The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is inviting the public to become part of its volunteer team, with a new volunteer orientation session set for early February. The library and museum will host the orientation on Wednesday, February 4th, starting at 5:30 p.m. at the library building at 112 North Sixth Street in Springfield. The one-hour session will explain how the organization’s volunteer program works and how people can get involved.

Volunteers at the ALPLM help in a wide variety of ways; from greeting visitors and assisting at special events to helping researchers and supporting day-to-day operations. The museum says its volunteer team includes about 500 people. Those who decide to join will be asked to attend three additional training sessions on February 19th, February 26th, and March 5th.

Museum officials say volunteers contribute an average of about 35-thousand hours of service each year, helping improve the experience for visitors to one of Springfield’s most popular attractions. Volunteers also receive free admission to the museum and are invited to special lectures and presentations created just for them.

Mary E. Myers, one of the museum’s volunteers, says volunteering is meaningful to her because she gets to greet and assist people from all over the world, while also being part of what she calls a wonderful volunteer crew. In addition to the adult volunteer program, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is also launching its new VolunTEEN program. The program is designed for teenagers ages 13 to 15 and is being offered in collaboration with local schools and youth organizations.

The VolunTEEN program is aimed at giving young people a chance to serve others while gaining experience in a library and museum environment, with training focused on customer service, communication skills, and identifying individual strengths.

Anyone interested in volunteering or registering for the orientation is asked to contact Jeremy Carrell, the director of volunteer services, at 217-558-8984. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum’s mission is to inspire civic engagement through Illinois history and to share the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln with visitors from around the world.