Another idea bites the dust.

[Gregg]

This makes me laugh (though I am sorry Kestra that it didn't work out as you'd hoped). I volunteer 2 mornings a week doing construction work in the building my very small town is turning into a community center. I filled out NO paperwork. None. The only criteria from my first day "on the job" was pretty much "are you breathing?" and "you were able to walk in the door, right?"

I helped on a very similar project in a different very small town where I grew up. The mayor, who was the only city official, decreed that no attorneys could volunteer (not that any actually lived there). In the absence of anyone to consider issues of liability it seems no one did and the project was a smashing success. Hmmm...

[catherine]

One good thing about affiliation with a church is often they'll jump on any volunteer offer you make and there is rarely any red tape.

[sweetana3]

Hubby volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and group that builds ramps and the only paperwork was a signature on a liability form.

Not all groups have the excessive info problem.

[Jilly]

That is amazing. I have had several criminal background checks over the years because of the work I do, but even volunteering to teach art at a correctional facility did not have anything like this attached to gaining acceptance into the program.

I am fully supportive of vetting people where the public safety is concerned, and the library gig qualifies for that, but I volunteer at a library and no one asked me anything that did not apply directly to the work I wanted to do for them.

If you want to be involved with some place or program, you pretty much have to go through the process they prefer. Or, as you have chosen, walk away and find something more suited to you, something that makes more sense.

Since this is a governmental agency, at first I thought that someone had mistakenly given you the paperwork for applying to be governor or state representative or something, but then I came to my senses and realized that if any of the ones I know had to complete that paperwork they never would have gained office.

[lhamo]

If you still are interested in the work I would ask your referees to submit their contact information on the form and something to the effect of "I would be happy to discuss any of the following questions with you over the phone if you feel Kestra is a good candidate for this volunteer position."

Then the library gets its form to tick off the checklist, but the referee doesn't have to spend hours answering all those questions.

Maybe they will not go for it, but worth a try if you think the position would be a positive experience.

[redfox]

You could also simply answer all the questions, have your reference folks read the answers, and signify they concur.

Public libraries have a responsibility to keep their patrons safe. I suspect that is behind the onerous screening process. Good luck!

[Gardenarian]

You could also simply answer all the questions, have your reference folks read the answers, and signify they concur.

This is exactly what I was going to write! The form seems totally over the top, but I get it.
There is a saying in libraries - "volunteers are not free." Volunteers (often) need a lot of training and oversight and libraries have learned that while people like the idea of volunteering, they seldom last long. They also have to keep the city attorney happy.

[steve s]

I have found smaller scaled local non-governmental orgs are much easier to work with in this capacity. Find one without a lot of attorneys hanging around looking for something to do. Then it becomes, "Do you want t so the job? Are you able? Lemme show you the ropes."

As my NYC Niece's cat would say, forms are for dogs and other chumps.