Volunteer with us!
Gladstone’s Library has a thriving volunteer programme. Volunteers work in the Reading Rooms, help to run events, and tend to the gardens. Volunteers help us extend our team and broaden our skills. We have three main volunteer teams:
- Gardens and outdoor spaces: Volunteers help to maintain the Library's beautiful gardens. This can be weeding and pruning existing borders and pots as well as developing our outdoor spaces.
- Reading Rooms: The Reading Rooms has three teams of volunteers: book conservation, archives cataloguing, and foundation.
- Book conservation volunteers work with the Librarian, learning about the history of bookmaking and helping to clean and conserve our collections of books.
- Archives volunteers work alongside the Archivist, learning how archives are cared for and made accessible, and helping to preserve and catalogue our archives by rehousing them and creating detailed descriptions of the archival items. There are both in-person and remote archives projects that people can get involved with.
- Foundation volunteers is a new incentive aimed at helping those who are interested in applying for a postgraduate degree in libraries or archives to gain the necessary work experience.
To get an idea of the roles, you can click here for details (scroll down to the bottom of the page)
- Marketing and Events:
- Event Stewards: Our Event Stewards support our team to deliver our programme of talks and events throughout the year. These usually take place on evenings and weekends. Our steward roles can be tailored to suit the volunteer so this could be car park support on busy days, meeting and greeting visitors, help with ticketing and the book shop. Our volunteers are knowledgeable about the Library and can guide enquiries to the right place. They are our advocates to become a Friend (regular giver) and support our fundraising in this way. Often, we are able to offer the opportunity for Event Stewards to sit in on the talk too.
Our volunteer programme is project-based. Gladstone’s Library is committed to the Living Wage and so we only use paid staff for core roles. Even so, volunteering at Gladstone's Library can help you gain work experience, remain active in retirement, try out a new employment area, or simply spend time doing something you enjoy.
Due to the commitment of training, we cannot take on volunteers for a time period of less than six months. Volunteers usually participate in one three-hour shift a week, from 10am-1pm, or 2pm-5pm. Volunteers who help to run events will sometimes be asked to participate in an evening event with a 7pm start, or a weekend event between the hours of 9am-8pm. We ask Event Stewards to commit to at least 3 events a year. As it's based outside, garden volunteering hours can be much more flexible and we'll happily discuss that with you.
Gladstone's Library is committed to being accessible to everyone, and some of our volunteer projects can be done remotely, particularly those in the Reading Rooms and in Marketing. You will need a good internet connection and a PC or laptop.
If you are interested in joining one of our volunteer teams, please complete the application form here: New volunteer form or email jim.creed@gladlib.org for more details.
Please note, applicants for volunteer roles must be 18+.