PROJECT COMPASS: Libraries Lead the Workforce for the 21St Century

PROJECT COMPASS: Libraries lead the workforce for the 21st Century Ideas from Broward County/Pembroke Pines, May 26, 2011 IDEA GENERATORS FROM BROWARD COUNTY/PEMBROKE PINES

1. Create a brochure/checklist on how to apply for financial aid, search job websites, etc. 2. Develop a program on how to sensitize teens about posting on social networking sites. 3. Establish an online directory of bilingual staff and languages spoken. 4. Invite HR personnel from companies to come in to do training on job skills. 5. Use eye-catching titles in advertisements for job seeker programs. 6. Have city officials visit the library to educate library staff about setting up a small business. 7. Ask people what can be done to help small businesses to find out the needs of our community. 8. Create a post-it board where people can post ideas about saving money. 9. Have PTA in the library and have a financial person from a credit union or bank speak to the group about saving and money management. 10. Partner with social workers. 11. Start a job club or connect patrons to career support groups. 12. Schedule resume (one on one) appointments with librarians. 13. Design training for older adults (reach out to AARP). 14. Stress the importance of social media. 15. Use Libguides. 16. Teach job interviewing in English to bilingual job seekers. 17. Consider Lunch and Learn topics such as city officials providing guidance on grants to small business owners. 18. Host a small business library exchange, a gathering of owners for networking purposes. 19. Use volunteers to offer computer classes. 20. Offer bilingual services on the computers. 21. Partnership with Workforce One for workshops. 22. Conduct a workshop featuring cost-saving tips. 23. Teach teens and children how to open a savings or checking account. 24. Educate patrons on how to check their credit reports. 25. Offer workshops on retirement planning, budgeting, student loans, money management, credit counseling (possibly with the help of the credit union or credit counseling agency). 1 PROJECT COMPASS: Libraries lead the workforce for the 21st Century Ideas from Broward County/Pembroke Pines, May 26, 2011 26. Create checklists of steps on how to apply for different services. 27. Make job site listing more comprehensive, not just indeed.com or jobing.com. 28. Offer a workshop on small business tax preparation, what you need to do to get a business license, where you can find training for employees. 29. Work with city department or community development office to find information for small businesses. 30. Conduct a Lunch and Learn with city officials. 31. Build community partnerships with AARP or HR of Wal-Mart to help their seasonal and part-time employees with job skills. 32. Teach teens the skill sets needed to use technology for job searches and credit report research and help them understand the dangers of social networking. 33. Encourage patrons to volunteer to help with computer skills or use their skills to start a small business. 34. Ask service groups to speak to teens about job skills. 35. Understand that people getting out of prison do not want to come to a class – they need one-on-one help. 36. Work with our local Workforce agency. 37. Give patrons one-on-one help on the spot with creating email addresses and resumes and understanding e-government services. 38. Collaborate with AARP to assist older employment seekers. 39. Offer a workshop featuring a speaker from SBA on how to secure funding for your business. 40. Seek retired executives to offer a program about the “How-Tos” of small business. 41. Talk to the college about conducting a personal finances lecture series for the students. 42. Create/find and print a basic budget form to offer to patrons. 43. Promote alternative choices to our population focusing on how to reduce your spending (i.e., ride your bike, carpool, join a CSA, etc.). 44. Establish a community idea board: ‘How do YOU save money?” 45. Links on our home page for Florida jobs, food stamps, annualcreditreport.com, etc. 46. Create a simple resume template for them to write out before they sit down at a computer.

2 PROJECT COMPASS: Libraries lead the workforce for the 21st Century Ideas from Broward County/Pembroke Pines, May 26, 2011 47. Allow local businesses to post help-wanted ads near the employment kiosk in the library. 48. Create a how-to pamphlet on how to set up an email account. 49. Develop a kiosk or rack specifically for employment seekers and benefits applicants with all the forms and pamphlets in one place (near a computer). 50. Make Wi-Fi available 24-7 so patrons can still access the internet through the library even when we’re closed. 51. Create and maintain contacts with service groups such as Kiwanis, Rotary, and business associations. Create a panel of SBA, SCORE, AARP, Chamber of Commerce, etc. and collaborate on how to help local small businesses. 52. Hold a resource fair within the library. 53. Hang a poster near computers with important urls: employflorida.com, flajobs.gov, myflorida.com/accessflorida, sba.gov, etc. 54. Create some kind of community mentoring program for those seeking employment. 55. Promote greener life choices and discuss how those choices can save money. 56. Partner with local community action/grass roots organizations to determine how we can help our communities. 57. Keep updated printed and electronic calendars of “job seeking” opportunities/events being held at the library and/or in the community. 58. Make sure our technology is user-friendly for those looking for jobs. 59. Create job information pop-ups on our computers. 60. Design various bookmarks that will help patrons with different aspects of job search, unemployment, etc. 61. Recruit bilingual volunteers to help job seekers. 62. Conduct workshops in the library about extreme couponing, how to reduce your electric bill, how to save on groceries, buying a car, etc. 63. Offer free in-house notary services through a volunteer or Friends of the Library. 64. Help create a small business coalition – a group that meets in the library quarterly to share information, resources, and needs. 65. Create a button that says, “Ask me for help if you are seeking a job.” 66. Make sure our library collection relating to these needs is current.