Why Volunteer

An Invitation to Volunteer in a Whole New Way

Want to put some excitement in your life? Being a Docent at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum can give you rewards you might never have imagined. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to be a volunteer the Docent Guild provides an opportunity for you to find out.

The Guild sponsors a special event, an Information Open House, just for people like you. Beginning at 10:00 am you will meet with current Docents who can tell you firsthand what this volunteer activity entails. During the two-hour event you will see firsthand what Docents do. You will have a chance to get all your questions answered by talking one-to-one with a Docent. To get the date of the next Open House and to sign up please email your name and telephone number to newnixondocents@gmail.com.

Why should you be a volunteer at the Nixon Library?

There are so many reasons–where to start! For one you meet the most interesting people. Our Docents come from all walks of life and bring a lot of varied experiences. Businessmen and women, teachers, police officers, health workers, attorneys–you name it. Working together creates friendships and mental stimulation. Professionals tell us that the rewards of volunteering are enormous to you, your family, and your community. They say the right match can help you to reduce stress, find friends, reach out to the community, learn new skills, and even advance your career. Volunteers experience renewed creativity and motivation.

The Wow Factor

How great is the Nixon Library?

The OC Register wrote: “The Nixon Library reopened in Yorba Linda after a $15 million re-imaging-more interactivity, eye-catching graphics, historical honestly – that includes 70 new exhibits, more than 300 artifacts that have never before been displayed, and an even-handed approach illustrating the 37th president’s success and failures.” Wow!

Docents walk the Walk and talk the Talk

The Richard Nixon Foundation and the National Archives and Records Administration have provided a tremendously rich environment at the Nixon Library for Docents to help preserve the Nixon legacy. From the new state-of-the-art galleries including an authentic Oval Office to the Birthplace to the Helicopter Docents are the grease that make the wheels turn. They tell the stories that help visitors understand history in a new and personal way

Does being a Docent require a big-time commitment?

The good news is that being a Docent gives you a lot of bang for the buck. To get all those wonderful volunteer benefits those who are still employed are required to do only two four-hour shifts per month, scheduled at your convenience. Those not employed put in three four-hour shifts per month. You pick the times that fit your schedule–morning or afternoon, weekday, or weekend.

What about training–what can I expect?

The Docent Guild has a training program that will provide you with all the information you need. You will have trainers who will guide you through the process and give you tips and techniques to make you a successful and fulfilled Docent. Additional information about this can be found in the “Become a Docent” section of this website.

What inspires Docents at the Nixon Library?

We asked Docents what they like best about the time they spend meeting with the public at the Library. Some have many years of service; others are relatively new. Some are retired, some still employed. They live all over Orange Country and in LA and Riverside Counties as well. We have some who commute from Tennessee, Texas, Arizona and Carlsbad, CA. What they all have in common is a passion for history and to tell the Nixon story. What motivates and satisfies them?

Presidential Libraries belong to the American people–You and Me

If you are selected you will become a volunteer in one of 15 official Presidential Libraries under the auspices of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). The Richard Nixon Presidential Library is one of them. They are not actually like your everyday libraries. According to NARA, “The presidential libraries are archives and museums, bringing together in one place the documents and artifacts of a president and his administration.” The Richard Nixon Library gives us a unique and personal look into the life of the 37th President born here in Yorba Linda.

Where are the existing Presidential Libraries? Check out this map

When a president leaves office, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) establishes a presidential materials project to house and index the documents until a new presidential library is built and transferred to the federal government. These are repositories for preserving and making available the papers, records, collections, and other historical materials of every President of the United States since Herbert Hoover (31st President, 1929-1933). In addition to the library services, museum exhibitions concerning the presidency are displayed.

See them all at https://www.archivesfoundation.org/visit/presidential-libraries