Developing Career Resources in Public Libraries
Caution: Starting New Services May Come with Pitfalls
To overcome the challenges of providing career help at the public library, it may be helpful to look at what others are doing. One section of this website highlights Role Model programs, but there is also some general advice from librarians who have already undertaken the task.
Some Basics
Training Librarians
The internet has rapidly changed the way people search for and find jobs. In fact, that is one reason public libraries are so essential in providing career help because they provide both access and expertise. However, even with good intentions, librarians may not be trained to help. E-government is being touted as a function of public libraries but librarians may not be qualified to help with complicated forms or even to direct people to the right resources (Jaeger & Bertot, 2009). Unemployment benefits and other forms of federal aid, along with job applications, may fall under what patrons expect librarians to know.
In New Jersey, hundreds of librarians were trained by workforce development to deal with workers in crisis and learned where to point them both for state and federal assistance (McCarthy & Tumulty, 2010). One librarian said their urban library turned into a triage center for the unemployed and librarians were often asked to deal with vulnerable and emotional patrons (Gronowska, 2009). E-government and basic business training for staff may help programs run more smoothly. That said, there may not be time or money to provide formal training for librarians. Workforce development officers may be able to devote hours to being at the library or volunteers may supply extra expertise (Bernardi, 2005). Just as with Funding, looking for logical partners is good way to get librarians up to speed. Truth in advertising may also help. The public library cannot solve every career need for every patron. Be clear and honest about what the library can and will do in terms of career help (Gronowska, 2009).
Liability Concerns
One of the biggest concerns for librarians is the question of liability. Ben Haines posted his concerns to the PubLib listserv in the midst of a recession, "When a patron doesn't get a job after taking the librarian's advice on how to write their cover letter, I can't help but think that the librarian (and not chance, the economy, or the patron's interviewing skills) will take the blame. This could conceivably result in lawsuits, and it will certainly result in sour patron relations," (May 6, message). To avoid liability, Haines' library was bringing in human resources professionals to review resumes, but he also saw that as outsourcing a job that librarians could do (Haines, 2009). As long as the library is clear about aims and objectives, it is unlikely a lawsuit will have weight in court, but these concerns reinforce the need for staff training and clear objectives in providing career resources.
Librarians can proofread resumes but should make it clear there is no guarantee the patron will get a job as a result of coming to the library. Focus more on introducing people to tools and resources instead of giving authoritative advice. There are hundreds of Resources available for librarians to get started and to brush up on their knowledge.
Internet Job Searching
There are so many options out there, patrons may come in feeling overwhelmed. It is important for librarians to have a sense of the tools, especially classifieds used in the local community and free websites that can store resumes or provide accounts (McDermott, 2009). In fact, knowing where to look is half the battle.
McDermott (2009) suggests thinking outside the box and helping some users navigate Craigslist or other nontraditional job sites. In terms of using social networking to job search, there needs to be a critical mass of users also wanting to social network for the site to be effective. According to McDermott (2009), Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook have reached the point where they have enough users to actually make a difference.
A role libraries might consider playing is educating users on how to separate professional social networking from personal or how to find out what is being said about them on the web. According to Schwabel (2009), one in five hiring managers conduct background checks using social networks. Eighty percent of job offers come through networking (Schwabel, 2009), so even if it is not the social media kind of networking, librarians need to be aware of this important step in career help.
Since computers are so central to career help in today's libraries, maximizing computer terminals and broadband is essential (Jerrard, 2009). Some suggestions include keeping the library's wireless on overnight and making it available outside the building, designating certain hours as "career" hours on computers and taking time limits off machines for people to fill out job applications (Jerrard, 2009).
To Really Hit a Home Run
Many libraries are incorporating parts of the above listed advice, but there is evidence that more help is needed. Jerrard (2009) says career services may need to be treated as a department within the library for medium to large institutions. Since there is such a need during a recession, Jerrard (2009) proposes that this may be the most important reference work librarians will be doing and resources should be allocated accordingly.
In a study of libraries serving poor areas, Armstrong, Lord and Zelter (2000) found that providing career-help in English wasn't enough. Patrons had a need for worksheets and career search software to be available in multiple languages (Armstrong, Lord & Zelter, 2000). While this may not be feasible for every library, consider partnering with a language department in a local community college or an ethnic religious group to translate resume guides and other materials.
There are hundreds of examples, big and small, of how libraries are providing career help. Check them out on the Role Model Programs page.
Some Basics
- Try not to overlap with career services already offered in the area. Finding out what patron and community needs are is the key to a successful program.
- Presenters can be great resources to use but make sure they know what is expected of them and what to expect from you. It is probably smart to get something in writing. This is important even if the presenter is not getting paid (Lear, 2002).
