We invite you to volunteer at the Historical Society. We can always use whatever special talent you can share with us, and we’d love to get to know you as you learn the history of our city. Some of our volunteers help at the museum, others help with our “mini musters” (going with the fire department to local schools to teach fire safety), while others learn to manage the archives and how to preserve images and documents.
To volunteer, give us a call: 760.346.6588 or send email to: info@hspd.org.
Who are the Historical Society of Palm Desert Volunteers?
There are no “typical” volunteers. They are all ages and from all walks of life, who volunteer for a variety of reasons — to learn, to make new friends, to share their love of history, or just to devote time to a good cause. But one thing is constant — a desire to preserve and interpret Palm Desert history, so that future generations can better understand their past and present. Here are just a few of the ways that you can volunteer at the Historical Society:
Museum Docent
Share your love and knowledge of Palm Desert history with museum visitors. Greet visitors and answer questions. At times, a structured tour is requested by a group of visitors, where you will take them through the museum exhibit and provide commentary at each exhibit. Training is provided, including partnering with an experienced docent until you feel you are ready to be on your own.
Archive Intern
Internships at the HSPD are built around each applicant’s background, education, skill set, and desired field. You will have the opportunity to work directly with the Archivist and the collection. Tasks may include:
Exhibit Volunteer
We’re looking for creative people who would like to express their artistic abilities. The HSPD is bursting with documents and cultural artifacts. Come help us design, build, and document physical and digital exhibits that illustrate the rich history of Palm Desert and the greater Coachella Valley community. The position includes the following tasks:
Administrative Volunteer
As an administrative volunteer, you will directly assist the Administrative Assistant or Board of Directors in ongoing projects as needed. The HSPD’s community engagement efforts and daily tasks result in a surplus of projects that include everything from filing to data entry, to research, to occasional editing and revision of outgoing communications. As an administrative volunteer, this position will directly report to the Administrative Assistant or a Board member, and will occasionally assist the Archivist with various clerical tasks. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about Palm Desert while earning clerical experience in a nonprofit setting.
Library Assistant
Explore the Historical Society’s resources to learn more about our shared history and promote the stories of Palm Desert. Library Assistants have the Historical Society’s resources at their fingertips. Library Assistants will aid members of the public with research inquiries and will also help the Archivist or Board of Directors as needed.
Archives Collection Volunteer
Archives Collection Volunteers help the Historical Society’s mission to preserve the natural and cultural history of Palm Desert. Volunteers will assist the Archivist with cataloging and researching activities in order to manage the archival artifacts (pictures, diaries, letters, books, etc.) in the collections.
Oral History Transcriptionist
The Oral History Transcriptionist will listen to local stories and interviews and transcribe each one to script form. The Oral History Transcriptionist will help the Historical Society fulfill its mission through the preservation of oral histories which may be used to promote the history of Palm Desert during educational programs or exhibits.
Oral History Project Volunteer
To continue our extensive Oral History Program, the HSPD is seeking interviewers, videographers, video editors, and general volunteers to help us capture, edit, organize, and post the stories of Palm Desert and the greater Coachella Valley community. A major part of the mission is to continue to preserve the voices of the present and the past through a well-maintained oral history program. Volunteers and staff meet with local residents to interview and capture their memories of life in Palm Desert throughout the years. We need volunteers who are willing to receive training on how to interview and/or record oral histories of designated residents. Appointments are set with the interviewee and confirmed with the HSPD administrative office to reserve a room and the use of a video camera. In addition to volunteers to conduct and record interviews, we need individuals who can edit current oral history recordings for length, utilize video editing software to improve sound quality, digitize older recordings and post videos online at the Historical Society’s YouTube channel.
