The wide range of free services to help residents prepare for employment, and connect with social services assistance, continue to be provided at the New Rochelle Public Library (NRPL) in September. Computer training, resume and cover-letter writing, one-on-one assistance with a job readiness coach or social worker, and additional targeted services continue to help residents of all ages and career levels each day, Monday – Saturday, through the library’s grant-funded Public Computer Center (PCC) – broadbandexpress@yourlibrary.
These resources include:
One-on-one assistance job readiness sessions with a trained coach/advisor are provided on a drop-in basis, Mondays, 1:00 – 5:00 pm, and Thursdays, 5:00 – 7:45 pm, in the 2nd floor Help Center.
Classes on How to Write a Resume and Cover Letter and Job Interview Skills are held every Saturday, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm, in the 3rd Floor Computer Lab.
GED Preparation with trained volunteers helps participants with understanding what’s on the test and one-on-one help with the test components such as math and writing, Tuesdays, 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm, in the 2nd floor Help Center, on a drop-in basis.
One-on-one social services assistance with a social worker from Family Service of Westchester help patrons navigate social service agencies and benefit opportunities, These sessions are on a drop-in basis in the 2nd floor BTOP Help Center, Tuesdays, 12:30 –45:30 pm.
One-on-one assistance with completing e-forms for employment, food stamps and other benefits, immigration papers and other on-line services is provided by trained AmeriCorps workers. Several sessions are offered each week. A schedule is available at the second floor reference desk.
Senior benefits assistance with trained volunteers help senior citizens find out which benefits they may be entitled to receive, including Medicare health and prescription, food stamps, HEAP, EPIC, weatherization, minor home repair, tax relief programs and others, is offered Fridays, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm, on a drop-in basis in the 2nd floor BTOP Help Center.
Free Foreclosure Prevention and Credit Counseling with trained counselors from Westchester Residential Opportunities (WRO) includes free assistance with loan modifications, forbearance agreements, reverse mortgage housing counseling, mortgage default and delinquency counseling, and credit counseling on Thursday, September 20 and October18, from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm in the 2nd Floor HELP Center.
In addition the library now has expanded computer stations, including some with equipment designed for patrons with physical challenges. A full listing of the library’s extensive computer training classes is available in the library’s lobby and on its website: www.nrpl.org.
NRPL’s PCC has assisted several thousand people since opening in December 2010. NRPL was one of 35 libraries to receive a two-year grant from the New York State Library, a unit of the Office of Cultural Education within the New York State Education Department (NYSED), which was awarded $9.5 million in a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to expand computer access in public libraries across New York State. The funding is being provided through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP).