2023 Southern Festival of Books Volunteer Signup
We welcome first-time volunteers and returning volunteers, and while prior experience is not necessary, advance training in person is required a half-hour prior to your shift at the festival site. Please note that volunteers will mainly work outdoors, in all weather conditions, and will be asked to stand for extended periods. We will do our best to accommodate our volunteers with special needs or limited mobility. All shift times are approximately three hours.
As a volunteer, you are invited to our festival Saturday Night Party where you will be welcomed, appreciated, and thanked for your time and service to the Southern Festival of Books!
If you represent a group that would like to volunteer, please contact jenny@humtn.org to discuss opportunities.
Are you ready to raise your hand to volunteer?
Keep scrolling for volunteer descriptions, shifts, and our sign-up form! See you at the Festival!
Volunteer Job Descriptions | FRIDAY, OCTOBER, 20
Student Reader Day Assistant
Summary: Our Student Reader Day Assistants help support the event by providing a positive experience for students and teachers.
Location(s): Tennessee State Museum (TSM)
SHIFT: 9:30 – 1:00 pm
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Welcome and engage with participants
- Distribute reader day materials and giveaways
- Usher groups from bus to activities site
- Sweep room(s) for lost/left items
- Provide feedback to HT Staff
Requirements: A Student Reader Day Assistant must be outgoing, enjoy youth, and be able to communicate in a professional and friendly manner with participants, staff and fellow volunteers.
Authors in the Round (AIR) Set-Up Crew
Summary: Our AIR Set-Up Crew aids with set-up for the fundraising dinner under the Director of Development’s supervision.
Location: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (CMHoF)
SHIFT: 3:00 – 5:00 pm
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Assist with loading and/or unloading
- Assist with outdoor, indoor, table décor
- Assist with signage
- Provide feedback to HT Staff
Requirements: Set-Up Crew must be flexible and able to take direction
Authors in the Round (AIR) Greeter & Registrar
Summary: Our AIR Greeters & Registrars aid with registration for the fundraising dinner.
Location: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (CMHoF)
SHIFT: 5:00 – 7:15 pm
DRESS CODE: Business casual
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Share our organization, our mission, and our work with those who may be unfamiliar with it as this helps us broaden our reach and connect with more people
- Distribute informational material
- Direct patrons to the registration table
- Assist patrons with name tags and table assignments
- Offer and execute coat check by using ticketing system
- Provide feedback to HT Staff
Requirements: AIR Greeter and Registrar must be flexible, friendly and comfortable interacting with patrons, have outstanding customer service, cultural awareness and diplomacy.
Volunteer Job Descriptions
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21 & SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22
Session Room Monitor
Summary: Our Session Room Monitors help support each session by being aware of what is happening in each session and proactively problem-solving if issues arise to ensure a positive experience during the session.
Location(s): Tennessee State Museum (TSM), Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA)
SHIFTS:
Saturday: 8:30 – 12:00; 12:00 – 3:00; 3:00 – 6:00
Sunday: 9:30 – 12:00; 12:00 – 3:00; 3:00 – 5:00
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Welcome participants—author(s) and host(s)—as they arrive to the room
- Count attendance
- Supply room with water
- Assist with Room Set-Up
- Monitor door to prevent extra noise during the session
- Know session schedules and locations
- Sweep room for lost/left items
- Provide feedback to HT Staff
Requirements: A Session Room Monitor must be on time, reliable, and able to communicate in a professional and friendly manner with participants, attendees, staff and fellow volunteers.
Greeter
Summary: Our Greeter ensures attendees are greeted and provides directions or information to attendees to ensure they find activities/events/programs that may be of interest to them.
Location(s): Tennessee State Museum (TSM), Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA)
SHIFTS:
Saturday: 9:00 – 12:30; 12:30 – 3:00; 3:00 – 6:00
Sunday: 10:00 – 12:30; 12:30 – 3:00; 3:00 – 5:00
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Have an overall familiarity with the layout of the festival
- Share our organization, our mission, and our work with those who may be unfamiliar with it as this helps us broaden our reach and connect with more people
- Provide a welcoming and positive environment
- Provide feedback to HT Staff
Requirements: A Greeter must be friendly and comfortable interacting with attendees, have outstanding customer service, and cultural awareness.
Merchandiser
Summary: Our Merchandiser sells, promotes, and advertises festival merchandise to attendees.
