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Volunteer Tasks - Descriptions and Details

  • Annual Appeal Coordinator

    Annual Appeal Coordinator

    5-10 hrs/month (September thru November)
    Necessary skills: Fundraising experience; writing skills.
    Equipment needed: A computer with internet access; Microsoft Word or Google Docs word processing software.
    Craft messages to members for our Annual Appeal fundraiser. This once-a-year effort raises operating funds for the library. It is vital to our continued success. We mail this Appeal to members and its writing and design must be done by the end of October. Another volunteer will likely be available to help us with the design, but we need fresh input in how we make this important request.

  • Cataloging

    Cataloging

    2-8 hrs/week initially; 2-4 hrs/week maintenance
    Necessary skills: Typing, attention to detail.
    Equipment needed: GFO will provide equipment, however, a personal laptop may be used.
    Catalogers use tools in the OPALS (library catalog) database to import records (from the Family History Library or Library of Congress) for our books and other materials. They scan book covers and add the images to the listing, and they check their work for accuracy. The work is easy and fun, and all training is provided.
    If enough catalogers are found to help finish our family histories collection, the ongoing job will become manageable by just one or two volunteers.
    The job is not technically "short term," but the need for many is finite. If 6 volunteers are found to catalog for 3-4 hours each week, the job would be done in a few months.

  • Digitizing Preparation

    Digitizing Preparation

    2-10 hrs/week
    Necessary skills: Hand strength is beneficial but not necessary.
    Equipment needed: GFO will provide any equipment you may need. Preparing items to be scanned.
    Removing materials from their binding, pulling staples, removing loose papers and sticky notes. Making sure any folded pages are noted, torn pages are taped, and no pages are stuck together.
    The job is not difficult, but it is tedious and frequently requires more finesse than brute force. It is more fun to do the job when there are others there to talk with.

  • Graphic Design

    Graphic Design

    2-4 hrs/month
    Necessary skills: Graphics and image editing; Familiarity with filesharing software such as Dropbox or Google Drive. Ability to meet deadlines.
    Equipment needed: Computer with internet access.
    Create, design, and modify computer graphics and images. These may then be used on the website or within our publications and flyers.

  • Label Maker

    Label Maker

    2-3 hrs/week
    Necessary skills: Ability to follow directions; type; and carefully compare the call number on the screen with the number written in the book.
    Equipment needed: Computer and printer provided by GFO, or use your own laptop.
    Enter 5-digit numbers into OPALS to generate call number labels and to compare the number in OPALS with the number recorded in the book. Finally, to print the labels generated by OPALS.

  • Marketing Chair

    Marketing Chair

    2-4 hrs/month
    Necessary skills: Clear, concise writing skills; prior experience in public relations or journalism are desired, but not required;
    Ability to follow a calendar to anticipate deadlines far into the future; Enthusiasm for the GFO's mission and a willingness to share it with others.
    Equipment needed: A computer with internet access; Microsoft Word or Google Docs word processing software.
    Handle promotions for the GFO; Writing and sending press releases of GFO events and major accomplishments; Collaborating with others; Posting to social media; Promotion, design, and sales of branded merchandise, alone or with an assistant.

  • Merchandise Design and Sales

    Merchandise Design and Sales

    2-4 hrs/week
    Necessary skills: Creative flair, graphic design, familiarity with Zazzle preferred but not required.
    Equipment needed: Computer with internet access.
    Create and design GFO-branded and genealogy-themed merchandise using the Zazzle website. Assist the Marketing Team in operating the store, coming up with new merchandise ideas, and making the storefront inviting.

  • PDF Processing

    PDF Processing

    2-4 hrs/week
    Necessary skills: Attention to detail; ability to type and to follow directions; knowledge of Adobe Acrobat software is helpful, but not required if willing to be trained on GFO equipment.
    Equipment needed: Adobe Acrobat software if working at home. GFO can provide access to the software on a computer at the GFO.
    Review scanned documents, combine files, organize pages, run text recognition, name files and add file protection. Save completed PDF documents in Dropbox. All training is provided, either in person or via Zoom.

  • Proofreader

    Proofreader - Bible transcripts and indexes

    2-4 hrs/week (4-6 weeks)
    Necessary skills: Attention to detail; familiarity with transcribing and indexing records. Familiarity with Dropbox for retrieval of documents to be processed.
    Equipment needed: Word processing and PDF viewing software. Internet access.
    Help proofread Bible transcripts and indexes so we can put the results of our successful Giving Tuesday project on the web. This short-term project will last about four to six weeks and can be done mostly from home. If necessary, training can be provided, either in person or via Zoom.
    Contact library@gfo.org

  • Research Assistant

    Library - Research Assistant

    8-20 hrs/month
    Common tasks: Greet patrons, answer the phone, help patrons with the use of library research materials, and occasionally sell a surplus book. RAs work in pairs and training is provided. The primary duty is to create an inviting atmosphere for patrons of the library.
    Equipment needed: Equipment and supplies will be provided to you at the GFO library.
    Contact volunteer@gfo.org

  • Scanning

    Scanning

    2 hrs minimum
    Necessary skills: Ability to follow directions; type; and show care in using equipment. Some lifting of 10-20 pound items.
    Equipment needed: Computer, scanning equipment, software, and training will be provided.
    Digitizing material using either a sheet-fed scanner or a standing book scanner. Reviewing the material scanned to ensure all pages are digitized and that images are clear. Moving the digital files from the scanning computer to a flash drive and copying them to the Library Workroom computer.

  • SIG Leader

    Special Interest Group (SIG) Leader or Co-Leader

    1-4 hrs/month
    Necessary skills: Public speaking and/or presentation skills; Ability to lead group discussion; Familiarity with Zoom meeting software is preferred but not necessary.
    Equipment needed: Computer with internet access; webcam; microphone; Zoom client software (free).
    Lead group discussion on a particular topic. Although not required, SIG Leaders may make presentations to the group. Meetings are currently being held on Zoom with an option to be held at the GFO Library in hybrid mode (in person and via Zoom) in the future. Meetings schedules will be worked out through the SIG Coordinator. Another volunteer will be assigned to you to help facilitate and launch the meetings as "Zoomkeeper". At least one Leader from each group must be a GFO member in good standing. Additional information about our SIGs can be found on our GFO Special Interest Group page.

  • Spine Title Creator

    Spine Title Creator

    2-4 hrs/month
    Necessary skills: Eye for detail; some familiarity with Word; the ability to type; and closely follow directions.
    Equipment needed: GFO provided computer and printer.
    Use Microsoft Word to create paper labels that can be cut and applied to the spine of books that have no information on the spine.

  • Website Assistant

    Website Assistant

    2-10 hrs/week
    Necessary skills: Familiarity with Adobe Acrobat, MS Excel, MS Word, Gmail, and HTML is preferred; Web page design skills using a Content Management System (CMS) is desired; Must be a team player; Ability to meet deadlines.
    Equipment needed: Computer with internet access.
    Assist Webmaster with routine maintenance and project work using a CMS website application. Establish login credentials for new members and email welcome messages; Routinely evaluate the validity of hyperlinks on the site; Search the site for outdated content; Assist Abstracts and Library committees with populating sections of the website; PDF processing; Maintain proper Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on public pages; Assist with database and spreadsheet tasks.

 

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