Beyond Access/IREX initially worked in Nigerian public libraries from 2015 to July 2017. The first phase of the intervention (2015-2016) had involved building up the capacity of librarians in nine libraries in the area of digital skills for the purpose of providing sustainable, inclusive access to information communication technologies and imparting 21st century skills, especially to young women who might otherwise be excluded. This was done in partnership with the Librarian Registration Council of Nigeria (LRCN), Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and five NGOs. The project was expanded in the second phase (2016-July 2017) to seventy (70) libraries. Beyond Access/IREX partnered with local 2 NGOs, 2 Library Champions, LRCN and USPF. The second phase built on the already attained outcomes of the project but with a deeper focus on equipping librarians to know and lead their communities in identifying and exploiting economic opportunities and working alongside partners where possible.

Meanwhile, figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicate that the unemployment rate in Nigeria has been steadily climbing for up to nine consecutive quarters having moved up from 13.9 percent in the third quarter of 2016 to 14.2 percent in the last quarter of the same year¹. In order to support and fit in with the efforts of the government in the creation of jobs and attainment of the development agenda, it became imperative for public libraries to offer services that will increase the employability of their community members and help them identify and utilize economic opportunities.

Furthermore, public libraries all over the world are learning that the provision of needs-based services in response to the challenges of their user communities rather than emphasis on the resources they house is what will make them stand out as relevant and community assets in the 21^st century.² Thus, beyond literacy activities, Nigerian public libraries under the aegis of the Beyond Access/IREX project in Nigeria have started offering services specifically targeted at helping people to acquire new marketable skills and upgrade their digital skills as well as identify and exploit economic opportunities.

References

1.National Bureau of Statistics (2017). Unemployment/Under-employment Report.

www.nigerianstat.gov.ng/download/564

2. Clare County Library (2013). A strategy for public libraries 2013-2017.

www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/library/developments/Public_Library_Strategy_2013-2017

The post Nigerian Public Libraries Helping Job Seekers first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Career Conversations is a monthly program hosted during the school year, with each session focusing on a different field. Some of the job types that were covered during the 2015–16 school year included medicine, STEM, trades/skilled labor, law, business, military and public service, and creative arts. Each session features a panel of field professionals available to answer questions. Some of these questions were given to the speakers before and asked by staff; others were taken from the audience.

Amberlyn Russell, teen services specialist, took the program over from a former colleague. To acquire speakers, she emails coworkers asking for contacts who might be willing to speak with a group on each particular field. Using these connections, the organizers are able to find a wide variety of speakers from all these different careers.

When she was querying the panelists, Russell found one of the questions particularly interesting: “What is the most useful secret skill you need for your job?” No matter what the field, the most common response was communication and people skills. Russell said it was also fascinating to see the huge variety of careers within the different fields. For instance, the legal and criminal justice panel had a district attorney for El Paso County, an investigator for the Colorado Springs Public Defender’s Office, a lieutenant with the Colorado Springs Police Department Violent Crimes Section, a self-represented litigant coordinator, and a member of Pikes Peak Library District security.^[1]

When asked what she attributed to the success of the program, Russell said the advertising that was sent out to the schools and across the library district helped to get the word out, and library staff constantly talked up the program to teens. She also cited the great volunteer panelists who came in, willing to share information with attendees and keep them engaged and curious.^[2]

If you’re interested in offering this kind of program at your library, Russell has a few words of advice. First, partner with the local schools so the program can be advertised more widely. To find panelists, reach out to the community to find as diverse a panel of members as possible. Finally, fashion questions that highlight the different careers.^[3]

Eager for more job training opportunities to provide teens in your community? Check out some of our other career-oriented blog posts below!

Resources

­­­­­­­College Shopping at the Library

Career Resources: Not Just For Adults

Reference

[1] Amberlyn Russell, teen services specialist, in an interview by author, June 15, 2016.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

The post Career Conversations: Job Information for Teens first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The Pros
Library associations are great places to network. In everyday life, you may not get a chance to randomly meet other people in your field, especially not on a regular basis. Yet within an association, one can easily parlay the relationships that are fostered into bigger and better things. You may learn a different way of assisting patrons or even be offered a new and better paying job as a result.

