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!

Jackson-George Regional Library System Recognizes Volunteers

Mississippi Library Commission Executive Director Hulen Bivins was the guest speaker at the Jackson-George Regional Library System's 32nd Annual Volunteer Awards Reception at the Pascagoula Public Library on Tuesday, February 13. Along with a luncheon, the volunteers attending from the nine branch libraries received a certificate recognizing their service and a chance for door prizes.

The Rita Krebs Genealogy Volunteer of the Year was given to Mississippi Digital Library for their assistance in helping digitize collections for the genealogy library. The Mary Ann Louviere Youth Services Volunteer of the Year was presented to Aric Wirtz from the Ocean Springs Library with 181 hours of service. The Flora S. Scholtes Volunteer of the Year was presented to Estelle Nettles from the Moss Point Library with 290 hours of service. The Friends of the Pascagoula Public Library won the Friends of the Library 2019 award which was presented by Library Director Lori Barnes. This award is given for outstanding support for Friends projects, program sponsorships, fundraising efforts, and membership drives for the library.

“Volunteers donated nearly 8,000 hours of service to the library system for 2018 and is the equivalent of more than four full-time employees,” said library director Lori Barnes. “We couldn’t do all we do without them,” she said.

You can see more photos of the event on the library's Facebook page. Visit the library's website for more information about their Friends groups and locations. For more information on setting up a Friends group at your Mississippi library, MLC is here to help. Volunteering at your library is a great way to give back to your community. We appreciate these hardworking individuals and their contributions to the Mississippi library world.

Meet MLC Monday: Nathan McCoy

Meet Nathan McCoy, Facilities Maintenance at the Mississippi Library Commission! Nathan helps make sure our beautiful building is cleaned daily and that the grounds are kept up. He has been working at MLC for about two and a half years and says that it's a great place to be employed. He says he's always meeting new people, plus he really likes the other staff who work here.

Nathan says, "Libraries are important because people use them to find information they need and to find books to read." He enjoys George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series and playing soccer. His true joy are his two girls, who he says love to dance, love to play softball, and love their cell phones. We're pretty sure Nathan is on that list, too.

Meet MLC Monday: Wesley Von Hoene

Meet Wesley Von Hoene, who began working at the Mississippi Library Commission as a Systems Administrator last August. He helps with the maintenance and upkeep of computers and software. He is also assisting Mississippi public libraries with Office 365 migrations. Wesley holds associate degrees in Computer Networking and Cyber Security, as well as certifications in Comp TIA/TestOut's A+, Network+, and Security+. He is currently working on his CCNA.

Wesley likes working at MLC because of the opportunities to learn and expand. He enjoys problem solving and enlightening analytical questions and adds, "I really enjoy the atmosphere at MLC and the people I work with are some of the finest people I’ve had the privilege of meeting."

Wesley says,  "I like libraries because, starting thousands of years ago, they began serving as storehouses of our history. If it weren’t for libraries, a lot of information would have been lost. Libraries are a way for people to pool all their information together and create a valuable wealth of knowledge for everyone."

Wesley was an avid reader when he was in college. The Harry Potter series is his favorite set of books. He also enjoys watching sports, deep sea fishing, video games, and movies. He quips, "It is fascinating seeing how far Elon Musk has brought space travel through SpaceX."

On the Road with MLC: Mid-Mississippi Regional Library System

Small towns in Mississippi are like brilliant gems. They are filled with bits of times-gone-by, but also the promise of great things to come. It is an honor for me to have the opportunity to visit such places and feel the commitments of the residents to their little community.

Recently I hit the road with Library Consultant Louisa Whitfield-Smith. Even though it was our first trip together, I knew we our library visits would be fun because we share mutual thoughts and ideas. We were headed to Mid-Mississippi Regional Library System (MMRLS) to meet with their director Josh Haidet. I visited the Kosciusko Library a year ago, but never had the opportunity to see the other twelve branches.

We started at the Attala County Library, the headquarters of the system, and Josh gave us a great tour of the library. The building is filled with light and has all the components of a great library, like a teen area, a children's area, and an outstanding genealogy department.

After a wonderful visit with several staff members, we headed to the Winston County Library in Louisville. The county seat of Winston County, Louisville has over 6,000 residents. Hard hit by a tornado in 2014 when ten residents were killed, the community has bounced back and is going strong. The library has a lovely space, an accomplished branch manager, Beth Edwards, and highly qualified staff.

