Volunteer Opportunities

Welcome to Union Public Library’s volunteer program!  At this time, in-person volunteering is closed for the summer.  However, you are still able to earn hours virtually through the tasks mentioned below.  We will open up in-person volunteering again in the fall.

If you have any questions or would like assistance finding other places to volunteer, please email us at teens@uplnj.org.

Please fill out the volunteer sign up form in order to register.  Any projects or activities you do for hours should be submitted using the volunteer hours submission form.  It is your responsibility to log your own hours by using this form. If you have any other ideas how you would like to earn hours through the library, please email us!

Ways to Earn Hours:

In Person Volunteering

*Closed for the Summer*

• In-Person Tasks
  • Helping families sign up for Tails & Tales (this year’s summer program) and collect their prizes
  • Putting together craft kits
  • Assisting with in-person events
  • Producing art and other creative content to be featured on our Virtual Art Gallery and/or UPL’s social media 
  • Performing other tasks as necessary

Virtual Volunteering

*Available Year Round*

• Review Library Materials (Book, eBook, Audiobook, Movie, Music, Video Game, Manga, Graphic Novel, etc.)
  • You can review anything the library owns for inclusion on our Book & Media Reviews page.  Each completed review is worth 1 hour of service, as long as it follows these guidelines.  The maximum amount of reviews per month is 3.  The maximum number of reviews for the year is 12. 
  • Submit reviews using the hours submission form and upload the file.

• Filming Video Content (4 hours of service for each video)
  • How-To/Learning Videos
    • Ideas:
      • Simple craft
      • Book, Movie, Music, or Game review
      • Teach a few words in a different language or sign language
      • Art tutorial
      • Play an instrument/sing a song
  • Create a Book Trailer
    • How to Create a Book Trailer

• Gaming
  • Host and run a library gaming program, examples:
    • Among Us
    • Teen choice
  • Help with UPL’s Animal Crossing Island
    • Donate materials
    • Craft Items
    • Hang Designs in Mabel’s Shop
    • Help librarians while the island is open

• Social Media
  • Create a “Bookface” photo for us to post on Instagram
    • 30 mins of service
    • 5 a month maximum
  • Engage with the UPL Facebook & Instagram (comment, like, etc.)
    • A week’s worth of engagement (5 days) is a 1 hour of service
    • Must comment at least once on a post out the of the five days
  • When available, take photos of crafts you create from the take home kits from the library
    • We will post these on our social media