Available Volunteer Positions

Lit Crawl Volunteer (Thursday Only)

• Is familiar with the layout, exits, and restrooms at the venue

• Connect with venue staff to see if they have any special requests

• Connect with Unbound emcee to see if they have any special requests

• Help move people in and out of the venue

• Greet attendees as they arrive

• Is aware of accessibility options, both during the Lit Crawl and for the festival as a whole

• Answer festival-goers’ questions, particularly about Lit Crawl activities and schedule

Airport Driver (Thursday-Monday Shifts)

• Stock water and snacks in your vehicle for the authors

• Be prepared to answer general questions about the festival (first-time authors often have some!); speak to them pleasantly and curiously and welcome them to the festival

• Arrive the airport on time and coordinate with author(s) via text for pickup

• Drive author(s) safely(!) from the airport to their hotel (or other needed location) in Columbia

Merch Volunteer (Friday-Saturday Shifts)

• Sell merchandise to festival-goers

• Keep track of inventory and organize the merchandise display

• Learn how to use the Square software to complete purchases

• Answer any festival-goers' questions or direct them to someone who can

Venue Captain (Saturday Shifts)

• Is familiar with the layout, exits, and restrooms at the venue

• Connect with venue staff to see if they have any special requests

• Connect with Unbound panel moderators, introducers, and authors to see if they have any special requests

• Manage the venue volunteers, including offering breaks, orienting volunteers coming on-shift, supporting with difficult questions or situations

• Be the primary festival point of contact at the venue

• Communicate any problems — about volunteers, guests, fest-goers, venue, emergencies — with fest staff

• Is aware of accessibility options for the festival as a whole

• Help facilitate attendance counts and survey distribution during each session

• Is a problem-solver willing to troubleshoot on the fly

• Answer festival-goers’ questions or direct them to someone who can

• Familiarize themselves with the authors that will be at that venue, their books and the topics that will be discussed

Venue Volunteer (Saturday Only)

• Is familiar with the layout, exits, and restrooms at the venue

• Perform tasks as assigned by the venue captain, including:

• Greet attendees and offer hospitality

• Move people in and out of the venue

• Count the number of attendees during each session

• (Potentially) Pass microphone to attendees during author Q-and-A’s

• Distribute and collect festival surveys

• Help tidy up the room after panels

• Is aware of accessibility options for the festival as a whole

• Answer festival-goers’ questions or direct them to someone who can

• Familiarize themselves with the authors that will be at that venue, their books and the topics that will be discussed

Standby “On-Call” Crew (Saturday Only)

• Is willing to “hurry up and wait”

• Is able to travel from volunteer HQ to other fest venues, usually on foot but occasionally by car

• Is willing to be assigned a task at the last minute or to change tasks as needs evolve

• Can schlep materials from one venue to another

• Is willing to use Discord or text to communicate with volunteer leaders during shift

Write On! Volunteer (Sunday Only)

• Check in participants and track arrivals

• Collect payment from same-day entrants; use Square software to complete purchases

• Orient participants to their Sunday itineraries as needed

• Direct participants to the correct rooms/locations for their sessions

• (Potentially) Pass microphone to attendees during author Q-and-A’s

• (For one or two) Sell merchandise to participants as needed, use Square software to complete purchases, keep the merch table tidy

Questions? please email volunteer@unboundbookfestival.com.