Volunteer for libraries and archives
Interested in volunteering?
You can get involved in a variety of ways at Kensington and Chelsea Libraries and Archives. Volunteers can support routine work or specific projects and activities by filling in an expression of interest form and handing in the completed form at your local library.
If you have a volunteering idea, such as a concept for a new workshop, or a specific career skill that you’d like to share with your local community, you can speak to us about this by visiting your local library.
Types of volunteering roles
Helping with library events
- Homework clubs
- Under 5s activities such as rhyme and story time
- Reading and conversational groups
- Regular classes like English Speaking
- Special events like mini festivals
Providing IT Support
- Assisting with job searches and CVs
- Employability help as part of IT classes
- Helping people to set up email accounts
- Helping people with online form filling
Maintaining our spaces and being creative
- Creating book displays for special occassions or awareness weeks
- Shelving
- Tidying
Customer service
- Checking if a book is in stock
- Locating books
- Helping customers to find their way around the library
- Showing people how to use the self-service machines
Things you need to know
Is there an age limit?
- There is no upper age limit; the minimum age for volunteering is 16.
- Younger people (14+) may be offered work experience placements when sponsored through a school or educational establishment. They can also volunteer in libraries as part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. Throughout the UK summer months, younger people aged 14-25 years old are especially welcome as volunteers, to help with the Summer Reading Challenge.
How do I get started?
- To express your interest in volunteering, please complete an expression of interest form and email [email protected] or ask at your local library. Our team will contact you if you are successful.
- Once you have been recruited, we will ask you to register yourself on the Better Impact website. We will ask you to use this system to log your hours.