Volunteer Training

• Keep quantities of books on the tables and ready for purchase.
• Straighten, organize and unpack books for sale as needed.  
• During the sale, help restock and straighten up tables during the book sale.
• May be asked to help in other areas once the sale begins due to crowds.

Cashier Goal: Quickly and accurately add and charge customers for their books.

You will be part of a team including a counter and a cashier at one table. There should always be two volunteers at each table. 

Cashiers will use the Clover (instructions below) and accept cash or check for the total amount. Cashiers will also be responsible for providing the customer with a receipt. If the customer provides a completed tally sheet, review the sheet and briefly compare it to their proposed purchase to confirm they seem to match.  If there is an obvious discrepancy, you may re-sort the items and re-tally them to ensure accuracy. 

• Refer to the price list for prices for each type of item.
• If a price cannot be found, hold up the help sign and the supervisor of the area will find out the price.

Debit/Credit cards are accepted.

At each table there will be signs for notification

• Use the Help Sign when:
  • A customer needs help with a hand truck.
  • You need change in your cashbox.
  • You need a price check. If a price cannot be found, the supervisor of the area will find out the price.
  • You have a customer who is tax exempt or who has a purchase order. (There will be someone there to figure out the tax that is to be subtracted from the total.)
• Use the Table Number Sign when:
  • The sales procedure is completed, hold up the table number sign so the next customer can be directed to your table.

Please see your volunteer supervisor for any special cashier requirements.

Goal: Assist customers by being a door greeter, door or line monitor and performing various other tasks. Assist volunteers by helping to check them in, providing breaks for fellow volunteers and serving refreshments as needed.

Customer Service Table:

• Check hand trucks in and out to customers using a driver’s license as collateral.
• Answer customer questions if possible (“Where are the restrooms?”, etc.)
• Refer any issues or questions to your Supervisor or a Book Sale Chair if needed (colored logo shirt).

Line Monitor:

• Help maintain order and provide direction to customers waiting to check out.
• When line gets long, hold up an END OF LINE sign so customers can easily find it.
• Be positive and cheerful.
• Point out the Express Line to customers who have just a few books. Be aware, the choice to remain in the regular line is the customer’s as the length of express line is sometimes longer than the regular line.

Door Greeter and Guest Monitor:

• Ensure that doors to which you are assigned are accessed properly, and only by individuals authorized to do so.
• On Friday, guest MUST have a ticket to enter. Please take their ticket, put in the ticket box, and stamp the guest’s hand. No tickets are required on Saturday or Sunday.
  • The only exception for not having a ticket on Friday is if the individual is a child aged 11 and under. They will still need to have their hand stamped.
• Use your electronic counter or a tally sheet to monitor the number of people coming in and out of the room.
• Customers may only enter and exit the sale through the lobby.
• Please be prepared to answer questions as best you can regarding locations of restrooms and materials in the building.
• Direct any customers with questions you do not know the answers to a Quadrant Coach, Book Sale Chair or Coordinator.
• Please do not leave your door unattended at any time!
• Be confident and kind in letting guests know when we have reached a room capacity and they must wait for admission.

Volunteer Hospitality:

Make all Book Sale Volunteers feel welcomed and valued because Book Sale wouldn’t happen without ALL of you!

• Volunteer Check-in – three lines by last name:
  • Check off the list and give name badge, wrist band for food and t-shirts, if needed.
• If available, a person at the door to the kitchen thanking volunteers and directing them to snacks and drinks.
• Direct volunteers to their area of service (on the bottom of their volunteer name badge) and help them find a person wearing a colored vest in that area for instructions.

Familiarize yourself with ALL the volunteer job descriptions as well, so you can answer questions volunteers may have about their area. For any questions you can’t answer, direct the volunteers to the Volunteer Table.

After all volunteers are checked in, go to the Book Sale Kitchen to help with meal prep, or take water and snacks to all volunteer areas. During the sale, be sure to visit all the door guards, volunteers in the lobby holding area, and Better Books volunteers in addition to the General Area volunteers.

Hand Truck Goal: Help with the flow in the cashier area and assist customers with their purchases.

• Assist customers with large number of books by taking them outside on a hand truck.
• Go to curb in front of the building and wait while the customer gets their car and drives up to the front and retrieves the books.
• Please do not go further than the curb in front of the building.
• Do not request or accept tips from customers or fellow volunteers.

Goal: Bring all books, shelving and equipment into the building as quickly and safely as possible.

• After pallets of books are unloaded from the trucks, unpack the pallets.
• Take boxes of books to the appropriate sections of the building, and begin putting them on tables.
• Further instructions will be given on site.

Goal: Remove all books, shelving and equipment from the building as quickly as possible.

• As directed, gather up all remaining books and either place in boxes or gaylords.
• Help disassemble shelving and equipment and load onto trucks to be returned to the Friends storage space or sorting site.
• If you have work gloves please bring them!