Sutton Free Library welcomes the skills and talents of volunteers to support and extend the services of the library. Volunteers do not replace paid staff but do assist with special projects and supplement existing services. The number and type of volunteers accepted will be determined case-by-case based on the amount of work and supervisory time available. Sutton Free Library will abide by all Federal law, New Hampshire (NH) state law and NH Department of Labor (DOL) guidelines concerning volunteers at not-for-profit agencies, including:

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• All volunteers must fill out the Library Volunteer Service Agreement which will be kept on file at the library. This document states the terms of volunteer work and may include sample tasks.

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• Minor volunteers must have their parent’s signature on the Library Volunteer Service Agreement which must be updated annually. 

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• Volunteers doing work on behalf of an organization are under the supervision and responsibility of that organization, which will be required to provide a completed Library Volunteer Service Agreement.

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• Volunteers are expected to have a good knowledge of the mission of Sutton Free Library and to operate within the stated policies and procedures of the library.

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• Please be aware that if any volunteer work includes unsupervised interaction with children, the library will require a background check. All consistent library volunteers may undergo a background check as well.

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• All volunteers and staff are required to sign confidentiality agreements in order to uphold the library's Privacy Policy. To comply with New Hampshire law and ensure the greatest degree of confidentiality is accorded to library patrons, volunteers may not access Sutton Free Library patron records or personal information through the library's systems or patron database. Volunteers may not check out books to patrons. Any phone messages left for patrons may not include specific title information about books checked out or on hold.
  (NH RSA 201-D:11)
   

FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN PROVIDING BOOK DELIVERY 

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Volunteering to deliver books to homebound individuals in Sutton does have a few extra requirements beyond the application. See specifics in the applicable Procedures and Policies. 

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Sutton Free Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will consider all volunteer applicants equally, without regard to age, sex, race, religion or creed, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law.

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RESTRICTIONS OF USE OF VOLUNTEERS 

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• Volunteers shall not replace appropriately trained and paid staff, nor shall they be used to compensate for inadequate staffing patterns, failure to fill vacant posts, or cutbacks in library funding. 

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• Volunteers may not hold a position wherein they are required to be at the library at a set date and time where their unexpected absence would adversely affect the library's regular operations.

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• Volunteers may not perform duties that constitute a significant portion (at least 50%) of a paid staff member's job description. 

YOUTH VOLUNTEERS 

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• In compliance with federal labor law, Sutton Free Library is unable to accept volunteers under the age of 14. All volunteers must be 14 years of age or older (see US DOL Child Labor Bulletin 101 WH-01330). Persons under the age of 18 must have parental permission to volunteer at Sutton Free Library. 

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• Youth 14 to 16 years of age are required by New Hampshire labor law (NH RSA 276-A) to have a Youth Employment Certificate on file with the organization receiving volunteer services. Please see your high school guidance counselor to obtain this certificate. 

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• Volunteers aged 14 or 15 must also provide proof of age to the library. Volunteer service may not begin until a photocopy of proof of age is on file at the library.

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• Volunteers aged 16 or 17 must also complete and submit the NH DOL’s Parental Permission Form and provide proof of age to the library (NH RSA 276-A). Volunteer service may not begin until the parental permission form and a photocopy of proof of age are on file at the library.  

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• All volunteers must maintain a Volunteer Hours Timesheet to record all time spent volunteering. This form will be kept on file at the library.

Adopted by the Sutton Free Library Board of Trustees 2019.

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