Volunteering with Lexington Public Library

LPL After School is a FREE drop-in program for kids aged 5-12 that takes place after regular school hours on Mondays through Fridays. Volunteers are needed during this time to assist program participants with reading, homework, and STEAM and other enrichment activities! Snacks will continue to be provided to youth age 18 and younger courtesy of God's Pantry. 

Volunteer shifts are offered 3:00-5:00 Monday-Friday at Marksbury and Northside Branches.

Makerspace Volunteers: Interested in assisting folks making, doing, and crafting? Volunteers are needed on a regular basis in our Makerspace at Eastside Branch  and Makerspace at Marksbury Family Branch! No specific experience is required, but experience with computers is preferred. Makerspace volunteers must be able to commit at least 3 months to a regular schedule, be 18 years or older, and have an interest in creating and helping others. Volunteers can expect to assist customers of all ability and skill levels, ranging from teens to adults. No two days will be the same, so volunteers should be comfortable assisting customers with a wide range of projects.

Eastside's current volunteer shifts are available every Wednesday and Thursday from 3-6 PM.

Marksbury's current volunteer shifts are available every Monday and Tuesday from 3-6 PM, and the second and fourth Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4 PM.

STEAM LAB At Central: Assist Experiential Learning Staff with their drop-in hours for the STEAM Lab (4th floor Central Library). Volunteer tasks may include giving participants instructions before and during the program, assisting participants with activities during the program, giving patrons information on where to find future STEAM Lab programs, cleaning up throughout the program, and assisting with set up/ take down of program. Current need is Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30- 5:30 PM through the school year-- schedules may vary during school breaks. 

Volunteers are needed to assist Lexington Public Library staff with their ongoing D&D programs at the Eastside Branch. The programs are the first Saturday of each month from 2-4:30 pm, and the third Wednesday of each month from 4-6:30 pm. Volunteers are needed to run a game as a Dungeon Master (DM) and should have experience as a DM, experience working with beginner players as well as seasoned players, and experience working with, teaching, or assisting kids 11 and older. Sessions may be one-shots or part of the current campaigns. Volunteers should be patient, friendly, and enthusiastic! A regular/consistent schedule is preferred.

The Library has many handwritten documents in the Digital Archives that are not currently searchable. Transcription of these documents will make them more usable for people researching Kentucky history and ancestors. We are seeking volunteers to assist with transcribing documents online for current and future projects! Requirements to volunteer with this opportunity are: able to read cursive, able to use a computer and access the internet, and able to transcribe 2-4 pages at a time. This volunteer opportunity is flexible in schedule and remote, as you get to determine when, where, and how long you transcribe! The current transcription project is linked here. Please take a look at the projects to get an idea of what transcribing looks like before applying.

Shelving Volunteer: Shelving is a long-term volunteer role, requiring a commitment up front of a certain number of weeks and a certain number of hours, depending on the volunteer's schedule and the library location's need.

This volunteer opportunity is physically demanding, requiring the volunteer to bend, squat, kneel, lift, and stand for up to 2 hours. Potential volunteers will be given online training materials and tests before being officially trained and onboarded to ensure long term success.

Shelving volunteers will be trained to organize library materials on carts, then accurately shelve books, DVDs, CDs, and other library materials.

Please ensure you select the locations where you will prefer to volunteer. Not all library locations will need volunteers to shelve, so we will do our best to place you at a location that works for us as well as you! A regular schedule is set between the volunteer and the library location.