Books

This is a full alphabetized list of our archived digital books. Most were in Susan Ellis’ resource library and/or published by Energize during the 20th century and reflect the evolving body of knowledge related to leadership and management of volunteers. Author permission has been obtained where appropriate and feasible. Our policy is not to digitize/archive books which are still being sold elsewhere. These books can be downloaded at no cost.

Authors Published
book cover 101 Ideas for Volunteer Programs

Over the course of training more than 20,000 leaders of volunteers, volunteer engagement experts Steve McCurley and Sue Vineyard gathered this collection of odd ideas and useful thoughts about running a volunteer engagement program, including subjects such as recruiting, screening, interviewing, and supervising volunteers. In their words, the book “is, quite simply, a place to start from, a place to browse in, and a place, finally, to steal [ideas] from.”

Sue Vineyard, Steve McCurley 1986
book cover 101 More Ideas for Volunteer Programs

A continuation of the previously published 101 Ideas for Volunteer Programs. Steve McCurley and Sue Vineyard collect even more practical ideas for engaging volunteers and, this time, include thoughts on improving the role of director of volunteer involvement: problem-solving skills, time management ideas, training techniques, and ways to manage organizational change.

Sue Vineyard, Steve McCurley 1995
book cover 101 Ways to Raise Resources

Similar to the previously published 101 Ideas for Volunteer Programs, this book presents hundreds of ideas and thoughts, often in the form of lists, about fundraising (and friend-raising), all collected by Steve McCurley and Sue Vineyard, experts in volunteer engagement. 

Sue Vineyard, Steve McCurley 1987
Book of Case Studies cover A Book of Case Studies for Training Volunteers (Canada)

A resource for training volunteers to develop analytical and problem-solving skills, this book is a compilation of realistic situations that volunteers may face while volunteering. Leaders of volunteer involvement can use the case studies to prepare volunteers via group discussions or role playing.

Patricia Harvey, Ginette Johnstone 1992
Two woman talking A Conversation with a Purpose
Kathleen McCleskey, Cheryle N. Yallen 2009
Bookcover A Guide to Volunteer Services
Anne David 1970
new competitive edge A New Competitive Edge: Volunteers From The Workplace

The authors explore workplace-based volunteering by profiling the efforts of several corporations promoting community involvement, employee volunteering within small businesses, and volunteer involvement in labor unions. These profiles represent a variety of approaches, each respecting its individual organizational culture while responding to community needs and practicing social responsibility.

Cynthia Vizza, Kenn Allen, Shirley A. Keller 1986
Bookcover A Roadmap to Managing Volunteer Management Systems
Claudia Kuric, Sharon Koll 2000
Bookcover A Systems Approach to the Planning and Development of Effective Volunteer Programs
Bookcover All Hands on Board
Jan Masaoka 1999
Book cover An Asset Builder's Guide to Service-Learning
2000
Bookcover At the Heart: The New Volunteer Challenge to Community Agencies
Nora Silver 1988
Best Practices book cover Best Practices for Volunteer Programs

A collection of volunteer engagement ideas including techniques for working with volunteers, leading engagement programs, and understanding the context of volunteerism in the U.S. and Canada during the 1990s.

Sue Vineyard, Steve McCurley 2001
covercover Beyond Banquets, Plaques and Pins

Hundreds of ideas for recognizing the work of volunteers and thanking them for their contributions. Plus a discussion of what effective recognition really entails.   

Sue Vineyard, Steve McCurley 1989
 Bookcover Beyond Police Checks: The Definitive Volunteer & Employee Screening Guidebook

This book was removed from the archive since it is still available for sale.   You can purchase at:  http://lindagraff.ca/books.html#BeyondPolice

Linda L. Graff 1999
Book Cover Building Credibility with the Powers That Be
Gail Moore, Marilyn MacKenzie 1990
Book cover with puzzle pieces Building Staff Volunteer Relations

Helps employees and volunteers work together successfully by exploring the reasons for conflict between volunteers and employees. Scheier eases the all-too-common stresses of this relationship with a step-by-step process for analyzing tasks and work preferences for both paid and unpaid staff. Offers a great number of creative and practical solutions. Contains lots of useful planning guides.

