At the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library, the new year equates to longer open hours, added classes for patrons and volunteer opportunities for students.
Opening an hour earlier at 9 a.m. helps the library to meet the state standard for Level V libraries of being open for at least 60 hours weekly. It also accommodates patrons’ needs that have obligations later in the day.
“We sometimes have people waiting at the door, and this makes it possible for them to do what they need to do here earlier in the day,” said Library Director Renita Barksdale.
The focus for classes in the new year will be on technology education. Whether it is group classes teaching Microsoft Office Suite and Internet navigation, resumé building, or one-on-one tutorials, Barksdale said they plan to offer more.
“We want to cut that digital divide and help the community grow with technology,” she said, noting that some community members are just beginning to use computers for the first time.
Tutorials by appointment will make it possible for patrons to get the personalized assistance they need to operate digital devices as well as helping them to understand software, which translates to increased job opportunities, Barksdale said.
The majority of computer users in the library are building resumés and searching for jobs, said Barksdale, adding that this will allow them to get some of this work done earlier in the day.
To make the job application process easier, Barksdale said they just purchased two laptops with Skype capabilities for patrons that need to participate in an online interview.
Plans for the new year don’t only include technology education additions.
For the staff of the library, Barksdale said she plans to have skills training opportunities for career development. Additionally, when funding becomes available, she said she would like to hire an assistant director, a full-time clerk and part-time clerk.
Students attending technical college through Tennessee Promise may complete their volunteer hours at the library. Barksdale said she has two staff members specifically trained to supervise TN Promise volunteers. Not only is it a way for students to satisfy their community service requirements, but Barksdale said it is an opportunity to learn to work on a team, to understand how a library functions, to practice professional interaction and to learn software programs. She said they can receive resumé assistance and that experienced volunteers may have priority over other applicants when the library is hiring.
Barksdale places orders throughout the year for new printed and digital materials, and she said this will continue in 2016.
Children’s story time has also resumed as usual on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.
And finally, as promised, patrons will now be able to pay overdue fees via debit card beginning this week.