alabama public library service

WORKFORCE ISSUES FROM OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Alabama Public Library Alabama Public Library ServiceService

Annie L. BrownAlisa K. McLeodProject CompassFebruary 8, 2011

AlabamaAlabama

Unemployment in Alabama Compared Unemployment in Alabama Compared to USto US

State of AlabamaState of Alabama

Unemployment December 2009 – December Unemployment December 2009 – December 20102010

Alabama CountiesAlabama CountiesUnemployment Unemployment

Alabama has 67 counties

15 counties 11.5 -14.9%

11.4% and below

Wilcox County 25%

5 counties =/> 15.0%

Black Belt Counties

The Black BeltThe Black Belt

Alabama Public Library ServiceAlabama Public Library Service

Black Belt, physical region in Alabama and Mississippi, U.S., so named for its soil. The Black Belt is a fertile plain, generally 25–30 miles (40–50 km) wide and stretching approximately 300 miles (480 km) across central Alabama and northeastern Mississippi. A region of dark, calcareous soils, it was one of the South’s most important agricultural areas before the American Civil War. Though corn (maize) was also grown, cotton was the most important crop until the destructive effects of the boll weevil encouraged agricultural diversification in the early years of the 20th century. Beef cattle and soybeans are now also raised in the area.

Though strictly the name of a physical region, the term Black Belt has been borrowed by social scientists to denote those areas of the South where the plantation system, with its large number of black slaves, predominated before the Civil War.

Black Belt. (2011). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/67652/Black-Belt

How this effects Alabama’s LibrariesHow this effects Alabama’s Libraries

Selma-Dallas County Public LibrarySelma-Dallas County Public Library

Dallas CountySelma, Alabama

UNEMPLOYMENT2009 12 19.4%2010 01 21.0%2010 02 20.3%2010 03 18.9%2010 04 18.7%2010 05 17.9%2010 06 18.7%2010 07 18.2%2010 08 17.7%2010 09 17.3%2010 10 17.2%2010 11 16.8%2010 12 15.9%

Selma-Dallas County Public LibrarySelma-Dallas County Public Library

Selma-Dallas County Public Library Partner with Dallas County Extension Agency The Chamber Of Commerce

Library provides a Career CenterComputer access

Filing Unemployment Resumes Job searches

Building Relationships with local businessesGED Tutorials and classes (Dropout %)

Macon County AlabamaMacon County Alabama

Macon County – Tuskegee Public Macon County – Tuskegee Public LibraryLibrary

Largest employer closedClasses once a month on SaturdaysHow to post and attach resumes

onlineHow to navigate the web to job sitesComputer usage increased due to the

unemployed filing for unemployment benefits

Greene County – Greene County – James C. Poole Memorial LibraryJames C. Poole Memorial Library

Greene County – Greene County – James C. Poole Memorial LibraryJames C. Poole Memorial Library

Kelly-Temp Employment Service recruits @ the library once a month

Allows patrons to use computer for online classes

Computer usage increased due to filing of unemployment

Assist patrons with –Job searches, completing applications, cover letters & resumes

Usage of library resources in the collection

White Hall Public LibraryWhite Hall Public Library

Lowndes CountyHayneville, AlabamaUnemployment 17.50%

White Hall Public LibraryWhite Hall Public Library

No industry in community at allIncreased computer usage for filing unemployment benefits

Library robbed all computers taken

Computer illiterate patrons

Wilcox County Public LibraryWilcox County Public Library

Wilcox CountyCamden, Alabama

Wilcox CountyAlabama

•Unemployment Highest in state

•Future Job expectation •Counties around are looking for an increase in job growth


Wilcox County Public Library The Chamber Of Commerce Development Council Alabama Tombigbee Regional Commission Local Governing Agencies

Computer access Filing Unemployment Resumes Job searches On-line College Course

GED Tutorials and classes (High Dropout Rate)

Proctor test (700% more than 2 years ago)


County OverviewAs of 2010, Wilcox County's population is 12,799 people.

Since 2000, it has had a population growth of -2.86 percent.The median home cost in Wilcox County is $42,470. Home

appreciation the last year has been -1.65 percent.Compared to the rest of the country, Wilcox County's cost of

living is 29.70% Lower than the U.S. average.Wilcox County public schools spend $4,352 per student. The

average school expenditure in the U.S. is $5,678. There are about 16.5 students per teacher in Wilcox County.

The unemployment rate in Wilcox County is 25.10 percent(U.S. avg. is 10.20%). Recent job growth is Negative. Wilcox County jobs have Decreased by 10.70 percent.

Alabama Public Library ServicesAlabama Public Library Services

Increased UnemploymentIncreased Job SearchesIncreased Resume helpIncreased patron usage

Check-outs Computer uses/WiFi

Increased Computer skill classes How to post resumes on-line How to navigate the web How to file for unemployment benefit How to complete an application on-line How to use and benefit from library resources- collection and

AVL How to use word processing How to keyboard How to download audio and E-books


Services ProvidedAlabama Virtual LibraryHomework Help- Tutor.comLearning Express LibrarySupport and training

Resources

http://www2.dir.alabama.gov/ http://2010.census.gov/2010census/ http://www.alabama.gov/portal/secondary.jsp?

page=Working_UnemploymentInformation http://www.bestplaces.net/city/alabama/selma http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/67652/Black-Belt http://www.census.gov https://dir.alabama.gov/docs/ http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/01000.html http://www.trueknowledge.com/q/alabama

%27s_population_in_2010 http://www.wilcoxareachamber.org/


Rebecca Mitchell – State Librarian

alabama public library service

Documents

belowwilcox county

term black belt

central alabama

destructive effects

physical region

large number of black

allincreased computer

unemployment assist