Ivan H. Scheier 2003
Cover shows cutout figures holding hands Building the Collaborative Community

From the preface: The authors of this book are social scientists with practical and tested strategies for rebuilding collaborative communities. An important feature of this book is that the authors are not prescriptive-they don't tell you what should be done; they are descriptive - they tell you what has been done that you can draw on. They are reporting on their own action research, done while serving as consultants to eighty-eight communities. From this rich experience they are able to portray a variety of strategies adaptable to a variety of situations.

Eva Schindler-Rainman, Ronald Lippitt 1980
Cartoon drawing of a chair, desk and typewriter. Typewriter has paper with "But that's not what my mom does" But That's Not What My Mom Does (a book about volunteers)

This is the story of a young girl's search to discover what exactly is a volunteer. Written for elementary-aged children, the book explores the concepts that the image of volunteering can differ greatly, and the opportunities to help our community are endless.  

Wendy Hollo 1987
Book covers show historic photos of volunteers By the People: A History of Americans as Volunteers, New Century Edition

By the People remains the only book available presenting the full scope and depth of volunteer activity throughout three centuries of American history. Originally published in 1978, Susan Ellis and Katie Campbell reissued this revised New Century Edition in 2005. The book challenges misunderstandings about the role of volunteers and illuminates the impact of volunteers throughout history.

Susan J. Ellis, Katherine H. (Noyes) Campbell 2005
Checkered book cover with title and byline Changing the Paradigm: Self-Assessment Kit

This Self-Assessment Process is an organizational change management tool for guiding staff, leadership, board, and other volunteers to examine the effectiveness of volunteer engagement. The Kit contains a Team Leader's Resource Book, a Team Member Book, and a survey.

Kenn Allen 1995
Book cover with cartoon of children painting a fence Children As Volunteers: Preparing for Community Service

How to incorporate  children into an adult volunteer program and find creative ways to use  children's fresh perspectives. Includes examples of actual volunteer  projects accomplished by youngsters, models of child-adult teams and  tips on family volunteering.  Learn how to recruit, train and design  assignments for volunteers under the age of 14. 

Katherine H. (Noyes) Campbell, Susan J. Ellis 1991
Cover for Church Puzzle game, stained glass image Church Puzzle Game

An interactive group activity for religious leaders for analyzing how their congregations work, conducting an organizational analysis of their organization, and identifying areas that deserve further attention. Though The Church Puzzle Game uses the word ‘‘church” in its title and instructions, the content of the Game was written with the intention to help any faith community, religious body, or house of worship.

Susan J. Ellis 2002
Citizen Volunteer book cover Citizen Volunteer

Written in 1960 primarily for the volunteer but also for professional social workers and those who work in the social realm, this book presents a collection of writings exploring the facets of volunteer service at the time. Contributors include executives, supervisors, professors, volunteer involvement directors, and individual volunteers themselves and, therefore, offering diverse points of view.

Nathan E. Cohen 1960
Purple checked cover titled Dealing with Difficult Volunteers Dealing With Difficult Volunteers

A toolkit from which to draw strategies for dealing with the many types of difficult behavior that can be exhibited by volunteers.

Marilyn MacKenzie 1989
Designing Programs book cover Designing Programs for the Volunteer Sector

This short booklet outlines a five-step process to design volunteer engagement programs to be more attractive to volunteers. Author Nancy McDuff presents the methods for conducting a needs assessment, setting objectives, arranging and planning activities, developing an administrative plan to support new volunteer involvement, and evaluating the overall program. 

Nancy Macduff 1989
Bookcover Episodic Volunteering
Nancy Macduff 1991
book cover Essential Volunteer Management

The 1989 edition of Steve McCurley and Rick Lynch's basic text on operating all facets of volunteer involvement. 

Steve McCurley, Rick Lynch 1989
book cover Everything You Need To Do Before You Begin To Recruit: Research

The first booklet in PROVOL's Volunteer Management Made Easy Series, which includes: Research, Recruit, Retain, and Recognize.  This booklet on Research covers the work to be done before that new volunteer walks through the door for the first time, even when the pressure to recruit new volunteers can be pretty intense.

Jim Bottorf, Judy Bottorf, Maggie King 1994
book cover Exploring Volunteer Space

Exploring Volunteer Space: The Recruiting of a Nation is Ivan Scheier’s exploration of the universe of volunteering. Ivan ponders much of what volunteering can be and a great deal of what would happen in volunteering in the future. While Exploring Volunteer Space is a highly conceptual work, it has great and continuing relevance to practitioners who think about the development of volunteer engagement.

