Encourage Kids to Read: Be a Summer Reading Assistant @ North Portland Library

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What is Summer Reading?
Summer Reading is a program that gets kids and teens excited about reading during the summer and encourages them to become lifelong library users. Summer Reading volunteers register kids for the game and award prizes. Volunteers may also help with events, recordkeeping and more. Volunteers do not read to kids, check out books to patrons or shelve books. Though this is an opportunity primarily for middle and high school students, adults are invited to apply.

Commit to a two-hour weekly shift all summer long
Be gone no more than 2 weeks during the summer
Enjoy talking to kids and adults
Be entering 6th grade or older in the fall
Be responsible, dependable and able to work well with others
Be able to read well and write legibly
Communicate well with children, adults and people from diverse backgrounds
Follow instructions accurately
Be able to work independently
Keep accurate records
Enjoy children, libraries and books
Note: All applicants are screened and must attend training. Not all applicants are selected to be Summer Reading volunteers.

Schedules vary, but the time commitment is 2 hours/week on a set schedule from mid-June to end of August. There are limited openings at North Portland Library, 512 N. Killingsworth St.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at how the library works
Earn service hours for school
Gain work experience that will look great on a resume
Share your excitement about reading with others

1. Review the above requirements carefully.
2. Fill out an adult application (18 years and over) or a youth application (under 18 years).
3. If your application is approved, Volunteer Services will send you an email with the next steps. Trainings are scheduled at all library locations.