Results

Today the EZ hosted the first ever Resume Writing Workshop for the library. We had 13 people in attendance which allowed for an intimate atmosphere, with a lot of questions being asked and answered. Dr. Jadwick was exceptional, and used props for examples, along with an excellent PowerPoint presentation. I was a bit disappointed that several of the EZ regulars were not in attendance, but for a first event it was still decent.

In other news 7 people have now signed up for the Workforce Alliance mobile unit that is scheduled for next Monday. We have also decided to change the time of the EZ on Thursdays from 9-12pm on Thursdays to 1-4:30pm. I am hoping that the later time will draw more people in, plus with having one morning slot and one afternoon slot this gives our patrons more flexibility.

EZ Update

Last Wednesday on page 4 of the Delray Forum there was an article dedicated to our upcoming EZ event in November. On November 3rd from 10-12 the EZ will be presenting a resume workshop in the library's large meeting room. I have had announcements strategically placed all over the library for the last month or so, and have been giving out handouts to patrons who are interested. I also went to several community centers in Delray Beach, and the Chamber of Commerce to give them handouts on the program. Plus, the following week the Workforce Alliance will be visiting to help people look for jobs, etc. They have a mobile unit that will be parked in our lot on November 8th from 2-5pm. So far only 4 people have signed up for this, which doesn't surprise me, since the EZ basically offers the same services minus the bus. I visited the Lake Worth public library a few weeks ago when they had a smaller mobile unit there and the driver/IT guy told me they had 11 participants for the afternoon.

The EZ has slowed down a bit since August, and we are unsure if this is due to people giving up, moving away, being able to afford laptops, finding work, etc. Monday has now become the busier day, when before Thursday was always busier. We plan on moving the Thursday time to the afternoon in 2011, and hope that that will bring in larger numbers of patrons. We seem to get a lot of people that arrive around 11am, which reinforces my theory that those looking for jobs are late risers. Staff continues to hand out flyers and mentions the EZ whenever patrons complain about the time management software, or lack of time on the public PCs. The EZ has been mentioned in the Sun Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, and Delray Forum multiple times now, along with being mentioned on the library's facebook page. This level of advertising along with word of mouth should have us at capacity, but as I mentioned we have slowed down. If the two November events fail to bump our numbers up, a strategy session will need to be planned.

EZ Press Release

NEWS RELEASE
Delray Beach Public Library FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
100 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33445

DATE: October 11, 2010
CONTACT: Bonnie Stelzer, Director of Community Relations
PHONE: 561-266-9490
FAX: 561-266-9757
WEBSITE: www.delraylibrary.org

The Delray Beach Public Library Reaches Out to
Job Seekers

Job seekers are encouraged to check out the Delray Beach Public Library’s Empowerment Zone (EZ), located in the 2nd floor Technology Center at 100 West Atlantic Avenue. Several FREE programs will be offered by the Empowerment Zone during the month of November 2010 including computer classes for the beginner to experienced user.

* On Mondays and Thursdays, from 9:00 a.m. – 12 noon Library card holders can visit the Empowerment Zone to receive help with Job Searching, Resume Creation and Critique, Typing practice, and assistance with E-Government Services including food stamps and unemployment applications.

* On Wednesday, November 3rd at 10:00 a.m. the Library’s Empowerment Zone will offer the first in a series of programs for job seekers with an in-depth, Resume Writing Workshop presented by Doreen K. Jadwick, Ed.D., Employment Specialist, Palm Beach State College. This program is FREE and open to the public. Space is limited so arrive early!

*On Monday, November 8, 2010 from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. the Library’s Empowerment Zone will co-sponsor the Workforce Alliance mobile resource unit. The mobile unit, equipped with multiple workstations, will be strategically placed in the Delray Beach Public Library’s parking lot and will offer internet access computer stations, and staff professionals who are available to help job seekers prepare resumes, do on-line job searches, register on the employment website Employ Florida (www.employflorida.com), discuss career opportunities and provide current information on available jobs.

For further information on the many FREE programs and services offered to the community by the Delray Beach Public Library, contact the Director of Community Relations at 561-266-9490 and for further information on the Empowerment Zone please contact Brian Smith at 561-819-6405.

# # #

Steal this Blog from Ask-A-Librarian

So you’ve just finished watching your favorite TV or news program, or listening to your favorite radio show. For the last hour, they touted the brilliance of someone’s latest novel or nonfiction read. The damage is done – your interest is piqued. All you’re thinking now is, “I’ve got to read this book.”



