Dec 21, 2008 6:05 pm US/Central
Recession Weary Turning To Libraries For Services
BALTIMORE (CBS) ―
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These tough economic times have many turning to less expensive forms of job hunting and entertainment.
CBS
These tough economic times have many turning to less expensive forms of job hunting and entertainment. Libraries across the country are seeing an increase in visitors, and consumers are learning that libraries have much more to offer than just books.
Libraries are economical destinations that offers several free services, all of which are becoming invaluable in a tight economy, CBS station WJZ-TV reports.
"I've heard from other people that they've come and found information," said library patron Josephine Donley. "They've helped them get online and look for jobs and there was help writing resumes here," she said.
Donley, like thousands of others, is using free library resources to look for a job. Baltimore's Enoch Pratt Library has joined the growing number of systems offering resume writing and employment search assistance and interview coaching.
"It's wonderful to have people rediscover the library and that they actually are coming to us when they need us the most as well. That's what libraries are here for, so to actually have people coming in and saying, `We need your help,' is wonderful," Dr. Carla Hayden said.
John Damond is manager of the Pratt Business Science and Technology Department. He's increasingly busy helping patrons access Pratt services, especially online.
"For instance, the job center web page has gone up 5o percent and the programming that we do for the public has gone up 90 percent," he said.
Aside from employment services, libraries nationwide are helping save money by offering classes, education and entertainment.
"What they're finding is libraries are a bargain and that they can use the library and save $500 to $600 on things they would normally buy, like bestsellers and DVDs," Hayden said.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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