Looking for a Job? Your Library Can Help!

If you're unemployed or looking for a new job opportunity, libraries are the best place to start your search. After all, they offer a wide variety of services and materials for those looking for employment: Wi-Fi, computers, and books on skills improvement, job searching, and resumes. We checked in with the Northeast Regional Library System, headquartered in Corinth, for some recent Mississippi library success stories.

Attendees fill out job applications during the Prentiss County Development
Association's Job Fair at the George E. Allen Public Library in Booneville.

Last August, the George E. Allen Library in Booneville (population 8,693) partnered with the Prentiss County Development Association (PCDA) and provided space for their job fair. The PCDA was impressed that well over 200 attendees showed up for the event. PCDA President Leon Hayes thought the library was the perfect place to hold the job fair because of their meeting space and their Internet-connected public computers. The organization plans to make it an annual event.

Attendees lining up in anticipation of the doors opening at the start of the PCDA job fair.

Meanwhile, staff at the Rienzi Public Library, located in the tight-knit community of Rienzi (population 309), helped patrons who lost their jobs when a local restaurant closed its doors.

It is exciting to know that two of my patrons, who were formerly long term Ryan’s employees, were forced to apply for different jobs because of the shutdown. They came and registered for the computers and I’m happy to report that they both got the jobs that they were wanting. They have since come back with smiles on their faces to inform me. I helped them with their resumes and it was a true joy to hear that. Rienzi patrons tell me regularly that they are truly grateful for the library being here so that they “don’t have to go all the way to town”. Sometimes they can’t because of their financial circumstances or even just convenience.

The staff at the Walnut Public Library knew firsthand how excited their patrons were when the library got new computers in 2016. The citizens of Walnut (population 754) loved the new machines' speed and capacity, which were far superior to the relics they had been using. Many of the patrons used the library's computers to search for jobs, submit resumes, and fill out applications, so the library staff were surprised when computer usage started to drop and regular users stopped coming in as often. Soon, though, the old patrons visited at new times to share their good news; they had found jobs using the library's computers and were now busy working during the day.

Over 365,000 Mississippians headed to public libraries in 2017 to search for jobs and these success stories from the northeast corner of our state are typical for Mississippi's public libraries. The next time you think about searching for a new job, head to your local library!