Associations are also great ways of keeping abreast of the latest innovations and technologies that affect our daily work lives. Let’s face it, we don’t all have a lot of time to sit around and read every journal and every article that discusses librarianship. With professional associations some of the best of these ideas are highlighted and discussed with you.

Associations also provide opportunities to flex your leadership skills. Being a member is great, but being an active member can benefit you even more. Taking the lead on a committee can give you management experience you may not get as a reference librarian. This can then give you the proficiency necessary down the road when you feel like advancing your career into library management.

The Cons
I have to admit that one of my first cons is money. Most of these associations require dues annually. For example, ALA membership is $48-$135, depending on your job status, and SLA membership is $40-$200 depending on what your annual salary is. These are just the dues though — they often do not include the cost of attending conferences, in and out of state. While I think it’s great that the fees are on a scale, it is still an extra expense that many of us, right out of school and burdened with school loans, may not be prepared to pay. Another “con” might be whether or not these associations are even necessary in today and tomorrow’s world of internet information globalism. I was reading the November 12, 2014 blog post from Beerbrarian, where he discusses what tools he cannot live without. One of his choices was Twitter because “I can’t afford to go to every conference I’d like to. Library twitter is like a 24/7/365 conference. Articles, blog posts, and other useful items get shared.”

I wonder if Beerbrarian is correct: Are Twitter and other social media sites are all you really need in order to achieve all (or at least most) of the “pros” of professional memberships? Please feel free to discuss and share your thoughts in the comments.

Sources:

http://beerbrarian.blogspot.com/

http://www.ala.org/membership/ala-personal-membership

https://hq.sla.org/cvweb_sla/cgi-bin/memberdll.dll/info?wrp=membershipapp.htm

http://letterstoayounglibrarian.blogspot.com/2014/10/association-membership-for-fun-and.html

The post To Join, Or Not To Join first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Many public libraries have begun to recognize this dilemma, with one of the most notable initiatives coming out of the University Heights branch of Cleveland’s Heights Library. Last month, this branch hosted a series of three career workshops for young adults, called Teen Job Prep. ¹ Topics of discussion included resume writing, best practices for completing job applications, and how to make a good first impression at an interview. The series came to a close with a teen-specific job fair where participants could meet real employers who were willing to hire students.

One of the perks of teen-specific career programming is that many high school students have not yet learned the nuances of job searching that so many adults take for granted. For example, Teen Job Prep addressed some dos and don’ts of making a strong first impression on a potential employer, including not chewing gum during an interview and avoiding low-rise or revealing pants. Moreover, if a teen has never had to apply for a job before, he or she may not even know how to find openings or construct a professional resume. Career resources geared primarily towards teens can highlight these finer points, which may seem monotonous to adults.

Teen Job Prep was a novel and highly useful program to residents of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights area, where the poverty level has reached upwards of 18 percent, but a similar program is key in all socioeconomic environments. In its most recent report, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics counts youth unemployment at 16.3 percent nationwide², far higher than the total April 2014 unemployment rate of 6.3 percent³. BLS defines “youth” as 16-24 year-olds, and this figure is driven even higher if cut off at age 19, the maximum age for Teen Job Prep. Youth unemployment is a problem across the country, and few resources are presently available for the affected.

Providing teens with the tools they need to find a job is an investment that will pay off for years. As people retire later in life, the amount of time today’s youth spend in the workforce will increase. Participants can use what they learn as they move up through their careers and apply for work in the future.

Does your library currently offer career resources or training for teens?

RESOURCES

[1] Akins, E. (2014, April 27). Heights Library presents Teen Job Prep Series and Job Fair for local youth. cleveland.com. Retrieved May 3, 2014, from http://www.cleveland.com/university-heights/index.ssf/2014/04/heights_libraries_presents_tee.html

[2] Employment and Unemployment Among Youth Summary. (2013, August 20). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 27, 2014, from http://www.bls.gov/news.release/youth.nr0.htm

[3] CPS News Releases. (2014, May 2). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 27, 2014, from http://www.bls.gov/cps/

The post Career Resources: Not Just For Adults first appeared on Public Libraries Online.