Cherry Hill Public Library

The Heart of Town

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Teen Volunteering

Volunteering opportunities are created based upon the needs of our library staff. This page is regularly updated as volunteering opportunities become available and expire.

Our Teen Volunteering Opportunities are reserved for Cherry Hill residents & students who attend Cherry Hill schools. Teen volunteering events may require a library card number at registration. Cherry Hill students are responsible for keeping track of their volunteer hours.

Community service credit is not guaranteed and not all applicants are accepted. Read all directions and requirements. Do not use your school email address because you will not be able to receive emails from us.

Follow our @chplteens on Instagram and subscribe to our monthly Teens newsletter for instant updates. Questions? Email our Teen Services Department at teens@chplnj.org. 

If you are a local organization offering volunteering opportunities to Cherry Hill Teens ages 12-18 (grades 6-12), contact Jasmine Riel at jriel@chplnj.org to have your information listed on this page.

General Volunteers, Program Assistants, & Craft Assistants

The volunteering calendar for the school year runs from October 2022 to May 2023.  Applications received after the Fall Deadline will not be processed until the Winter. Applications will not be accepted after the Winter Deadline. Spots are limited and not all applicants are accepted.

Fall Deadline: Friday, September 30, 2022 | Winter Deadline: Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Review all information below before submitting your application. Incomplete applications will not be processed.

  • Must live in Cherry Hill or attend a school in Cherry Hill.
  • Must be entering grades 6-12 for the 2022-2023 school year.
  • Program Assistants must be in grades 8-12.
  • Must complete the CHPL Teen Volunteering Application in its entirety by the Fall or Winter deadline to be considered.
  • See “application instructions” tab for the online application.
  • General volunteers assist with a variety of library tasks as needed.
  • Program assistants are in grades 8-12 and assist library staff during programs for kids and teens.
  • Crafting assistants help library staff with preparing crafting materials.
  • Volunteer shifts are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
  • Volunteers who frequently violate our Volunteer Code of Conduct and/or frequently cancel or miss their volunteer shifts may be removed from the volunteer list for the rest of the school year.
  • Complete the Teen Volunteering Application by the Fall or Winter Deadline.
  • Fall Deadline: Friday, September 30, 2022 | Winter Deadline: Tuesday, January 31, 2023
  • Paper Applications can be found in the Teen Space and must be submitted to the Youth Services Desk.
  • First-time applicants are required to include a non-family reference letter (teachers, coaches, mentors, etc.) with their applications. Attach your reference letter to your paper application or email your reference letter to jriel@chplnj.org.
  • Applications that are incomplete or do not include a reference letter will not be processed.
  • Applicants who are accepted into the CHPL Teen Volunteering Program for the school year will be contacted by email. It is the teen’s responsibility to follow up or check their email for updates.
  • Applicants who are not accepted at the Fall Deadline may reapply by the Winter Deadline.
  • Past volunteers must reapply every school year and if you have been removed from the list in the past, that will be taken into consideration.

Teen Shelf Readers

Shelf Readers are responsible for ensuring that library materials are correctly organized on our shelves. The Shelf Reader calendar runs all year, but when you start depends on when you apply and the strength of your application.

Review all the information below before applying.

  • Must live in Cherry Hill or attend a school in Cherry Hill.
  • Must be in grades 7-12 when applying.
  • Must be proficient at ordering library materials according to the English Alphabet and Dewey Decimal System.
  • Must complete the CHPL Teen Shelf Reader application in its entirety.
  • Must complete the CHPL Teen Shelf Reader Skills Assessment.
  • See “application instructions” tab for the online application and skills assessment.

Shelf Readers are responsible for ensuring that library materials are correctly organized on our shelves. Shelf Readers will be trained during their first few shifts. Shelf reader shifts are 1 hour long and available on most Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday afternoons/evenings. See the table below for information on how the Shelf Reader calendar runs.

Shelf Reader Calendar runsDeadline for new applications
January 1 – April 30December 15
May 1 – August 31April 15
September 1 – December 31August 15

Shelf reader positions are limited.

