North Carolina Libraries Are Positioned to Aid the Unemployed with Internet-based Job Search Tools

Dec. 9, 2010 - PRLog -- RALEIGH, NC – As unemployment rates hover at nine percent statewide, each of North Carolina’s 198 public and academic libraries will support their communities by providing access to the Job & Career Accelerator™ online service, purchased by NC LIVE, and funded through a grant from the State Library of North Carolina.

Job & Career Accelerator enables North Carolina library patrons to search millions of job listings, both locally and nationally, and create resumes and cover letters with online tools targeted toward those jobs. The service also provides sample job interview questions and tips, and enables users to search for career information. In addition, the program’s "Occupation Matcher," allows users to match their interests to career paths, and ultimately job openings in their communities and beyond.

As is the case in many North Carolina counties, unemployment continues to drive library use, making tools like the Job & Career Accelerator especially useful.  Ruth Ann Copley, Director of the Davidson County Public Library, said, "The Job and Career Accelerator is truly a core part of our job search program, here, where unemployment is still high at 10.6%. We use it all the time, and recently it was the focus of our Jobs Boot Camp at the library."

Access to Job & Career Accelerator (http://nclive.org/cgi-bin/nclsm?rsrc=260) is free to all North Carolinians through a grant provided by the State Library of North Carolina to NC LIVE, an organization that provides North Carolinians with access to online books, journals, and other media.  NC LIVE also offers a current collection of job and career-related eBooks and other resources through the NC LIVE Jobs Portal (http://www.jobs.nclive.org).  Patrons of the state’s public libraries, as well as students, faculty, and staff from any of North Carolina's community colleges, independent colleges, and public universities can access all NC LIVE resources, at no cost through http://www.nclive.org, or through library websites.

NC LIVE first offered the Job & Career Accelerator in April 2010, when the State Library of North Carolina announced that it would fund access to the job search tool for the remainder of the year.  To help meet the continued demand for job-seeking resources, the State Library announced that it would extend funding with a grant through June 2011.

The grant, administered through the State Library Division of the Department of Cultural Resources, is made possible by a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a federal grant-making agency.


About NC LIVE
NC LIVE is North Carolina’s statewide online library.  With nearly 200 member libraries across North Carolina, NC LIVE is dedicated to providing North Carolinians with online library and information resources that support education, enhance statewide economic development, and increase quality of life.

Designed for at-home use, NC LIVE eBooks, magazines, newspapers, journals, media, and other online materials are available from any Internet connection via library websites, and through http://www.nclive.org.  NC LIVE offers free electronic access to resources for all ages on topics ranging from careers, business, and investing, to auto repair, health, history, and genealogy. NC LIVE resources are available to all North Carolinians through their local public, community college, or academic library.  Contact your local library for free access to NC LIVE resources.  For more information, please visit http://www.nclive.org.


About LearningExpress, LLC
Founded in 1995, LearningExpress is a leading e-learning technology company that provides career advancement and education solutions to thousands of colleges and libraries, currently helping more than one million students and adult learners annually to meet their professional and academic goals. The company offers comprehensive and fully integrated web-based platforms designed to help users assess, explore, find, prepare, pursue, and achieve their career endeavors.  Visit LearningExpress, LLC at http://www.learningexpressllc.com or Job & Career Accelerator at http://www.jobandcareeraccelerator.com.


About State Library of North Carolina
The State Library of North Carolina is a division of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources and works in partnership with communities to develop library service, coordinates statewide programs for all types of libraries, and offers direct library service to state employees, genealogy researchers, and people who have visual and physical handicaps.  LSTA grant programs administered by the State Library of North Carolina are made possible by federal Library Services and Technology Act State Program funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

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About NC LIVE
NC LIVE is North Carolina’s statewide online library. With nearly 200 member libraries across North Carolina, NC LIVE is dedicated to providing North Carolinians with online library and information resources that support education, enhance statewide economic development, and increase quality of life.

Designed for at-home use, NC LIVE eBooks, magazines, newspapers, journals, media, and other online materials are available from any Internet connection via library websites, and through http://www.nclive.org. NC LIVE offers free electronic access to resources for all ages on topics ranging from careers, business, and investing, to auto repair, health, history, and genealogy. NC LIVE resources are available to all North Carolinians through their local public, community college, or academic library. Contact your local library for free access to NC LIVE resources. For more information, please visit http://www.nclive.org.