Volunteer Positions
Author Registration & Escorts
Volunteers are needed to assist in the Author Hospitality Rooms in the Louisiana State Capitol and the State Library of Louisiana, and to escort authors to panel discussions, to the bookselling tent, and throughout the festival site.
Why it’s a great position
- The opportunity to meet and interact with featured Book Festival authors and presenters
- The chance to see multiple areas of the festival
Responsibilities
- Assist with author check-in and hospitality
- Escort multiple authors to program locations as assigned. Programs are located in the State Capitol, the State Library, the State Museum, the Welcome Center, and in tents on neighboring streets.
- Escort multiple authors from program locations to other areas, including the author signing area, or anywhere else they may need to go on festival grounds
- Assignments for participating authors will be included with their listings in the “Featured Participants” section of the LBF Program, but you will also be directed to assignments by the Author Escort Coordinator
Details for consideration
- Indoors and outdoors
- Requires walking/standing
- Requires a good sense of direction
Cavalier House Books Bookselling Tent
Volunteers are needed to assist authors in the bookselling tent. Books by every featured author are available for purchase; authors are scheduled to sign their books approximately 15 minutes following their presentations.
Why it’s a great position
- The opportunity to meet and interact with featured Book Festival authors and presenters
- The opportunity to interact with book-loving attendees
- The pleasure of hanging out in a pop-up bookstore!
Responsibilities
- Help maintain traffic flow in the book sale and signing area
- Greet guests and authors and make sure they can find their table
- Assist in opening books to title page for author to sign
- Prepare and manage author-signing areas (pens, chairs, correct signage)
- Watch entrance and exit areas of the tent
- Perform crowd control
Details for consideration
- Position in outdoor tent
- Requires standing
Children's Activity Tent
The Children’s Activity Tent offers children's book-related activities, photo opportunities, costumed storybook characters, writing enrichment projects, and various arts and crafts.
Why it’s a great position
- The opportunity to instill a love of books and reading in the festival's youngest attendees
- The chance to interact with festival attendees
Responsibilities
- Assist in preparing supplies for crafts
- Distribute craft materials to children
- Assist children with crafts
- Keep area clean and organized
Details for consideration
- Position in outdoor tent
- Requires work with children
Concessions
Volunteers are needed to assist in selling refreshments to Louisiana Book Festival attendees.
Why it’s a great position
- The opportunity to interact with book-loving attendees and exhibitors
- The chance to help raise a little money for the Book Festival
Responsibilities
- Sell coffee, water, and soft drinks
- Handle money
- Manage supplies
Details for consideration
- May require some standing, bending, and light lifting
- Position in outdoor tent
Cooking Demonstration Tent
Volunteers are needed in the Cooking Demonstration Tent, where local and national cookbook authors and chefs demonstrate their skills.
Why it's a great position
- The opportunity to meet and interact with featured Book Festival chefs and cookbook authors
- The chance to watch and attend Book Festival cooking demonstrations
- The opportunity to taste and distribute samples of what the chef prepares!
Responsibilities
- Welcome audience and remind them to turn off cell phones and pagers
- Assist Chef as needed for each demonstration
- Assist with deliveries from cookbook authors to the festival site
- Keep area clean and organized
- Clean up after each demonstration
- Take attendance at each demonstration
Details for consideration
- May require some standing, bending, and light lifting
- Position in outdoor tent
Exhibitor Registration
Volunteers are needed to assist with festival exhibitors.
Why it's a great position
- Meet and interact with exhibitors and attending sponsors
- Help with a large part of the festival
- Finish early enough to attend programs throughout the rest of the festival
Responsibilities
- Assist with delivering exhibitor packets
- Answer questions from exhibitors and attendees
Details for consideration
- May require some standing
- Requires early attendance
- Position in outdoor tent and delivering packets outdoors
Festival Information and Merchandise
Volunteers are needed to staff the Information Booths and Merchandise Tent at the festival. Louisiana Book Festival T-shirts, mugs, and book bags will be available for purchase at the main Information Booth/Merchandise location.
Why it’s a great position
- The opportunity to interact with and assist book-loving attendees
- The chance to help raise a little money for the Book Festival
- Serving as the go-to source for helpful info at the festival
Responsibilities
- Assist festival guests by providing directions, distributing maps and programs, and answering who-what-when-where questions
- Handle money
- Manage supplies
- Sell merchandise
- Report emergency situations
- Manage lost and found
Details for consideration
- May require some standing, bending, and light lifting
- Position inside the Capitol or in outdoor tents
Golf Cart Transportation
Volunteers are needed to drive golf carts throughout festival grounds to aid in various festival transportation needs.
Why it’s a great position
- The opportunity to interact with and assist book-loving attendees, authors, and presenters
- Zip around festival grounds in a golf cart!
Responsibilities
- Maintain shuttle service between Capitol Stop and Cavalier House Tent Stop
- Transport physically impaired
- Deliver operational supplies (ice, programs, evaluation forms, etc.) as directed
- Assist janitorial services with trash pickup
- Drive golf carts and act as a general Festival “go-fer”
Details for consideration
- Volunteers must be 18+ and have a valid driver’s license
- Position takes place outdoors
Program Assistants
*Position formerly called Room Monitors*
Volunteers are needed to supervise the rooms and locations where festival programming is taking place at the State Capitol, Children’s Author Tents, State Museum, and Welcome Center.
Why it’s a great position
- The chance to watch and attend Book Festival programming
- The opportunity to meet and interact with featured Book Festival authors and presenters
Responsibilities
- Welcome guests
- Take attendance at each program
- Give authors and presenters “time checks”
- Monitor late entrances, exits, door and hall noises
- You may be asked to introduce a featured author (introductions will be provided)
Details for consideration
- Position may take place indoors or in outdoor tent
- Public speaking may be required
Teen HQ
Volunteers are needed at the festival’s teen headquarters, a space for teens featuring readings and book talks by young adult authors and a variety of book-related games, crafts and activities.
Why it’s a great position
- The chance to watch and attend Book Festival programming
- The opportunity to meet and interact with featured Book Festival authors and presenters
Responsibilities
- Keep craft tables organized
- Help with craft assembly
- Monitor supply levels
- Direct raffle winners to the Teen HQ Coordinator
- Pass out an answer sheet pertaining to individual trivia games to each participant
Details for consideration
- Position takes place indoors