Library services for the unemployed
According to a 2010 study of perceptions of libraries, 37% of respondents said that they have used the library more often since the economy tanked. Another study revealed that 10% of the US population used library computers for some kind of job help. Libraries and librarians have therefore been among the first responders for people who have lost their jobs, offering vital unemployment services.
Nowadays many people turn first to Google and other search engines for their information needs. That doesn’t mean that an Internet search can completely satisfy them. It can’t, for instance, help unemployed people identify personalize what they find to fit their own needs. That requires direct communication with another person. Meanwhile, there are about 3,000 government unemployment offices nationwide and more than 16,000 libraries. Government services for the unemployed come with both long wait times and a certain social stigma. Library services carry neither.
Libraries have much more to offer people than simply helping to look for a new job. As a part of their traditional role in fostering lifelong learning, libraries are working to help people learn the new skill sets necessary to succeed in the 21st-century workforce. In particular, libraries offer five kinds of lifelines to the unemployed.
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- Help develop computer literacy
- Support job seekers
- Support local entrepreneurs
- Help develop financial literacy
- Create connections and collaboration
