Forest 3421 Forest Ln. 7523 214-670-6333	Shifting collections Data entry ESL tutoring
Paul Laurence Dunbar Lancaster-Kiest 2008 E. Kiest Blvd. 75216 214-670-1952	Summer Reading Program Shelf Shifting
Pleasant Grove 1125 S. Buckner Blvd. 75217 214-670-0965
Polk-Wisdom 7151 Library Ln. 75232 214-670-1947	Summer Reading Program Shelf Shifting
Preston Royal 5626 Royal Ln. 75229 214-670-7128
Renner Frankford 6400 Frankford Rd. 75252 214-670-6100	Sort and shelve books and media Help with the Summer Reading Program Work with magazines and newspapers Shift books Add/remove stickers on material Check media for problems
Skillman Southwestern 5707 Skillman St. 75206 214-670-6078	Shelving Youth programming and bulletin boards Labeling projects Working with inventory lists
Skyline 6006 Everglade Rd. 75227 214-670-0938	Shelf reading and straightening Stamping books Sorting gift material