  • Complete the online Shelf Reader application.
  • Complete the Shelf Reader Skills Assessment.
  • Applications that are incomplete will not be processed. Shelf Reader positions are limited.
  • Applicants who are accepted into the CHPL Teen Shelf Reader Program will be contacted by email. It is the teen’s responsibility to follow up or check their email for updates.
  • If you have been removed from the Shelf Reader list in the past and want to serve as a Shelf Reader again, you must complete the application process again.

Teen Advisory Board

Our Teen Advisory Board (TAB) is the voice of our young adult community at the Cherry Hill Public Library. TAB is a selective group of teens in grades 7-12 who assist the Library’s Teen Department. We lead programs, create fun displays and book lists, and brainstorm events for the Library’s teen community.

We are not currently accepting applications.

Virtual Volunteering

The volunteer opportunities listed below can be completed from home.

Recommend a book from CHPL’s Young Adult (YA) collection to earn community service credit. If accepted to be published in our monthly teen newsletter or social media, teens will earn one (1) hour of community service credit for each book recommendation. Email Melissa Brinn at mbrinn@chplnj.org with any questions.

Book recommendations are spoiler-free teasers that are designed to help others decide whether they would like to read the book. Teens can submit written book recommendations or short videos.

Learn about the requirements for teen book recommendations. (also contains examples)

Submit your recommendation with this online form.

Earn community service credit by contributing to our monthly teen e-newsletters. Submissions we accept include visual artwork, video performances, community service projects, and more.

​Subscribe to our monthly Teen e-Newsletter 

(select “CHPL Teens”).

Email submissions to Jasmine Riel at jriel@chplnj.org.

Do you have a special skill that you can teach other teens? Film a video tutorial and have it included on our CHPL Teens YouTube Channel! Teens whose videos are accepted and published on our YouTube channel can earn 5 hours of community service.

Here are some ideas for instructional videos you could film: favorite recipes, art skills, social media/technology skills, how to set up a planner for the school year, etc. Get creative!

Videos should be at least 2 minutes long, but no longer than 10 minutes long.

Email submissions to Jasmine at jriel@chplnj.org.

Teens can earn one hour of community service each month by filling out the form below and responding to the writing prompt. Responses will be shared on our social media and in our monthly newsletter for teens.

  • Responses are due no later than the last day of each month.
  • Only thoughtful responses that are at least 100 words in length will be accepted.
  • Basic rules of grammar apply. Reviews that are not coherent will not be accepted.
  • Teens whose responses are accepted will receive a community service letter by email.
  • Teens must provide a personal email address (not school) to ensure they can receive emails from CHPL.
  • Teens who create video responses or submit additional media (graphics or photos) with their responses will earn additional volunteer credit.
  • Teens can only complete this task once a month for volunteer credit.

If you’re having trouble using the form, email your submission to teens@chplnj.org.

Respond to this month’s writing prompt

Local Organizations seeking Teen Volunteers

Volunteer opportunities listed here are not organized or facilitated by the Cherry Hill Public Library.

Felt Initiative is a student-led (aged 13-fourth year of college), English-tutoring nonprofit organization whose tutors come from the US/Canada/UK and whose mission is to connect native English speakers with foreign students. Through our program, we strive to teach students skills applicable to real-life, which include the basics of conversations (and how to hold deeper-level conversations), day-to-day vocabulary words, and more.

Our aim is to work alongside students to improve their language skills and provide them with necessary language skills to thrive in the future as an organization, as mentors, and most importantly, as friends!

Click here to learn how you can join Felt Initiative as a tutor, trainee team member, lesson coordinator, and more! Check out this info video from two of Felt’s staff.

Mission Statement: We fight senior loneliness one letter at a time. Through handwritten messages of love, hope, and joy, our volunteer community brings seniors connection and improves their mental and physical health.

Learn more about how you can participate and earn volunteer hours.

Check out this informational flyer with details.

Other Volunteer Resources for Teens

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Cherry Hill Public Library

1100 Kings Highway North
Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08034-1911
856.667.0300
Fax: 856.667.9503
info@chplnj.org

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