Ivan H. Scheier 1980
Book cover with older and younger people together Family Volunteering - Ready, Set, Go

A handbook developed for Volunteer Centers, offering tools needed to add family volunteering to existing community involvement activities. There are tips and tricks for every Volunteer Center, from inviting families to join single days of service to creating an entire mission for promoting volunteering by families.

Marie Bouvier 2002
Book cover with title Focus on Volunteering KOPY KIT®

Contains 117 formatted, ready-to-print and copy pages, each about a specific volunteering subject such as working with volunteers, the history of volunteering, and trends in volunteerism. The KOPY KIT also includes a section of ready-to-use graphics including "thank you" and "we miss you" letters, certificates and awards, recruitment flyers and even greeting cards.

Susan J. Ellis 1999
Bookcover Focus on Volunteering Kopykit
Susan J. Ellis 1999
Bookcover with a sillouette of a hand behind the title Fostering Volunteer Programs in the Public Sector

This book shows how private citizens and public agencies can work together to provide a wide range of public services -- from neighborhood crime watch to mental health assistance. It describes effective methods for managing volunteer programs sponsored by public agencies, and demonstrates how volunteer programs can enhance the quality and impact of government services. 

Jeffrey L. Brudney 1990
Handbook for Auxiliary and Volunteer Leaders
1989
 Book cover with title and cutouts of people Handling Problem Volunteers

Steve McCurley and Sue Vineyard take a lighthearted look at some of the most common volunteer performance problems and deliver some serious solutions. The book assess es the extent and root causes of problems. Examples range from the "Somewhat Annoying Volunteer" with poor interpersonal skills to the "Dangerously Dysfunctional Volunteer," posing risk concerns. Sample volunteer policies directly related to handling problematic volunteer situations are include

Sue Vineyard, Steve McCurley 1998
Bookcover Helping People Volunteer
Judy Rauner 1980
Bookcover Helping You Is Helping Me: How a New Breed of Volunteers Can Make a Difference
Virgil Gulker, Ken Wilson 1993
Book cover with red and black stripes and name of book How To Find The Ideal Volunteers: Target Your Recruiting

The second booklet in PROVOL's Volunteer Management Made Easy Series, which includes: Research, Recruit, Retain, and Recognize.  This booklet on recruiting advises us to forget outdated perceptions of volunteers and, then, presents a process of recruiting for skills and talents necessary to meet our agencies' needs in a timely and effective manner.

Jim Bottorf, Judy Bottorf, Maggie King 1994
Book cover with slices of photographs of woman in a mix of activities How to Mobilize Church Volunteers

This book for churches points out common problems congregations face when it comes to member involvement and service, establishes management principles, answers questions, and offers a plan to turn the volunteer challenge into a reality. It's written from a Christian perspective.

Marlene Wilson 1983
Bookcover How to Recruit Generation Me
Cynthia D'Amour 2000
How to Take Care of You So you Can Take Care of Others
Sue Vineyard, Steve McCurley 1987
I Volunteer Too
Marcia Penn 1979
Book cover with title and byline plus drawing of wrapped gift Involving the Handicapped as Volunteers: A Guidebook
1984
Leadership for Volunteering
Harriet H. Naylor 1976
Bookcover Leading the Way to Successful Volunteer Involvement: Practical Tools for Busy Executives

Each section of Leading the Way focuses on a key aspect of involving volunteers in which it is crucial for executives to take a lead role, such as fund development, planning and policy development, and evaluation. Checklists, worksheets, idea stimulators, real-life examples, self-inquiry assessments, and other practical tools can be used immediately to guide planning and decision-making. 

 

Betty Stallings, Susan J. Ellis 2010
Book cover with title and feather floating over spiral Making Dreams Come True without Money, Might or Miracles: A Guide for Dream-Chasers and Dream-Catchers

Making Dreams Come True without Money, Might or Miracles caps Ivan Scheier's long career as philosopher, provocateur, and conscience of the volunteer field.   He urges us all to nurture dreams--our own and those of others.  But this is also a practical, you-can-do-it guidebook for activist volunteers and their mentors, showing what dreamers and "Dream-Catchers" must do to bring dreams to life; how to look beyond money as a need, obstacle or trap; ways to get past barriers, bigots, and anchors; how to create a dream-friendly environment; and what makes dreams die...and what makes them live.   

