Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers are an integral part of what makes the recording studio so successful. They narrate the material, run the recording software, review the finished project, and assist with other editing and clerical support tasks.

If you are interested in being part of our team, please look below for more information about the nature of the work, qualifications, and skills required. The studio regularly seeks new reviewers and monitors. If you wish to become a narrator/monitor, we will be happy to add you to our waiting list for an audition. Volunteers are also asked to dedicate at least two hours a week to the studio.

Reviewer

The reviewer acts as a "proof-listener." Listening to the recorded material while reading along with the printed text, the reviewer looks for mistakes in the narration and marks the text for correction.

Qualifications:

• You should have a strong command of the English language and good hearing.
• You should be comfortable with Windows based computer programs.
• You should be able to listen to the recording critically and identify problems such as: errors of pronunciation or interpretation, odd pauses, extraneous noises, or anything else that detracts from the listening experience.

Time Commitment: A minimum of two hours per week.

Contact: volunteers@perkins.org

Monitor

Monitors work in tandem with narrators. While the narrators are reading the material, monitors are simultaneously following along with the written text, catching and then correcting errors during the recording process.

Qualifications:

• You should have a strong command of the English language, good hearing, an ability to read standard text and quick reflexes.
• You should be comfortable with Windows based computer programs.
• You should enjoy being part of a team.
• You should be able to simultaneously follow a written text and a live narration, catching and correcting problems such as: errors of pronunciation or interpretation, odd pauses, extraneous noises, or anything else that detracts from the listening experience.

Time Commitment: A minimum of two hours per week

Contact: volunteers@perkins.org

Narrator/Monitor

In order to produce the highest quality recordings, the studio offers challenging and rewarding opportunities for its narrators. Narrators always pair with monitors and each member of the team usually alternates between narrating and monitoring.  A beautiful voice is a wonderful asset for a narrator, but it's not essential. Much more important are confidence, energy, accuracy, and the ability to "tell the story."  The studio staff provides new narrators with advice and guidance, but good reading skills are something you must possess on your own. Each prospective narrator must complete and pass an audition.

Qualifications:

• You should have little or no foreign or regional accent.
• Your diction is clear, distinct, and readily understandable.
• You can properly pace the reading, and can read without such distractions as lip smacking or frequent hesitations.
• You can accurately convey the thoughts and ideas presented in the printed material.
• You bring the material to life and make the listener want to hear more.
• Your reading is not patterned or monotonous.
• You should be comfortable with Windows based computer programs.
• You should be able to pronounce difficult and multisyllabic words. Here are some examples of words that you might come across as a narrator:

exigency	gubernatorial	nuclear	profligate
obsequious	hallucinatory	detonate	shibboleth
assignation	realtor	bacchanalian	proletariat
vicissitudes	panacea	quiescence	ecumenicity

Time commitment: A minimum of two hours per week in studio, plus preparation time at home. We ask for at least a one-year commitment.

Additional resources for narrators:

• http://www.loc.gov/nls/other/index.html
• http://www.sos.mo.gov/wolfner/sayhow

Contact: volunteers@perkins.org

Other Volunteer Opportunities

Clerical support: Assistance with clerical tasks, such as photocopying books and labeling cassettes,  is always needed. No special qualifications are required besides good hand-eye coordination and a careful attention to detail.

Audio file editors: To ensure the highest caliber of recording possible, we rely upon volunteers for a variety of quality control tasks using digital editing software. Previous experience in sound recording is especially valuable.

Time commitment: a minimum of two hours per week

Contact: volunteers@perkins.org