Image via WikipediaHave you used the resources at your local Public Library?
Do you support your local public library? For the luckiest of job seekers, having a computer and internet access at home is taken for granted and used as a vital tool for the job search. Others, however, don't have those luxuries. Expecially people who have been out of work for a long time and found it impossible to keep paying monthly for these services.
For people who have lost their homes or apartments and are staying with friends and family, being able to get online and look for work is much more of a challenge. For them, the public libraries are a valuable resource. Across the country, most public libraries offer Wi-Fi access and computers that anyone with a library card can use. Although they may only be able to use a computer for an hour or two at a time, just being able to connect to the internet and look for a job can be a lifeline to improving their situation.
I've heard people joking around on many occasions about how the only people who use libraries anymore are just the homeless and seniors who have nothing better to do. This isn't true at all. There was a time in life, a couple of years ago, when I was out of work and had just moved to a new area. My laptop had been stolen and I was living with friends while I found a job. I was willing to take any job I could find, but when I went to local resturants to apply, I was told that I had to submit my application online. Without a computer, there wasn't really any way to accomplish that seemingly simple task.
Enter my local public library. They let me use a computer and internet access. I was plesantly surprised to discover that not only did they have those resources to lend, they also had tons of books about resume writing, networking, cover letters and more. After I was done using the computers, I could borrow a couple of books to take home to keep refining my job search skills. In addition, they had CDs and plently of movies and TV shows on DVD available for loan as well.
Not only did they provide the services I needed to find a new job, they helped keep me sane during the tough time I was going through. Sitting in the house, looking at the classifieds in the newspaper and growing steadily more depressed wasn't getting me anywhere. Instead, I was able to go somewhere each day and I started to feel a semblance of normalacy in having a routine.
These days, public libraries are being used more than ever. Some people use them as a way to check out movies without having to pay for rentals or streaming video services. Others use them to borrow e-books rather than buying them. Many parents with young children take advantage of the childrens' programs and activities in order to spend time with their families without having to spend a lot of money.
According to a recent report from Fast Company, 88% of libraries offer internet access and 75% of them have staff available to help people fill out job applications. Many of them have access to the most current government job listings and they partner with other governement agencies to help provide other services as well.
It's clear that the public library system is still relevant in today's world. This is a notion that local and federal governments seem to have forgotten. In fact, 60% of libraries are reporting budget decreases. Many libraries are being forced to close branches and slash their operating hours. As the unemployment rates continue to be high, what will job seekers do when they aren't able to find a place that offers these resources for free?
If you are out of work and struggling to find resources, and even if you are one of the lucky ones who has access to all of the tools you need, consider supporting your local library with your patronage. As a bonus, there are probably many volunteer opportunities that can give you something to do while you are looking for a job.
If you haven't been to a library in years, make it a point to stop in for a visit.
Do you use the library on a regular basis? If not, why? If so, what do you think the library offers that is the most helpful to you? Let me know in the comments.
Do you support your local public library? For the luckiest of job seekers, having a computer and internet access at home is taken for granted and used as a vital tool for the job search. Others, however, don't have those luxuries. Expecially people who have been out of work for a long time and found it impossible to keep paying monthly for these services.
For people who have lost their homes or apartments and are staying with friends and family, being able to get online and look for work is much more of a challenge. For them, the public libraries are a valuable resource. Across the country, most public libraries offer Wi-Fi access and computers that anyone with a library card can use. Although they may only be able to use a computer for an hour or two at a time, just being able to connect to the internet and look for a job can be a lifeline to improving their situation.
I've heard people joking around on many occasions about how the only people who use libraries anymore are just the homeless and seniors who have nothing better to do. This isn't true at all. There was a time in life, a couple of years ago, when I was out of work and had just moved to a new area. My laptop had been stolen and I was living with friends while I found a job. I was willing to take any job I could find, but when I went to local resturants to apply, I was told that I had to submit my application online. Without a computer, there wasn't really any way to accomplish that seemingly simple task.
Enter my local public library. They let me use a computer and internet access. I was plesantly surprised to discover that not only did they have those resources to lend, they also had tons of books about resume writing, networking, cover letters and more. After I was done using the computers, I could borrow a couple of books to take home to keep refining my job search skills. In addition, they had CDs and plently of movies and TV shows on DVD available for loan as well.
Not only did they provide the services I needed to find a new job, they helped keep me sane during the tough time I was going through. Sitting in the house, looking at the classifieds in the newspaper and growing steadily more depressed wasn't getting me anywhere. Instead, I was able to go somewhere each day and I started to feel a semblance of normalacy in having a routine.
These days, public libraries are being used more than ever. Some people use them as a way to check out movies without having to pay for rentals or streaming video services. Others use them to borrow e-books rather than buying them. Many parents with young children take advantage of the childrens' programs and activities in order to spend time with their families without having to spend a lot of money.
According to a recent report from Fast Company, 88% of libraries offer internet access and 75% of them have staff available to help people fill out job applications. Many of them have access to the most current government job listings and they partner with other governement agencies to help provide other services as well.
It's clear that the public library system is still relevant in today's world. This is a notion that local and federal governments seem to have forgotten. In fact, 60% of libraries are reporting budget decreases. Many libraries are being forced to close branches and slash their operating hours. As the unemployment rates continue to be high, what will job seekers do when they aren't able to find a place that offers these resources for free?
If you are out of work and struggling to find resources, and even if you are one of the lucky ones who has access to all of the tools you need, consider supporting your local library with your patronage. As a bonus, there are probably many volunteer opportunities that can give you something to do while you are looking for a job.
If you haven't been to a library in years, make it a point to stop in for a visit.
Do you use the library on a regular basis? If not, why? If so, what do you think the library offers that is the most helpful to you? Let me know in the comments.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
Thanks for the comment Sandy. For some reason, many people think that libraries are for students, nerds and poor people. But it's still a great resource for everyone.
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