Supporting Job Seekers in Public Libraries:

From Traditional Services to Trauma

Informed Awareness

Wesley W. Roberts, Library Services Manager

Workforce and Economic Development

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Overview

1. Introduction: 30+ Years of Workforce Services in Public

Libraries

2. A Model of Modern Workforce Services in Public Libraries

3. Traditional Workforce Development in Public Libraries

4. Trauma Informed Workforce Development in Public Libraries

5. Questions

30+ Years of Workforce Services in Public Libraries

● At least at Carnegie Library of

Pittsburgh, job seekers have been

served as a specific constituency

for over 30 years

● Not “mission creep” -- public

libraries are often the “first stop”

for job seekers

● Information, technology, and a

human connection

CLP Job and Career Education Center, circa 2002

30+ Years of Workforce Services: Legislative Shift

● 1998 federal legislation that created

Workforce Investment Boards and

new federal regulations

● Creation of CareerLink and new

investment in workforce agencies

and services

● A shift away from public libraries as

a “pure” service provider

● New federal workforce legislation

passed in 2014

● Focuses on shifting funding to 21st

century skills, with additional

emphasis on youth

● Includes public libraries as an

official partner and thus eligibility

for federal funding

Workforce Investment Act (WIA)Workforce Innovation and

Opportunity Act (WIOA)

A Model for Modern Workforce Services in Public Libraries

● The evolution of workforce

legislation over the past 30

years has changed the way

public libraries provide

services

● Focus now on staff

knowledge, relationships,

and highly focused library

resources

Traditional Workforce Development in Public Libraries

● Resume writing

● Online job searching

and applications

● Interviewing techniques

● Local labor market data

Core knowledge base of,

and services for:

Traditional Workforce Development in Public Libraries

● Resume review

● Mock interviews

● 21st century computer

skills and classes

● Life After High School

for Teens

Core programs:

Traditional Workforce Development in Public Libraries

● WorkLaunch multi-day,

multi-site job fair with

partner agency that does

the heavy lifting

● CareerLink pop-ups

● Volunteers to teach

coding

Core Relationships:

Trauma Informed Workforce Development in Public Libraries

What is Trauma Informed Awareness?

● Recognition of physical or emotional traumas inflicted upon

individuals or communities

● Requires high level emotional intelligence: listening,

empathizing, being nonjudgemental

● Knowing when to provide general care versus referring to

someone who is specially trained

Trauma Informed Workforce Development in Public Libraries

● Social worker on-site as

growing best practice;

Social Services Lead at

CLP--Downtown

● Staff training on trauma

informed awareness Fall

2016

● Referrals to appropriate

providersSocial worker in Multnomah County Central Library http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2016/05/central_library_brings_a_socia.html

Core knowledge and services:

Trauma Informed Workforce Development in Public Libraries

● Allegheny County Jail

Initiative, Literacy

Unlocked

● Community Kitchen

reading groups

Core Relationships and

Outreach Programs:

Questions?

Thank you!

Wesley W. Roberts

robertsw@carnegielibrary.org