Library seeks grant to boost job training

It has been up and running for almost five months and now the Long Branch Public Library wants to take its Virtual Career Center one step further.

The library, with the city's support, is expected to apply for a $20,000 grant from the Gates Foundation this week to help fund an expansion and update of the Virtual Career Center, according to Library Director Ingrid Bruck.

"We are trying to do the career center in a bigger way with the grant," Bruck said.

The grant is a Public Library Innovation Grant administered by the International City/County Management Association made possible by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

If it receives the grant, Bruck said the library will use the funds to update outdated computers at the library, as well as expand on the Virtual Career Center by offering classes to teach marketable skills.

The classes would be part of a newly created Back to Work Transition Program that would run 12 to 16 weeks and offer computer training, leadership workshops and job search assistance for those who register.

The library's Virtual Career Center was launched in August, and it provides a wealth of information to assist the community with all educational and employment goals. It offers resources and tips for selecting a college major, finding a job, interviewing and résumé building.

The career center site, at www.lmxac.org/longbranch, includes relevant resources for working parents, teens, diverse populations and specific information for those re-entering the workforce after an extended leave. The site also offers online library databases for language learning, studying and research.

"If we get the grant, we will update our outdated computers and have job training classes coaching for success in getting a job," Bruck said. "We will have a series of classes to coach people so they will have the job-readiness skills they need."

The career center was designed by Tonya Badillo, the diversity coordinator at the library. It was specifically designed for the Long Branch community and took one year to complete.

After working with the public in the library's Gates Computer Lab for five years, Badillo said common computer trends and information needs became apparent.

"Our community members use the lab to search for jobs, further education needs and learn basic computer skills," Badillo said. "Many are community members that are out of work with limited computer skills and must look for jobs, submit applications and learn new skills to further their education and/or return to the workforce."

She explained that the career center was launched during these difficult economical times with the objective to offer assistance for the currently or soon to be unemployed, as well as to provide resources for students, small business owners and nonprofits.

"I went on-line to see what was out there and see what links would apply for this site and this community based on what I saw from the repeat clients we get," Badillo said. "I thought, maybe it would help if they could do what they come into the library to do right from their home or from any computer.

"Since we launched in August, the site has gotten over 1,600 hits," she said, adding, "We have gotten some really great feedback. People tell us they are amazed at the amount of information they get from the site."

One point that Badillo wants to stress about the site is that there are resources specifically listed for the worker unemployed for a long period of time, as well as how to get over the anxiety of getting back into the workplace.

"We see community members with limited or no computer skills," Badillo said. "And time and time again we see people come in that have to create résumés and submit their applications on-line and they have no computer skills what-so-ever.

"We wanted very specific and local information on our site," she said, adding, "And resources for specific populations, including seniors, teens, Latinos, African Americans, working parents and women."

Educational tools are also provided to assist with college planning, including resources for both parents and students that offer timelines, practice standardized tests and resources for choosing a college or major.

The site also hosts resources for business startup, tax information, management tools and free business forms. An online computer tutorial page is included with resources to learn basic and advanced computer skills for free.

"With the economy the way it is, we were seeing an influx of people coming in here without jobs," Bruck said. "The center was tailored to Long Branch and based on the Long Branch population we saw coming in here.

"It is pretty incredible," she said, adding, "We have been asked to show other libraries what we have done and they are going to use our template to start their own."

The Web site provides assistance with the following goals:

• Job search resources: with tips on interviewing and resume writing

• College planning: college selection and major information, test prep, practice exams and other information

• Back to work help: specific resources for those re-entering the workforce after long-term unemployment

• Computer training: computer training online on the patron's own time, tutorials for basic computer skills, Microsoft applications and other options

• Youth employment resources: summer jobs, training, job search and time management tips

• Diversity specific resources: resources for specific populations including seniors, teens, Latinos, African Americans, working parents, ex-offenders and others

• Nonprofit and entrepreneur resources: resources for starting and/or managing a business including forms, tax links, grant information and more. For more information, call Tonya at 732-222-3900, ext. 235.