Volunteering with libraries

person holding volunteer badge

Library volunteering

Volunteering with your local library is a great way to make new friends, inspire others and make a difference!

You can choose the volunteering that suits you. Do you want to learn new skills or share those you already have? Want to build on previous experience, or try your hand at something new? Or do you want to just give us a hand?

Who can volunteer?

  • Anyone over the age of 13 can volunteer with Cambridgeshire Libraries.
  • You do not need any qualifications or previous experience.
  • Some roles with vulnerable people require you to be over 18, and will require an enhanced DBS check. We will take you through this process.

Where and when are roles available?

Volunteering with us can take place in a library, in your community, or from home. We have tasks that can be done in an hour a week, or more - depending on what fits with you. 

Our volunteer roles

We have a wide range of opportunities. Each offers different ways to develop new skills.

Could you deliver and collect books and audiobooks for people in your community who can't get to a library?

For example: You’ve just arranged to go and see Bobby. He’s looking forward to new books, a cuppa and a chat. You arrive with a bagful of books, greeted by his warm welcome, and talk about the stories he’s read, as well as catching up with other news.

This service has been hailed as a lifeline by many a Library@Home reader. Whose hero are you going to be?

More information about Library@Home.

Time required

3 – 4 hours once a month

Location

Mobile - customers' homes.

Additional requirements

  • Ability to travel to customer's houses in the library area
  • Aged 18 and over
  • Enhanced DBS check

Are you good with people? Fred is frustrated that he can’t send emails to his family overseas. He sees his friends do this, but he hasn’t quite got to grips with it. You could be the person to make this happen. Help Fred connect with his family and build his confidence to use the internet more and more.

Time required

1 – 2 hours per week

Location

Library based

Additional requirements

Technical experience is not needed, just some basic digital know how.

Our Rhymetimes and Storytimes bring a lot of people together and provide a great opportunity for young ones to learn from each other and through repetition. You’ll be part of the magic of starting a child’s journey, interacting and learning rhymes and listening to stories. See the excitement on a child’s face when they master the actions of Incy Wincy spider or Shark in the Park for the first time! Bring stories and rhymes to life through your enthusiasm.

More information about Rhymetime and Storytime. 

Time required

1 – 2 hours per week (during Rhymetime and Storytime sessions).

Location

Within Cambridgeshire Libraries.

Some of the things you can do as a library volunteer are:

  • meet and greet customers
  • be a book detective: hunt out picture books, find someone’s dream book
  • put books away and tidy up shelves
  • introduce customers to authors
  • get involved with library activities and help make every event a success
  • get creative with craft activities

Time required

1 - 2 hours per week

Location

Within Cambridgeshire Libraries. 

Please note St Ives library is currently not taking applications for Library Support volunteers.

Unleash your inner narrator and become a volunteer for one of our “Read a Little Aloud” groups. Volunteers choose, read out loud and discuss extracts from stories, prose, and poems to the group participants.

These are library-based events run once a month at some of our libraries. Members of the public who join these events can contribute to the discussions or to just listen and enjoy.

Time required

1 – 2 hours a month

Location

Read a Little Aloud are in-library events. These are delivered by a mix of library staff and volunteers and are held in a library.

If you are interested in finding out more, visit the Read a Little Aloud webpage. If you would like to start a group at your local library please enquire with library staff.

Join 'The Library Presents' volunteer team – promoting the Arts locally, in libraries with an amazing array of performances. You can get involved with promotion of events, preparing the venue, stage setup, and more.

Find out more about The Library Presents.

Time required

2 – 3 hours a week

Location

Within Cambridgeshire Libraries.

You can become a young volunteer from the age of 13 years.

Volunteer with us as part of achieving your Duke of Edinburgh award or throughout the summer months when you can help with the Summer Reading Challenge. After completing either of these options there are often more volunteering opportunities you can explore with us.

Please note individual libraries will have limited availability for Duke of Edinburgh volunteer placements during the school year. Please check below for details on current availability.

Time required

1 – 2 hours a week

Location

Libraries currently accepting D of E applications - updated February 2024

  1. Burwell - limited availability
  2. Cambridge Central - limited availability on Monday and Sunday afternoon
  3. Chatteris
  4. Great Shelford  limited availability
  5. Histon Library - limited availability
  6. Huntingdon Library- limited availability, Wednesday evenings only
  7. March library
  8. Ramsey - limited availability
  9. Sawston - limited availability
  10. Sawtry - limited availability, Tuesday 3-4pm only
  11. St Neots library
  12. Warboys - limited availability
  13. Whittlesey library
  14. Willingham – places available from January 2024 onwards
  15. Wisbech library

Please note the following libraries are currently not taking Duke of Edinburgh applications- December 2023

  1. Arbury Court, Cambridge
  2. Bar Hill
  3. Barnwell Road, Cambridge
  4. Buckden
  5. Cambourne
  6. Cherry Hinton
  7. Comberton
  8. Cottenham
  9. Ely
  10. Linton
  11. Littleport
  12. Milton Rd, Cambridge
  13. Papworth
  14. Rock Road, Cambridge
  15. St Ives
  16. Yaxley

We are looking for enthusiastic and friendly volunteers to provide a warm and welcoming environment for people visiting Cambridge Central Library. You will be providing a friendly smile as people arrive and direct people to the correct place within the library. You will be making sure our visitors receive a warm welcome and their visit is a positive experience. You will be offering any assistance needed by signposting where to find things within the library, answering any questions or referring them to members of staff where necessary.

Time required

1-3hrs on a weekly or fortnightly basis

Location

Cambridge Central Library only

Application

Please complete the application form below and select ‘Library supporter’ from the options.

Apply to become a volunteer

Please use the online application form to tell us your preferences for role, location and timing.

You will be asked to choose the appropriate volunteering form to complete (young people, Duke of Edinburgh, or 18 and over).

We will contact you around available opportunities after we receive your form.

If you would like to volunteer at a Community Managed Library which is not included in the application form below, please contact the library direct. 

Library volunteering application form

Please email us if you have any questions.

Email: volunteers@cambridgeshire.gov.uk 

Cambridgeshire Libraries jobs

Would you like to work for Cambridgeshire Libraries instead of volunteering?

Our job vacancies are advertised on our job vacancy website.