Ivan H. Scheier 2000
Managing Legal Liability and Insurance for Corporate Volunteer Programs
Charles Tremper, Jeffrey D. Kahn 1992
Managing Volunteer Diversity
Sue Vineyard, Steve McCurley
Bookcover Marketing and Motivating Today's Volunteers
Flora MacLeod 1993
Marketing Magic for Volunteer Programs
Sue Vineyard, Steve McCurley 1984
Bookcover Mayor's Voluntary Action Center, 25 Years of Service to New York City
1993
Bookcover Measuring the Difference Volunteers Make
1997
Book cover with Title and a graph with arrow going up Measuring Up: Assessment Tools for Volunteer Programs

Nearly 70 tools to help evaluate volunteer involvement in an organization including the plans, volunteers, the organization, the people involved, and the manager of volunteers.  Other key subjects include diagnosing organization norms, the potential for successful change and for fundraising success, hidden problems, meetings, climate health, responsibilities and job stress.

Sue Vineyard, Steve McCurley 1997
Megatrends and Volunteerism
Sue Vineyard 1993
Motivating Volunteers
Larry F. Moore 1985
New Competencies for Volunteer Administrators
Sue Vineyard 1996
Partners for Action: The Roles of Key Volunteers
Sara M. Steele, Cathaleen Finley, Carol A. Edgerton 1989
Bookcover Passionate Volunteers
Jeanne H. Bradner 1993
9 boxes connected to large box People Approach: 9 New Strategies for Citizen Volunteer Involvement
Ivan H. Scheier 1977
Bookcover People Helping People
1971
Bookcover Planning It Safe: How to Control Liability and Risk in Volunteer Programs
1998
Book cover with title, stick figures walking up a pile of papers and putting flag at top Proof Positive: Developing Significant Volunteer Recordkeeping Systems, 21st Century Edition

A step-by-step guide to the basic elements of a volunteer recordkeeping system. Includes the why and how of application forms, volunteer data files, assignment records, time and activity reports - for individual volunteers, groups, and off-site service, too. Lots of sample forms, ideas for documenting hard-to-track activities, and ways to demonstrate the work you do in managing volunteer involvement.

Susan J. Ellis, Katherine H. (Noyes) Campbell 2003
The Rants and Rave Anthology Rants and Rave Anthology, The

Essays written by leading authors in the volunteer world in 2002 about "what was on their mind."   Authors included are: Cara Blank, Susan J. Ellis, Melissa Eystad, Andy Fryar, Linda L. Graff, Stephen McCurley, Ivan H. Scheier, Betty Stallings, Sue Vineyard and Bill Wittich. 

2003
Book cover with stick figures of people working Ready to Respond: Disaster Preparedness and Response for Volunteer Centers
1999
Book cover with title in an award ribbon Recognizing Volunteers and Paid Staff: The Art, the Science, and a GAZILLION Ideas!

This book is an update of the classic Beyond Banquets, Plaques & Pins. Vineyard describes how to tailor recognition ideas to fit the "achievers," "affiliatiors," and "empowerers" in an organization. Outlines 10 keys to recognizing volunteers, including being timely, creating an appreciative organizational climate, and embracing diversity. Ends with a list of actions to say thank you.

Sue Vineyard 2001
Recruiting and Training Volunteers
Paul J. Ilsley 1981
Bookcover Recruiting: Help and Hope for Finding Volunteers
Ellen E. Larson 1994
Red cover of book with photo in background showing the front of a building with columns called The Geriatric Center Releasing the Potential of the Older Volunteer
1976
Title of book Resource Kit for Managers of Volunteers

The purpose of this Resource Kit was to provide leaders and managers of volunteers with a succinct, practical guide to the fundamentals of developing a volunteer program.  It has lots of sample forms. This guide covers the 3 R's of Volunteer Management: READY?- RECRUIT and RETAIN, and an appendix which includes a section for local resource information on volunteering and an extensive annotated bibliography on books, videos, and publications in the field.