Beth showed us around the library and told us about some of the neat things they do. She is a big believer in public relations (a lady after my heart) and showed us Thank You cards the children's librarian has drawn. Kids who visit the library or participate in library activities sign them. Then the library sends them to local businesses that fund programs and projects... how clever!

 
Our next stop was the Carthage Library in Leake County. This community boasts a population of over 5,000. The library has a wonderful children's area with new Playaway Launchpads purchased with funds from an Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS) LSTA grant. These easy-to-use tablets have preloaded content for kids that help them learn while they're having fun.

The final stop that day was the Walnut Grove, also located in Leake County. With a population of almost 2,000 residents, this community has a relatively new library that is incredibly cozy.

Located next to a walking track that features workout stations, this awesome library is brimming over with great books and programs for the residents of Walnut Grove. Of course, we had to take advantage of the location before heading back to Kosciusko!

I got some really great ideas from visiting Mid-Mississippi that day. They create an annual "scrapbook" at each branch that includes visitors, programs, events, and all the rest of the fun stuff going on in each library. What a great tool to share with potential funders so they can see how monies are spent! Also, each branch hosts "Souper Tuesdays"; homemade soup is made available to all patrons and the recipes are shared right along with the hot food. What a great idea for a cold, wintry day!

We have several more libraries to visit at MMRLS and we're excited for our return trip. Thanks to Josh Haidet and all the folks who made us feel so welcome!

On the Road with MLC: Jackson George Regional Library System

Creative communities have a different feel, like something exciting is about to happen at any moment. I've always gotten that feeling when I visit Ocean Springs. It is so picturesque and quaint, with its streets lined with galleries and eateries, that I get swept up in the atmosphere of the place. Recently I had the chance to travel to this lovely community with two of my colleagues, MLC Consultants Shellie Zeigler and Louisa Whitfield-Smith. We met up with Lori Barnes, Jackson-George Regional Library System Director, and several of her qualified staff at one of the charming eateries along the oak-lined main street.

After a lively discussion and a hearty lunch, we headed out to the St. Martin branch to see the new teen area funded by an Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS) LSTA grant. St. Martin is a fast-growing community in Jackson County with a population of almost 8,000. With a highly rated school system, it is the perfect community for families.

When we arrived at the St. Martin Library, we were greeted by Branch Manager Meg Henderson; she was ready to show us around her wonderful library. As we headed inside, Meg was proud to show off a community garden space filled with edible greens. What a great way to promote healthy eating habits to members of the community! The project has also allowed the library branch the opportunity to partner with the MSU Extension Service and the Pine Belt Master Gardeners.

The branch was filled with activity when we moved inside. The new teen area was easy to spot and we immediately gravitated that way. It turned out to be a fun, lively space to engage teens in reading and studying. There were computers designated for teen use, along with a table for studying that users are encouraged to use as notepads. This library tries hard to instill a love of libraries in their youth and it's definitely working!

At the back of the library, a large public computer area was filled with patrons. This is a well-used library with very knowledgeable staff who are filled with creative ideas.

With one last quick word, we made our way to the door for the ride home. Filled with a great lunch and lively conversation about all-things-library, we hit the road north for Jackson. Special thanks to Lori Barnes and all the great folks with Jackson-George Regional Library System for a perfect day. They dropped some tantalizing tidbits about programs and such going on at their other branches. We can't wait for them to invite us back for another consulting visit!

Meet MLC Monday: Natalie Dunaway

Meet Natalie Dunaway, Continuing Education Coordinator at the Mississippi Library Commission! Natalie works with our team of Library Consultants and the Library Development administration to build and produce workshops and educational resources for librarians across the state. She joined MLC's staff in October of 2017. She holds a bachelor's degree in Anthropology with a dual minor in Japanese and English and a master's degree in Asian Studies.

Natalie says one of the many reasons she loves working for MLC is the advocacy work done for libraries. "Libraries are such crucial parts of the community and community development. They are essentially educational gateways."

Natalie likes to read and has made it a goal to read even more books this year. Her favorite book from 2018 was Educated by Tara Westover. She also really likes to watch movies and speak Japanese.