Need Service Hours? Volunteer at the Library!
HCLS events are a great place for teens age 14 and older to fulfill their service hours while having fun and making a difference. Sign up to volunteer at meaningful community events from fall 2026 through summer 2027 and receive service hours from the Library. Teens are a valued part of the community we invite to Learn, Grow, and Connect while enjoying memorable experiences at HCLS.
Teen volunteers can earn service hours directly from HCLS by helping our team and community at a variety of events throughout the year. These opportunities include shifts at our annual signature (special) events, classes, and other programs. We offer the flexibility of weeknight and weekend events, which take place at both the library and at off-site locations around the County, to fit your school and activity schedule. Many of the events may also include staff meals, snacks, breaks, T-shirts, or other memorabilia.
How does it work? Find an opportunity below that you may be interested in and get permission from your adult to sign up. Don’t forget to share the news with any friends who also need service hours and may be interested in joining you. Use the event or volunteer link to sign up and receive details, instructions, and training for your assignment. Give us advance notice if you can no longer attend; we understand that things happen and need ample time to fill your role.
On the day of the event, report to the location on time for your full volunteer shift. Teens ages 14 to 17 will need to have their own adult present for supervision during the entire shift. Volunteers 18 and over are not required to have an adult present. Following the event or opportunity, HCLS will provide a signed copy of our standard service hours letter to the email you provided, or you may bring your own form to complete and have signed on site. That’s it; that’s all. We make it easy for you to participate and always hope that you enjoy the experience as well.
Check out photos from these awesome events on our Flickr page:
Battle of the Books at Merriweather (BOB at MPP),
BOB Workshops,
Bauder BOB Author Event,
Evening in the Stacks,
HCLS Spelling Bee,
The Longest Table,
Summer Reading Celebrations,
Bauder Book Talk,
Teen Live
Check out the below menu of events and opportunities to consider as you start planning your service hours for this school year. There are lots of chances to volunteer each season, and you are welcome to sign up for as many as you would like. While the general volunteer form link is located on our website, some events have unique sign-up links that get released ahead of time.
- Be Booker T. Owl (year-round) – wear the HCLS Booker mascot costume at an event
- The Longest Table (September) – help set up, guide attendees, or join the dinner conversation
- Bauder Book Talk (November) – help set up, food + beverage, author talk, materials, pack up
- Evening in the Stacks (February) – help with daytime setup only (party is for adults 21 and over)
- BOB Open House Workshops (February to March) – help count and monitor 5th grade teams working on posters, costumes, and practice questions to prepare for the battle, pack up
- HCLS Spelling Bee (March) – be Booker, help set up or pack up, guide students, work doors, hand out gift bags, door counts
- Bauder BOB Author Event (April) – be Booker, help set up, be a student moderator for authors, monitor the book signing line, pack up, door counts
- Battle of the Books at Merriweather (April) – help with setup, collecting or scoring answers, crowd monitor, directional assistance, stage runner, pack up
- Summer Reading Celebrations (June to August) – help with setup, greeting people, directional assistance, activity stations, and pack up
- Teen Live events (year-round) – help with setup, activity stations, food and beverage, pack up
Visit these webpages for more information about:
- Signature events – these unique volunteer sign-up links get released later
- Other Teen Volunteer info – Summer Reading, Teen Action Board, Teens Teach
- Booker mascot – select “Other” for how you want to contribute, type in “Booker”
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