Betty B. Stallings 1997
Revolution of the Heart
Bill Shore 1995
School Volunteers
T. Margaret Jamer 1961
Bookcover School Volunteers: What They Do, How They Do It
Barbara Carter, Gloria Dapper 1972
Secrets of Motivation: How to Get & Keep Volunteers & Paid Staff
Sue Vineyard 1991
Service Learning from A to Z: Serving to Learn, Learning to Serve
Cynthia Parsons 1991
Strategic Volunteer Engagement: A Guide for Nonprofit and Public Sector Leaders
Sarah Jane Rehnborg 2009
Book cover with photo of hand pulling on a rope over a rock Survival Skills for Managers
Marlene Wilson 1981
Bookcover Teen Power: How to Develop a Teen Volunteer Program
Claire Lloyd 1988
Book cover with title The Barter Network: Building Community Through Organized Trade Handbook
David Tobin, Henry Ware 1983
The Creative Volunteer Community
Eva Schindler-Rainman 1987
Book cover with hands raised The Effective Management of Volunteer Programs

A landmark book on the application of management principles to administration of volunteer programs.

Marlene Wilson 1976
Book cover with Older woman hugging a younger person The GRANDfriends Project: A Program Creating Friendships Across the Generations (Leader's Guide)
Martin Kimeldorf 1999
The Great Trainer's Guide
Sue Vineyard 1995
Bookcover The New Volunteerism
Barbara Feinstein, Catherine Cavanaugh 1978
Bookcover The Power and Potential of Youth in Service to Communities
1993
Bookcover The Self-Help Sourcebook
Edward J. Madara, Barbara J. White 1998
The Starter Kit for Mobilizing Ministry - PART 1
Sarah Jane Rehnborg 1994
The Starter Kit for Mobilizing Ministry - PART 2
Sarah Jane Rehnborg 1994
Bookcover The Successful Volunteer Organization
Joan Flanagan 1984
Brown book cover with white triangle containing title of book The Volunteer Community: creative use of human resources
Eva Schindler-Rainman, Ronald Lippitt 1971
The Volunteer Management Audit

The Volunteer Management Audit is a unique tool for analyzing the effectiveness of an organization's approach to and procedures for involving volunteers. It's designed to be administered by a team of staff and volunteers. The Audit provides a step-by-step guide to planning, conducting, and following-up the assessment process, with complete Scoresheets and instructions. 

 

Susan J. Ellis 2003
Bookcover The Volunteer Organization Handbook
Marie Arnot, Lee J. Cary, Mary Jean Houde 1985
The Volunteer Powerhouse
Janet Gordon, Diana Reische 1982
Book cover with the tile on a clipboard The Volunteer Recruitment Book

The book first shows how to design the best assignments for volunteers as the initial step to recruit the most qualified people. What follows is a wealth of information on topics ranging from how your organization's image affects your success in recruitment to where to look for new volunteers, including your own backyard. The Volunteer Recruitment (and Membership Development) Book also offers a whole chapter on membership development for all-volunteer organizations, including how to get current members "off the rolls and on their feet." The Appendix,"Outreach in Cyberspace," explains the Internet as a powerful recruitment tool. 

Susan J. Ellis 2002
Bookcover Training Busy Staff to Succeed with Volunteers (Manual)
Betty B. Stallings 1996
Graphic of first page of training Training Busy Staff to Succeed with Volunteers: The 55-Minute Staff Training Series

12 ready‑to‑deliver training sessions to teach paid staff the fundamentals of working with volunteers. Each training module is designed for delivery in 55 minutes of staff time. Each electronic module comes with: a complete PowerPoint® presentation; a timed script for the trainer highlighting “4 Key Concepts” on each topic; suggestions for expandable group activities; handout masters ready to duplicate, including a workshop evaluation form; and more.  The 12 topics range from Designing Positions to Volunteer Recognition.

 



 

Betty B. Stallings 2007
Transitioning: Strategies for the Volunteer World
Eva Schindler-Rainman 1981
Bookcover Uplift: What People Themselves Can Do
1974
Utilizing All Your Resources: Individuls With and Without Disabilities Volunteering Together
Cheska Komissar, Debra Hart, Robin Friedlander 1995
Book cover with Marlene Wilson's photo Visionary Leadership in Volunteer Programs: Insight and Inspiration from the Speeches of Marlene Wilson

Marlene Wilson moves from the hows to the whys of leading volunteer programs. She urges all who lead volunteers to move beyond thinking of themselves as managers to thinking of themselves as leaders—those who develop vision for volunteer programs and impart that vision throughout an organization. Includes16 of her most popular presentations from 1974 to 1999.

Marlene Wilson 2008