The New York Public Library is building a large-scale Out of School Time presence throughout its three boroughs, where we serve tens of thousands of children and youth every day. We are building a team of talented, committed and enthusiastic volunteer educators who recognize the NYPL’s role in enriching the lives of the young people we serve. Please consider joining us...

The Out of School Time division seeks enthusiastic individuals to provide individual mentorship and academic assistance to middle school children in our “Innovation Labs” program for grades 6 through 8.  The middle school Innovation Labs programs are semester-long after-school enrichment programs at Westchester Square Library  and West Farms Library in the Bronx, or George Bruce Library in upper Manhattan.  Innovation Labs seeks to aid students in their development of 21st century skills, adolescent identity, and voice by providing a variety of digital and non-digital project-based learning opportunities in a uniquely informal environment, while also offering personal mentorship and homework help from dedicated staff.

The Innovation Labs volunteer mentor will work under the supervision of the Education Coordinator and will:

• Serve as a consistent 1:1 mentor of students throughout the course of one school semester
• Develop positive relationships with students that foster their academic and personal growth.
• Support individual student academic and organizational needs as assigned
• Help children feel successful and confident about their school work and program work

Volunteers must be:

• Reliable
• Nonjudgmental
• Patient
• Positive
• Good listener and question asker
• Sense of humor
• Like kids, with specific interest in adolescence
• Proficiency in basic math, science, English, or social studies to comfortably offer academic support
• High expectations and belief that all kids can succeed
• Interest in Technology preferred

Requirements

• Enrolled in undergraduate program, OR have Bachelor’s degree.
• Retired educators encouraged to apply
• Demonstrated experience providing mentoring and/or tutoring services preferred

Time Commitment

• Must commit to a full shift, 3 p.m. - 6 p.m., minimum 1 day per week
  • Option of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday
• Mentors needed over a full school semester
  • Fall semester needs: late October – early February
  • Spring semester needs: early February - mid May
  • Option to continue from Fall to Spring semester

To Apply

Submit a resume and in your cover letter indicate which branch you prefer to work in.  The two branches are: George Bruce Library (Manhattan), and Westchester Square Library (Bronx). Send to mauramuller@nypl.org.