Volunteers are crucial to the success of the library. Volunteer workers have each contributed hundreds of hours of time and effort in several capacities at RHPL and its mini-branches.

Please read our volunteer policy for all requirements. The following is a list of departments within the Library that accept volunteers:

Circulation Department

• Accepts applications for general volunteer work or to satisfy specific obligations such as court-ordered, school honors programs (grades 9-12), or other service organization requirements.
• Community service applicants must be residents of the library’s legal service area – Rochester, Rochester Hills, or Oakland Township.
• Volunteers are matched with weekly shifts and must commit to a regular schedule.
• Applications are processed weekly. You will receive a reply with either an available shift or a notice that you have been added to the waitlist.
• Drop-in hours are not currently available.

Youth Department

• Accepts applications for volunteers ages 14-18.
• Volunteers are used on an as-needed basis and hours cannot be guaranteed.
• Drop-in hours are not currently available.

Teen Department

• Accepts applications for teens grades 7-12.
• Teens are asked to attend monthly Teen Advisory Board (TAB) meetings to be eligible to volunteer. See the event calendar for dates and times.
• Drop-in hours are not currently available.

Outreach Department

• Accepts applications for adult volunteers in one of our mini-branch locations.
• The Outreach Department will contact all eligible volunteers.

Friends of the Library

• Please fill out a Friends Volunteer application.
• Accepts applications for those who would like to volunteer either in the Friends Store or at book sales.
• The Friends of the Library will contact all eligible volunteers.

To volunteer in Circulation, Youth, or Outreach, please fill out the following:

• Volunteer Application
• Background Check Form
• The background check form will automatically load after the application is submitted. Applications cannot be processed without a background check.

To volunteer in Teen:

• Email [email protected] with the following subject line “Teen Volunteer”

To volunteer for Friends of the Library:

• Call 248-650-7179 or fill out an application online.

If you have further questions, please contact the Community Service and Volunteer Coordinator at [email protected] or 248-650-7124.