Volunteer for the Oakland Public Library!
This page lists current adult volunteer opportunities with OPL and some of our Friends groups. Teen volunteers (ages 13-17) can find more information on the Teen Volunteer page.
Make Lunch Available to Youth this Summer!
Volunteer to serve Lunch at the Library. This important service provides a free, healthy meal to youth ages 18 and under at select library locations on Monday-Friday for 10 weeks over the summer.
This important program would not be possible without volunteers (ages 18+) to set up lunch, pass out food, greet the children and parents, complete program-related paperwork, and clean up afterwards. At some locations, volunteers may be asked to move tables and chairs. At all locations, lifting up to 20 pounds may be required.
Volunteers will be asked to serve between 11:45am – 1:15pm for at least eight (8) lunchtimes between June 1 - August 7. Lunch service is only offered on weekdays, and only the following locations need volunteer support in 2026:
Training is required for new and returning volunteers, and new volunteers must also complete a volunteer application.
If you’re interested in volunteering this summer, or if you have any questions, please email sdubois@oaklandlibrary.org. You’ll be notified as soon as the training dates are available.
Share your Skills as a Computer Tutor
Make a difference in our community by volunteering as a library Computer Tutor! The Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch Library (6833 International Boulevard) is currently recruiting for help in the computer lab.
Duties include helping patrons one-on-one with basic computer skills, such as setting up Zoom and email accounts, assisting with Internet searches,
helping with resume writing, completing online forms, using Microsoft Word and Google Suite, printing, etc. Please plan for a regular 2-hour weekly commitment for at least six months.
If you are patient, punctual, and reliable, have good communication skills, and enjoy working with others, please complete the OPL volunteer application. Bilingual volunteers with skills in Spanish are especially helpful!
Adopt a Spot Volunteers at OPL
The African American Museum and Library at Oakland (659 14th Street): Help with community beautification at special events organized by the Friends-Stewards of African American Museum & Library at Oakland. Visit their website, opens a new window to learn more.
Lakeview Branch Library (550 El Embarcadero): Lakeview Friends host a group workday on the third Saturday of each month from 9:00 - 11:00 am. Volunteers are welcome to drop in and help with garden maintenance and litter clean-up.
Melrose Branch Library (4805 Foothill Blvd.): Join us on the second Saturday of the month to beautify the Melrose Library perimeter and to assist with small gardening projects. For more information, contact Branch Manager Joshua Alperin at 510-535-5623.
Support Adult Literacy and Learning
Oakland Public Library's adult literacy program, opens a new window has offered free and confidential learning support for adults since 1984. We train volunteers to help adults reach their goals. The program is currently recruiting for the following roles:
Dedicated Tutor: Meet one-on-one with an adult learner to help them reach their reading, writing, spelling, and/or basic math goals. Volunteer applicants must be willing to meet learners at East Oakland library branches. Minimum time commitment: 1.5 hours/week for 6 months.
Drop-In Tutor: Meet with adult learners who need extra help or who are waiting for a tutor. Help is needed with reading, writing, spelling, and/or basic math at various branches. Minimum time commitment: 1.5 hours/week for 6 months.
Digital Literacy Tutor: Help Second Start learners with computer basics, such as keyboarding, mouse skills, navigating files and programs, email, and searching the Internet. Minimum time commitment: 2 hours/week for 6 months.
Requirements:
• complete Second Start’s tutor training program
• be 18 years of age or older
• speak English well enough to communicate with learners and staff
• possess excellent interpersonal skills and boundaries, including patience, good listening, and communication skills
• understand Second Start’s mission and work
• commit to dependable, weekly service for at least six months
• submit monthly tutoring reports
To apply, please complete the Second Start Volunteer Tutor Application, opens a new window.
Keep the Chávez Branch Container Garden Green
The César E. Chávez Branch (3301 East 12th Street, Suite 271) is looking for an enthusiastic garden volunteer who can help maintain the library’s container garden which is located on the second-floor courtyard area.
Applicants should feel comfortable working independently while also keeping library staff informed about what’s happening in the garden containers.
Potential volunteers should plan on a weekly visit to the library garden to water and work -- during open hours -- for at least six months.
To apply, please complete the OPL volunteer application.
Support OPL by volunteering with Library Friends!
Pick up a Weekly Shift at the Bookmark Bookstore!
The Friends of the Oakland Public Library, opens a new window are seeking volunteers support bookstore operations at 933 Broadway in downtown Oakland.
Duties include lifting and moving heavy items such as boxes of books, organizing shelves, sorting donations, and handling sales during open store hours (now open 11:00 am - 5:00 p.m. Sunday through Friday, 11:00 am - 6:00 p.m. Saturday).
Potential volunteers should plan for a regular 3-hour weekly commitment for at least six months. Volunteers must be at least 17 years old.
Please complete the Friends' Bookmark Volunteer Form, opens a new window and one of the store managers will be in touch.
Volunteer with the Friends of Elmhurst Library
The Friends of Elmhurst Library (FOEL) are a small but powerful group of volunteers who support OPL’s active branch library at 1427 88th Avenue. For more than two decades, the FOEL have advocated, fundraised, and volunteered to make this neighborhood library better.
Current leaders LaResha Smith, Allene Warren, and Mary Forte invite everyone who loves libraries to consider joining them to support the Elmhurst Branch.
New Friends are asked to attend bi-monthly meetings at the branch and to contribute their time to one of the pressing current needs: communications, leadership, litter walk, and/or garden support. To learn more, or to rsvp for the next meeting, contact Elmhurstfriends@gmail.com.
Volunteer with the Friends of Melrose Library
The Friends of Melrose Library is an informal group of patrons and volunteers who share a common love for the Melrose Branch Library (4805 Foothill Blvd.) For more than 20 years, this dedicated group has supported their neighborhood library and the surrounding community. Current initiatives include a monthly trash clean-up, regular gardening projects, and volunteering at annual library programs such as Summer Lunch at the Library and National Night Out.
The Friends of Melrose are interested in growing their group and would welcome new Friends.
For more information or to sign up to volunteer, please reach out to friendsofmelroselibrary@gmail.com.
If you have any questions about these volunteer opportunities, please contact Sara DuBois, Coordinator of Grants & Volunteers, at sdubois@oaklandlibrary.org.