In the News

February 24, 2009

Economic times dictate a new job description for librarians — employment guide?

Librarians at North Carolina public libraries will soon be taking on more responsibility — that of "employment guide." They will be tasked with helping patrons conduct job searches and make contact with employers.

Library use generally increases in times of economic hardship as the public seeks inexpensive entertainment and pastimes such as books, movies, and story time. The current climate is no exception. With the steady climb in the unemployment rate, another need has arisen — making job search resources readily available and accessible.

North Carolina governor, Bev Perdue, has declared that her first priority is getting the people back to work. To that end, she recently announced the JobSearch Help Desk.

Starting in March, the Help Desk will train librarians to meet the needs of job searchers by holding regional training sessions in nine locations throughout the state. The sessions will cover Internet resources, online databases such as NC LIVE, a statewide online resource maintained by a consortium of 200 public and academic libraries, online employment tools (e.g., local and state job lists), and print materials.

Once trained, librarians can act as "employment guides" and direct customers to the appropriate in-house or community resources, such as job fairs, books, and workshops on resume-writing and interviewing.

Source links: Citizen-Times.com , StarNewsOnline.com