libraries at the front lines of workforce recovery jennifer peterson, webjunction pala annual,...

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

Dis

cove

ry &

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





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

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

• 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)





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 $

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?

[email protected]

Thank you!

libraries at the front lines of workforce recovery jennifer peterson, webjunction pala annual,...

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