- Whether or not a librarian is doing the teaching themselves, the presenter must be aware of skill levels of the patrons. In his book on library programming, Raymond Ranier (2005) says a structured class setting may be best to teach computer skills, because people may not even understand the basics like "'link', 'center' and 'backspace'," (p. 71). In fact, helping people get an email address where they receive job information may be a first step (Jerrard, 2009).
- Do not assume that because patrons belong to a certain age group or occupation that they know how to search online classifieds or fill out an online application.
- If the library does host a class, make sure people have time to practice (Rainer, 2005).
Training Librarians
The internet has rapidly changed the way people search for and find jobs. In fact, that is one reason public libraries are so essential in providing career help because they provide both access and expertise. However, even with good intentions, librarians may not be trained to help. E-government is being touted as a function of public libraries but librarians may not be qualified to help with complicated forms or even to direct people to the right resources (Jaeger & Bertot, 2009). Unemployment benefits and other forms of federal aid, along with job applications, may fall under what patrons expect librarians to know.
In New Jersey, hundreds of librarians were trained by workforce development to deal with workers in crisis and learned where to point them both for state and federal assistance (McCarthy & Tumulty, 2010). One librarian said their urban library turned into a triage center for the unemployed and librarians were often asked to deal with vulnerable and emotional patrons (Gronowska, 2009). E-government and basic business training for staff may help programs run more smoothly. That said, there may not be time or money to provide formal training for librarians. Workforce development officers may be able to devote hours to being at the library or volunteers may supply extra expertise (Bernardi, 2005). Just as with Funding, looking for logical partners is good way to get librarians up to speed. Truth in advertising may also help. The public library cannot solve every career need for every patron. Be clear and honest about what the library can and will do in terms of career help (Gronowska, 2009).
Liability Concerns
One of the biggest concerns for librarians is the question of liability. Ben Haines posted his concerns to the PubLib listserv in the midst of a recession, "When a patron doesn't get a job after taking the librarian's advice on how to write their cover letter, I can't help but think that the librarian (and not chance, the economy, or the patron's interviewing skills) will take the blame. This could conceivably result in lawsuits, and it will certainly result in sour patron relations," (May 6, message). To avoid liability, Haines' library was bringing in human resources professionals to review resumes, but he also saw that as outsourcing a job that librarians could do (Haines, 2009). As long as the library is clear about aims and objectives, it is unlikely a lawsuit will have weight in court, but these concerns reinforce the need for staff training and clear objectives in providing career resources.
Librarians can proofread resumes but should make it clear there is no guarantee the patron will get a job as a result of coming to the library. Focus more on introducing people to tools and resources instead of giving authoritative advice. There are hundreds of Resources available for librarians to get started and to brush up on their knowledge.
Internet Job Searching
There are so many options out there, patrons may come in feeling overwhelmed. It is important for librarians to have a sense of the tools, especially classifieds used in the local community and free websites that can store resumes or provide accounts (McDermott, 2009). In fact, knowing where to look is half the battle.
McDermott (2009) suggests thinking outside the box and helping some users navigate Craigslist or other nontraditional job sites. In terms of using social networking to job search, there needs to be a critical mass of users also wanting to social network for the site to be effective. According to McDermott (2009), Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook have reached the point where they have enough users to actually make a difference.
A role libraries might consider playing is educating users on how to separate professional social networking from personal or how to find out what is being said about them on the web. According to Schwabel (2009), one in five hiring managers conduct background checks using social networks. Eighty percent of job offers come through networking (Schwabel, 2009), so even if it is not the social media kind of networking, librarians need to be aware of this important step in career help.
Since computers are so central to career help in today's libraries, maximizing computer terminals and broadband is essential (Jerrard, 2009). Some suggestions include keeping the library's wireless on overnight and making it available outside the building, designating certain hours as "career" hours on computers and taking time limits off machines for people to fill out job applications (Jerrard, 2009).
To Really Hit a Home Run
Many libraries are incorporating parts of the above listed advice, but there is evidence that more help is needed. Jerrard (2009) says career services may need to be treated as a department within the library for medium to large institutions. Since there is such a need during a recession, Jerrard (2009) proposes that this may be the most important reference work librarians will be doing and resources should be allocated accordingly.
In a study of libraries serving poor areas, Armstrong, Lord and Zelter (2000) found that providing career-help in English wasn't enough. Patrons had a need for worksheets and career search software to be available in multiple languages (Armstrong, Lord & Zelter, 2000). While this may not be feasible for every library, consider partnering with a language department in a local community college or an ethnic religious group to translate resume guides and other materials.
There are hundreds of examples, big and small, of how libraries are providing career help. Check them out on the Role Model Programs page.
