Libraries at the Front Lines ofWorkforce Recovery
Jennifer Peterson, WebJunctionPaLA Annual, October 2011
• Project Compass Overview• The Library, the Workforce and 21st Century Skills• Pathways to Workforce Recovery
oCore ServicesoJob Seekers
• Break 4:15-4:30oSmall BusinessoPersonal Financial Skills
• Workforce Resources on WebJunction
Agenda
Project Compass is a partnership between WebJunction and the State Library of North Carolina.
It is funded by a grant from The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
Project Compass: Libraries lead the workforce for the 21st Century
Project Compass Year One
• Survey of patron needs and library responses
• Summits with state agency staff (4 f2f, 1 online)
• Launch “Workforce Resources” community of practice on WebJunction
Libraries provide direction in tough times
Project Compass Year Two
•Face-to-face workshops in areas with highest unemployment/highest need
•Other state and regional library conferences
•Online programming and curriculum
•Ongoing resource sharing on WebJunction
Libraries lead the workforce for the 21st Century
The Library, the Workforce and the 21st Century
Project Compass
What are “21st century skills”?
21st century skills for the workforce
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Communication &
Collaboration Technology Literacy,
Media Literacy Flexibility & Adaptability
Social & Cross-cultural Skills Creative Thinking &
Innovation Productivity &
Accountability Teamwork Global Awareness
What’s so new?
Shifting nature of the workforce
It’s a “globally interconnected information economy.”
Lifelong learning
“Lifelong learning is not an option anymore; it’s a necessity!
SMART is the new RICH.”
(Bernie Trilling, 21st Century Skills)
It’s not about what to learn.
It’s about HOW to learn.
What does it mean to be a 21st century library?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
20TH CENTURY LIBRARY 21st CENTURY LIBRARYPrimarily content driven Audience and content drivenMostly tangible objects Tangible and digital objectsOne-way Multi-directionalFocus on presentation and display
Focus on audience engagement, experiences
Acts independently Acts in highly collaborative partnerships
Located in community Embedded in community Learning outcomes assumed,
implied Learning outcomes purposeful
They need the 21st century library.
56 Things
you (your library) can do for workforce renewal
Project Compass
to support families
Start a "coupon exchange club" to help families save money.
Schedule job seeker workshops
to coincide with storytimes
Enlist a mental health professional to provide pro bono workshops on dealing with the stress of job loss.
Place a computer in
the children’s area for
parents to use for job-
seeking
Provide “tough times” info on help with bill paying, food pantry locations, emergency housing, etc.
Invite Ag. Extension to do a workshop on
home vegetable gardening or raising
chickens in the backyard.
Offer just-for-fun family programming on Friday or Saturday nights to help those struggling financially
to spend time together as a family.
Offer workshops on how to live on a restricted income
Introduction to Project Compass Pathways
A checklist of actions to help the workforce
Check what your library has already done
Circle where you would like to focus next
Find resources to help take the next steps
a Pathway is…
4 Pathways
Core Services
Job Seekers
Small Business
Personal Finance
5Sections
Disc
over
y &
As
sess
men
t
Colle
ction
s
Trai
ning
&
Prog
ram
min
g
Colla
bora
tion
Com
mun
icati
on
Yes but need more
Job Seekers Pathway
Remember that these actions are inter-
connected with all the other approaches
Guiding question
Resources for each action
Core Services Pathway
Connecting with community agencies
Providing basic computer skills training
Building partnerships
Marketing and communicating library
services
Why ? People turn to the library to get connected with social services and to acquire basic skills and knowledge.
A workforce-friendly library
Job center with easy access to information
Longer time limits on computers
Convenient hours for programs
to create a friendly place
Offer 5 free resume faxes per week!
Free print copies for job seekers
Remove time limits for computer use for
job seekers
Open early 1-2
days/week for job seekers
only.
Have a flexible phone policy for those in need.
Chat daily with a job-seeker.
Ask what they’re doing and what they need.
Offer free coffee during job center
hours. Can’t afford coffee? Ask a local bank or business to sponsor
it!
Offer one free copy of resume on nice resume paper.
A connection to community services
Social services triage:1. What can the library
do?
2. Who to refer to?
3. How to partner to augment services?
Help in PA
PA Libraries in Action
Carl LongReading Public Library
Christine GochCambria County Library
Kathee RhodeLower Macungie Library
Cindy ParkerFriends Memorial Public Library Jamie BrambleyFulton County Library
Providing Public Access to Computers
Providing Basic Computer Skills Classes
PA Libraries in Action
Carl LongReading Public Library
Christine GochCambria County Library
Kathee RhodeLower Macungie Library
Cindy ParkerFriends Memorial Public Library
Jamie BrambleyFulton County Library
Cambria County Library Links to Core Services
Job Seekers Pathway
Understanding needs of unemployed workers
Connecting job seekers to resources
Providing programs and training
Building partnerships with workforce
development agencies
Why ? Job seekers are still relying on their public library for this support.
to build programs for job seekers
Offer workshops on resume-writing
Create handouts about library services for job seekers
Start a job club
Offer library meeting rooms to local workforce agencies.
Create an online job center
Bookmark popular job search sites on
your public computers
Feature the best of your collection for job seekers in a display or
on your website.
