Middletown Township Public Library creates Job Help Center for Local Job seekers
By Alyssa Rosen, Middletown Township Public Library
When I first started working as a librarian for the Middletown Township Public Library in Monmouth County, New Jersey in August 2010, I received what I considered to be an odd assignment—to revamp the library programs that help people find jobs. As someone who worked at libraries since I was 14, it hadn’t occurred even to me that libraries could help job seekers. I sat at my desk for the first few weeks of my new job staring at the computer screen, trying to figure out what kind of events and programs we could offer that could possibly help someone find a job.
Then, I discovered a list of email addresses another librarian put together, of people interested in job information. I sent out an email (BCC, of course, to protect the privacy of the recipients), asking people what they wanted to learn about. They answered that they wanted tips on resume writing, interviewing, and classes teaching computer skills. We had the benefit of a 15 station computer lab, so I began working with the other librarians to expand our schedule of computer classes. I brought in speakers to talk about how the process of interviewing had changed since ten, or even, five years ago. I taught classes on how to research jobs online, and helped guide people through résumé revision using well-regarded books and websites. Everything was free and open to the public.
The library’s foundation was generous enough to provide me with a budget– so I was able to pay speakers, and do extras like set out some coffee and cake to life the spirits of the job seekers who attended events. At every event, I passed around a legal pad, and asked if the attendees wanted to join a jobs email list. Then, I sent out emails every week or so about upcoming events at the library, local job fairs, etc., that might be helpful. In 2011, the Job Help Center, as we now called ourselves, received a grant from the New Jersey Library Association. We began to reach out to help local entrepreneurs, and provide financial literacy classes. By the spring of 2012, the Job Help Center was off the ground: we had over 200 people on the e-mail list, and some well-celebrated job “landings,” by Job Help Center participants, who seemed to have formed a virtual community.
NHN
Career Transition
Support & Networking
Thursday nights
Ridgewood Library
7:00 – 9:00 PM
Library Art Studio
Required
Call John Fugazzie
at 201-262-0103
