Becoming a Teen Volunteer at the Pauline Haass Public Library

The library will start accepting applications for summer volunteering on Monday, April 14th. The last day to submit your application is Friday, May 23rd.

Are you looking for volunteer experience? If you are in grades 8–12 (as of fall 2025), you are welcome to apply to be a teen volunteer at the library. The library has various volunteer opportunities in the youth services department throughout the year. During the summer, the department needs help monitoring our summer reading desk, distributing incentives, and assisting at programs. During the school year help is needed in our KidsLab and at special events such as the fall Forts & Flashlights event and the spring Harry Potter Book Night.

Here are the steps to becoming a volunteer:

    1. Complete a volunteer application. You can download a PDF volunteer application or pick up an application at the children’s reference desk. Teens are expected to make their own inquiries and complete and turn in their own applications. Parents may not apply on behalf of their teen children, but a parent signature is required. Turn in your application at the reference desk. Turning it in anywhere else may delay a response to you.

     

    1. Watch for an email from the library. All communication regarding teen volunteering will be done through email. A valid email address must be provided, and it must be legible. Expect to hear from the library within two weeks. Many email accounts forward mail from a new sender, such as the library, to a spam or junk folder.  Please check that folder if you feel that a response is overdue. Read emails carefully so that you understand what to do next.

     

    1. You may be scheduled for an informal interview/orientation—individual or group—to determine if a match exists between your skills and the tasks we have for volunteers. When the library responds, you will either be connected to our scheduling program (SignUp.com) or told that you are added to a wait list. Please keep in mind that sometimes we have too many applicants and you may have to wait your turn.

 

  • Past volunteers – if you are a past volunteer in good standing and volunteered ten or more hours last summer, please get in touch by phone or email (see below). We will update your application and send you the link to sign up for shifts.

 

If you have any questions, call the reference desk at (262) 246-5180 or email volunteers@phpl.lib.wi.us. Your volunteer coordinators are Maura and Teresa.