From fairy tales to resume guides: Find them at the library

People working on computers in libraryDo you remember childhood visits to your local public library, complete with the smell of new books, and the freedom to check out all the materials you could carry?

I grew up across the street from my small town library. Once I could cross the street alone, I spent hours perusing shelves, confidently looking up books in the card catalog and reading in the comfy stuffed chairs.

Fortunately, libraries offer plenty of appealing resources for adults as well. And there’s no time like the present to explore library resources – during National Library Week, April 9-15, 2017.

Sponsored by the American Library Association and libraries across the country, the week celebrates the contributions of our nation’s libraries and calls attention to the importance of community and public support to keep resources available. All types of libraries – school, public, academic, and special – participate.

Some intriguing facts about U.S. libraries:

  • Librarians answer nearly 6.6 million reference questions each week. Standing single file, the line of questioners would span from Miami, Florida to Juneau, Alaska.
  • Americans go to the library (including school, public, and academic libraries) about twice as often as they go to the movies: 2,664,612,367 for libraries vs. 1,340,000,000 movies.
  • Americans check out an average of eight books per year. They spend $36.96 a year for the public library – a little more than the typical cost of one hardcover book.
  • Libraries are a smart investment. When Ohio studied the return on investment in their library system, they learned that for every dollar spent, Ohioans received $5.48 in economic value.

Most libraries also help unemployed Americans find resources to look for work, and even provide needed tools to conduct a job search.

  • Nearly 100% of public libraries provide Wi-Fi and have free access to computers
  • 97% help people complete online government forms
  • 90% help patrons learn basic Internet skills
  • 73% of public libraries assist patrons with job applications and interviewing skills
  • 68% help patrons use databases to find career openings

CareerOneStop recognizes the tremendous support libraries offer to job seekers. Check out our nationwide library finder to quickly locate the closest library in your community.

You can also depend on finding a wealth of employment resources and personal assistance at your nearest American Job Center.

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