Offer 1-on-1 interview tutoring
PA Libraries in Action
Carl LongReading Public Library
Christine GochCambria County Library
Kathee RhodeLower Macungie Library
Cindy ParkerFriends Memorial Public Library Jamie BrambleyFulton County Library
Career Services via Lower Macungie Library
Host a Job Fair!
Whatever you do, let everyone know about it.
Action: Start a job club at your library
Partner Power
Partnerships are essential in lean times.
Who are your potential partners?
Working with workforce agencies
• Build on existing relationships
• Start the conversation• Explore possibilities• Be patient and persistent
to build community connections
Have a breakfast for the Chamber of Commerce or local politicians to let them know what you are doing.
Learn about local social service agencies, their hours and what they do.
Get your library board
involved!
Create a Social
Services bulletin board
with brochures &flyers from
local agencies
Ask your Workforce Board where you can "fill in the gaps" so you aren't duplicating
already-successful efforts.
Recruit retirees for resume evaluation, interview help and computer tutoring.
Bring in reps from the local
community college to offer student loan workshops
Create a “Help for Hard Times” flyer with community information
Partner for specific programs
• Resume workshop
• Find volunteersin your community
BREAK
• Project Compass Overview• The Library, the Workforce and 21st Century Skills• Pathways to Workforce Recovery
oCore ServicesoJob Seekers
• Break 4:15-4:30oSmall BusinessoPersonal Financial Skills
• Workforce Resources on WebJunction
Agenda
MoreProject Compass Pathways
Supporting Small Business and Entrepreneurs
4 Pathways
Core Services
Job Seekers
Small Business
Personal Finance
Small Business Pathway
Understanding how small business builds local economies
Connecting patrons with resources for small business
Providing training and programs to support small businesses
Why ? Starting new or sustaining existing local business creates jobs and stimulates the local economy.
Pennsylvania Open for Business
Reach out to partner
Backyard Chickensworkshop
SCORE , a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
PA Libraries in Action
Carl LongReading Public Library
Christine GochCambria County Library
Kathee RhodeLower Macungie Library
Cindy ParkerFriends Memorial Public Library
Jamie BrambleyFulton County Library
Small Business Start-up Backpacks
Provided to Friends' Memorial Public Library by University of Pittsburgh at Bradford's Entrepreneurship Program
Business Resources via Lower Macungie Library
to support entrepreneurs
Find partners (like SCORE) to offer business workshops in the library
Create a display of the best of your business
collection
Include a business link on your website home page
Set up a small
business center next to your job
center.
Post an “entrepreneur
readiness” checklist—find one online, like
the SBA’s “20 Questions” guide.
Get out of the library and get to know the small
business community better!
Host networking opportunities for entrepreneurs,
including people in the arts and crafts.
Offer library space for small business meetings
Building Personal Financial Sustainability
Personal Financial
Skills Pathway
Understanding the impact of the economic downturn on personal financial stability
Providing resources, training and programs on applying for social services, refinancing a mortgage, getting out of debt, etc.
Why ? Whether unemployed or not, many patrons need to regain control of their personal finances.
Project Money
Increasing personal financial skills
Uses free web resources
Uses adult literacy program strategies
Existing PA Resources
Consumer Information via Lower Macungie Library
to increase patrons’ financial skills
Offer “penny-pinching” workshops
Offer credit report workshops, including free printing of credit reports
Start a savers club
Provide information
about bankruptcy
– both discreetly
and in workshops.
Provide handouts on 10 steps to financial well-being
(projectmoney.org)
Bookmark financial resources on your
public computers—there are many!
Use a story-time format to highlight
financial topics—get the whole family involved!
$ Offer student loan workshops $
PA Libraries in Action
Carl LongReading Public Library
Christine GochCambria County Library
Kathee RhodeLower Macungie Library
Cindy ParkerFriends Memorial Public Library Jamie BrambleyFulton County Library
Fulton County Library
Select circled areas on pathways for focused actions
Identify relevant strategies, tools, partners, communication plans, etc.
Get a better idea of what success looks like
Your Action Plan
to stay informed
Have the local workforce agency provide workshops to library staff about how to use their services
Create and sustain relationships with local social service agencies.
Collect success stories!
Offer mini-workshops for staff on
social networking
and new tech tools for job
seekers
Assign a "PR" person on your staff to stay in touch with local media and keep the library’s services “top of mind”
Provide “reference interview” training with role playing
and practice
At staff meetings, ask each person to
share an experience with an
un(der)employed patron.
Have “lunch and learn” sessions for staff once a week
Workforce Resources on
WebJunction
WebJunction.org
webjunction.org/workforce-resources
See Member Center for help with: setting up an account,posting to discussions, creating documents.
You can tweet to this hashtag!
See also archive of these tweets
Key Resources
Digital version of each pathway with live links to all resources
All workshop curriculum materials and workbooks Free to download and repurpose
Links to upcoming and archived webinars related to workforce recovery
Content of two online workshops The hashtag! #libs4jobs
Growing Workforce Resources
National community continues to contribute to: Resources Templates Questions/Answers Webinars Twitter #libs4jobs
No contribution or question is too small…all are welcome!
This means YOU!
Stay Involved
State Library of North Carolina
On WebJunctionwebjunction.org/workforce-resources
Crossroads (monthly newsletter)webjunction.org/crossroads
Eventswebjunction.org/events/webinarsQuestions?
Thank you!