Library Latest Links: Job Seekers Turn to Public Libraries for Computer and Internet Access during Economic Recession

A recent article in USA Today reports that libraries across the country are “filling up” with people in dire need of two very important things: Internet access and a new job. Nearly two-thirds of America’s libraries report these uses of the library as “critical”.

In addition to free Internet, here’s some services that are becoming popular to help those on the job hunt:

• Résumé-writing classes
  Libraries such as the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore are eager to help you learn how to prioritize your objectives, choose keywords, and get your resume in the “yes” pile. Attendance for these classes is supposedly skyrocketing.

• Touch-screen career center kiosks
  To make it even easier for those who are at the library for the sole purpose of job searching, some libraries set up touch-screen computer kiosks that highlight local jobs, resources, and opportunities. These career centers are great because they open up the libraries’ other computers for other uses.

• Check out a laptop!
  Boston’s Waltham Public Library told USA Today that its five laptops have already been rented out 1,000 times in three months! Sometimes, having a laptop to yourself means being able to go somewhere in the library that’s more private and will allow you to really concentrate on that job application or cover letter.

• In-depth guides and how-to tutorials
  The Multnomah Public Library in Oregon lists these helpful documents according to topic on their Web site, with subjects ranging from “Industry Standards” to “Smart Choices for Tough Times”. The guides are composed of videos, event listings, to-the-point articles, and numerous links to other helpful sites.

It’s great to see so many people utilizing this valuable public resource to help them advance to the next stage in their lives. Maybe, you’re reading this blog from a library right now! We would love to hear what your local public library does to help people get a job or your experience job hunting at your local library.