Volunteer & Internship Opportunities

Volunteering and interning can be rewarding experiences. Use this page to find library volunteer opportunities as well as volunteer and intern positions at other organizations.

Find a Volunteer Opportunity: Zip Code Search

Library Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers are an important part of the Santa Clara County Library system. Last year hundreds of county residents gave more than 39,000 service hours to our individual libraries and to our Vision Literacy program! SCCL can provide a variety of challenging and rewarding volunteer opportunities. Assignments are based on your unique skills, abilities and interests, and will offer you a chance to play an important role in providing library services. Some of the jobs performed by volunteers include:  pre-sorting books for shelving, distributing promotional materials, helping staff prepare for programs, helping with Friends’ book sales, and helping people learn to read or improve their reading skills through the Vision Literacy program. As a volunteer, you’ll quickly find that you can make a difference in your own life, in the lives of others, and in the Library's future.

Find out more about SCCL’s current volunteer opportunities in one of three ways:

• Friends of the Library

The Friends of the Library raise money, help with community events and perform a wide variety of volunteer services. Their efforts make possible better collections, a broader range of programs, and a more attractive library. Visit the Friends of the Library webpage or call any of our member libraries for more information. To contact us now, click on your library's name and then click on the "I want to help!" button:

Campbell | Cupertino | Gilroy | Los Altos | Milpitas | Morgan Hill | Saratoga

• Library Volunteers

Adults and teens help keep shelves in order, do simple processing tasks, etc. Please call the library or stop in to get more information about the specific opportunities available at that location. To contact us now, click on your library's name and then click on the "I want to help!" button:

Campbell | Cupertino | Gilroy | Los Altos | Milpitas | Morgan Hill | Saratoga

• Vision Literacy Tutors

Volunteers help adults learn to read or to improve their basic reading, writing or life skills. Tutor and learner pairs meet at local libraries or other mutually convenient public locations around the county.  Please call the Vision Literacy office at (408) 262-1349 for more information. To email us, click on your library's name and then click on the "I want to help!" button:

Campbell | Cupertino | Gilroy | Los Altos | Milpitas | Morgan Hill | Saratoga

Featured Print Resources

100 Best Worldwide Vacations to Enrich Your Life by Pam Grout Alternatives to the Peace Corps by Paul Backhurst Vault Guide to Top Internships by Rebecca Rosen Volunteer Vacations by Bill McMillon

Online Resources

• AmeriCorps - Explore national service programs that engage citizens in addressing unmet social and economic needs in communities throughout the United States of America.
  
  
• Internship Links - Browse an extensive directory of links to internship sources by category. This site is from California Polytechnic State University.
  
  
• Peace Corps - Look at the official site of the United States Peace Corps, with news, information on joining and essays of their experiences from Peace Corp volunteers.
  
  
• Librarian's Internet Index: Volunteerism - Donate your time and effort through this listing of national volunteer opportunities created by California librarians.
  
  
• Smithsonian Institutions Interns - Peruse a listing of internships with the Smithsonian's research centers, museums, and outreach programs.
  
  
• Santa Clara County Library Vision Literacy - Vision Literacy is a nationally recognized leader of community partnerships designed to empower adults through literacy. Vision Literacy provides innovative literacy services for adults, empowering them to reach their goals and potential.
  
  
• Volunteer Center of Silicon Valley - Help others in local volunteer opportunities in many fields.  This service is for adults and teens.
  
  
• Volunteer Match - Search by zip code to find volunteer opportunities.