Location(s): Outdoors, Headquarters Tent
SHIFTS:
Saturday: 9:00 – 12:30; 12:30 – 3:00; 3:00 – 6:00
Sunday: 10:00 – 12:30; 12:30 – 3:00; 3:00 – 5:00
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Produce sales by providing point-of-purchase and inventory management services
- Maintain visually appealing inventory displays
- Assist with pricing items
- Provide feedback to HT Staff
Requirements: A Merchandiser must have outstanding customer service, strong communication skills, and confidence working with numbers in a fast-paced environment.
Author Signing Facilitator
Summary: Our Author Signing Facilitator monitors author signing lines under the Author Signing Coordinator’s supervision.
Location(s): Outdoors, Tent-covered
SHIFTS:
Saturday: 9:00 – 12:30; 12:30 – 3:00; 3:00 – 6:30
Sunday: 10:00 – 12:30; 12:30 – 3:00; 3:00 – 5:30
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Ensure each author has found their assigned table/space
- Provide working pens for signing
- Engage with attendees and provide festival information
- Provide feedback to HT Staff
Requirements: An Author Signing Facilitator must be friendly and comfortable interacting with attendees, have outstanding customer service, cultural awareness and diplomacy.
Activities Aide
Summary: Our Activities Aide assists with activities geared towards families and children. Activities may include arts and crafts, decorating, snacks and/or food distribution. NOTE: During each shift, there will be an opportunity to get into costume as a literary character to walk around the festival and engage with youth, guided by another volunteer. Due to the nature of the costumes, walk-around time is approximately 30 – 45 minutes. Please contact Jenny Fernandez if you are interested in being a costumed character.
Location(s): Tennessee State Museum and outdoors
SHIFTS:
Saturday: 9:00 – 12:00; 12:00 – 3:00; 3:00 – 5:00
Sunday: 10:00 – 1:00; 1:00 – 3:00; 3:00 – 5:00
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Engage with families and youth and provide festival information
- Promote participation
- Provide welcoming environment
- Ensure children are not left unattended
- Maintain fun, visually appealing displays
- Provide feedback to HT Staff
Requirements: A Youth Activities Aide must be outgoing and enthusiastic with families and youth, have outstanding customer service, cultural awareness and diplomacy.
Beer Garden Steward
Summary: Our Beer Garden Steward serves beer in a designated family-friendly beer garden amongst music, food trucks, and other community-building activities. NOTE: You must be 21 or older to volunteer at the Beer Garden. Drinking during your shift is not allowed.
Location(s): Outdoors, Tented
SHIFTS:
Saturday: 11:00 – 1:00; 1:00 – 4:00; 4:00 – 6:00
Sunday: 11:00 – 1:00; 1:00 – 3:00; 3:00 – 5:00
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Check ID & wristband patrons
- Enforce that alcoholic beverages do not leave the garden
- Be knowledgeable of product(s) being served
- Pour beverages under festival coordinators’ specifications
- Produce sales by providing point-of-purchase and inventory management services
- Maintain a pleasant beer garden area, light janitorial tasks
- Provide feedback to HT Staff
Requirements: A Beer Garden Steward must be friendly, comfortable handling cash, have outstanding customer service, and situational awareness.
Auxiliary Support
Summary: Our Auxiliary Support provides staff with additional support while the festival is underway.
Location(s): Various
SHIFTS:
Saturday: 9:00 – 12:30; 12:30 – 3:00; 3:00 – 6:00
Sunday: 10:00 – 12:30; 12:30 – 3:00; 3:00 – 5:00
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Provide support to staff in areas assigned
- Know general information about the festival—scheduling, locations, activities
Requirements: Auxiliary Support must be flexible and able to take direction.
Set-Up Crew
Summary: Our Set-Up Crew assists with festival set-up, some light lifting required.
Location(s): Various
SHIFTS:
Friday: 12:00 – 3:00; 3:00 – 6:00
Saturday: 7:30 – 9:00
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Assist vendors and exhibitors with loading and/or unloading
- Assist with outdoor décor
- Assist with signage
- Assist with Headquarters and/or Youth Activities Area set-up
Requirements: Set-Up Crew must be flexible and able to take direction.
Clean-Up Crew
Summary: Our Clean-Up Crew assists with festival tear-down, some light lifting required.
Location(s): Various
SHIFTS:
Sunday: 5:00 – 8:00
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Assist vendors and exhibitors with loading and/or unloading
- Assist with outdoor décor
- Assist with signage
- Assist with loading Headquarters into truck
Requirements: Clean-Up Crew must be flexible and able to take direction.
Volunteer Signup Form
A note from the staff: Unfortunately this form is not very mobile friendly. If possible, please fill out on a computer. If you are using your phone, please note that you must hit the little gray arrows next to any multi-select fields to avoid an error message (scroll to the right if you don’t see the arrows).