You… and maybe just a few other people. (Anyone remember Tickle-Me Elmo?) Well, the first step is to head straight to your library’s catalog – either in-person or online – and see if you’ve beaten the rest of those viewers or listeners to the punch. Your library may have anticipated the wave of heightened interest and ordered extra copies, so you may be able to stake your claim then and there. But if not – if your library’s copies are already checked out – make sure you place a hold on that title. Your library will put you on a waiting list just for that title. As the items are returned, they are set aside for those next on the waiting list. Your library will notify you as soon as your book is ready. And if for some reason your library doesn’t own a copy of the book, don’t despair - your library’s Interlibrary Loan service may be able to borrow the book from another library system.



Your library’s catalog lets you place holds – and sometimes even Interlibrary Loan requests – online from the convenience of your computer. If you need help finding a book, placing a hold, or just getting more information on how to place an Interlibrary Loan request through your library, visit Ask a Librarian today and get live help from a real Florida librarian. No matter what you’re looking for, we’ll help you find it.



What can we help you with today?



Ask a Librarian provides Florida residents with live chat services with a real Florida librarian from 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday (ET), and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday (ET). You can also send an e-mail your local library’s staff.

PBCLA 1st Quarterly Meeting 9/10/2010

Yesterday afternoon I attended my third Palm Beach County Library Association meeting at the Palm Beach Gardens campus of Palm Beach State. It was a good opportunity to network with fellow library professionals in the area, and there was an excellent presentation on Twitter by Jenny Saxton, Reference Librarian, Miami Dade College Kendall Campus. I have twice signed up for Twitter, and twice forgotten my user name and log in information. After yesterday's presentation I am thinking of trying out the whole "the third time is a charm" cliche. If you would like to watch the presentation point your browser here. And the link to her handout can be found here.

Long Time No Blog

It has been over a month since I have updated my blog. I had a feeling when I started it that there would come a time when I would lose some interest.
But, this week I feel that the Empowerment Zone could use some news updating.



Last Thursday (August 12) we had a dozen people use the Empowerment Zone and it seems like things are really revving up. Yesterday we had a half a dozen people use the room, and Mondays have typically been slower than Thursdays. My reasoning for using Monday (besides the ease of scheduling the room) is that people would be looking for jobs first thing Monday morning just like most employed folks head off to work first thing. This does not seem to be the case as many patrons are showing up after 10am to use the Empowerment Zone. We also seem to be getting a lot of people that come at 11am, which means they only get one hour in the Zone. I have been trying to encourage people to come at 9am since that enables them to have the most time, and I am now writing down what time people are signing in for further research.

Another new thing I have been doing in the Empowerment Zone is a survey of how people heard about the EZ. Most of the respondents either heard about it from a friend, or from a library worker. So far no one has reported reading about it in the local papers (although we have had several articles published, and it is in the events portion of the Palm Beach Post) and only one person reported reading about the EZ in the monthly library calendar. This leads me to believe that word of mouth advertising from staff is the most important way that we can let people know about the Zone. Every time someone complains about the lack of computer time, or the time management software, or the length it takes to fill out various egov forms, I tell them that they can come Monday and Thursdays from 9-11am in the Tech Center and work for three hours straight on the computers in there.

Yesterday I submitted an online application to present on the EZ at the 2011 Florida Library Association in Orlando. My goal is a 60 minute presentation on the creation, and evolution of the EZ here at my library, along with steps for other public libraries to follow if they want to incorporate a similar program. I am hoping to get accepted since I think this would be good experience for me presenting to a large group, and the exposure for my library would be worthwhile as well. Someone I work with mentioned that I do not have enough to present on, but I hope to prove them wrong. And since the conference isn't until next spring I have plenty of time to come up with material for the presentation. Other people have been more encouraging.

Finally, someone from Palm Beach State College who works in the Career Center, and holds a doctorate in education, has agreed to give a resume and career workshop for us in November. I am very excited about this event since it was difficult locating a guest speaker, and this event should draw people to the library that I can then tell about the Empowerment Zone. The tentative date for this is November 15th, from 10am-12pm. I will be working with our PR person to fully advertise the event.

Other than that things have been pretty typical around the library lately. In one month I will reach my 2 year mark here, and I am developing a new project now that the EZ is up and running. To be continued...

EZ Pics as Promised

I was planning on taking some pictures of the Empowerment Zone last Thursday, but then the AC went out in our building and I didn't want to move, yet alone take any pictures. Today we had a good turnout (6 people) with some new faces, and I took some pictures that I will be using for my SSLLI Graduation Presentation.

Check them out!