Volunteer at JBI
Image: A pair of JBI volunteers, one recording at the microphone, and the other directing
JBI volunteers are essential partners in our work to make Jewish life and culture accessible for people with blindness, low vision, and print disabilities. We welcome individuals and groups looking to make a real impact on others’ lives by supporting our mission of inclusion. Located in Midtown Manhattan, JBI offers flexible daytime, evening, and remote opportunities.
Ways to get involved:
Narrating Audio Books If you pass an audition, we will train you. JBI records audio mostly in English but also in Russian and Hebrew. If you are a native speaker of either of these languages, we want to hear from you.
Directing Audio Books Every recording session requires a narrator (who sits inside the recording booth) and a director (who sits outside the recording booth). The director monitors and shapes the level and quality of the recording, and provides editing on-the-go. JBI will train you to do this. You need no professional experience.
Image: A group of JBI volunteers chatting while reviewing books in the recording studio
Quality Control When a recording of an audio book has been completed, it is reviewed by a third party for quality control. This, is an essential part of audio production and we will train you to do it.
Our studio is open from 11am to 7:30pm, Monday through Thursday. We are flexible, and we will work around your schedule.
Over the years, we've had hundreds of volunteers of all ages (minimum age 18, please) and professions. Volunteers meet each other in our lounge (stocked with free coffee, tea and snacks) before and after each session. Many lasting friendships have been formed at JBI over the years.
Please download and fill out this form and email it to our Studio Manager, or fill out the form below.
In addition to studio recordings, JBI has other opportunities to volunteer including:
  • Formatting document files for braille transcription
  • Leading a virtual or in-person book group, poetry workshop, or other program
  • Joining our Call-a-Patron Initiative to contact JBI patrons to chat about books, make new friends, and bring connection to the lives of some of our most isolated community members

Learn more by calling 646-616-3930 or emailing agoodman@jbilibrary.org.
Image: The Gitlins, a pair of JBI volunteers, sitting in the recording booth preparing to read a book Image: A JBI volunteer directing a narrator
Thank you for offering to volunteer at JBI! Please fill out the following fields (required items are marked with *):
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