“Phoenix libraries launch online site for job seekers”

Phoenix libraries launch online site for job seekers

Posted: 03 Sep 2010 06:52 PM PDT

by Connie Cone Sexton - Sept. 3, 2010 06:11 AM
The Arizona Republic

The unemployment rate for Arizona in July was 9.7 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That was just one-tenth of a point higher than the rate for the entire country.

Toni Garvey, who heads the Phoenix Library Department, has seen many of the jobless in libraries. She says that if you ask library visitors why they're there, it often has something to do with looking for work, finding out about a new career, or keeping up to date on the news. The downturn in the economy has forced many people to cancel their cable connections, she said, so they turn to the library for online connections.

And now, the Phoenix Public Library has launched an online resource for job seekers. It's available through the library's website at phoenixpubliclibrary.org.

The connection - PhoenixWorks - provides a one-stop place to find tools for job seekers at every stage of the process: applying for unemployment benefits, finding the nearest workforce center, writing a resume or cover letter and getting ready for an interview.

Garvey said those who come to the library for job-related help can benefit from having the librarians at hand. Even the most experienced web browser may need help from time to time doing research, she said.

PhoenixWorks offers information about online job searching and how to create effective networking. Those who use the site may be able to improve their career options with a variety of practice exams, including the GED, SAT and LSAT. The site also offers electronic versions of training and reference manuals for information technology professionals, as well as tools to study languages online.

To have access to all of PhoenixWorks, you'll need a Phoenix library card, which is free for any Maricopa County resident.

Parking fee $2 at select sites

If you've been following the proposed parking fee at the Phoenix preserves and desert areas, there's been a lot of miscommunication floating around.

Some hikers have said that people are positioning themselves along the preserve trails and telling them that the fee is going to be $5 a day. That was a possibility for a while. But city officials later decided on a $2 fee.

There's also confusion about where the fee will be implemented. It's only going to be at five of the most congested parking areas: North Mountain Park, Phoenix Mountains Park and Recreation Area (which includes the Piestewa Peak Summit Trail), the Dreamy Draw Recreation Area, the Echo Canyon area of Camelback Mountain, and the Pima Canyon area of South Mountain Park/Preserve.

The parking program began a trial run Wednesday for those who want to voluntarily support the preserves. Tickets for violations won't be issued before March.

In addition to the daily fee, users can buy a $50 six-month or $75 annual "Friend of the Mountains" pass. The passes will be available at phoenix.gov /parks or at any Phoenix parks office.

Music in mall garage calms souls

The other day, I parked in the covered garage at Paradise Valley Mall. I was taken aback by what I heard, and I wasn't the only one.

A Texan who had recently moved to the Valley also got out of her car and tilted her head.

We smiled. Yes, that was "Some Enchanted Evening," we were hearing, piped through garage speakers. It made for a very enchanted afternoon on a very hot Phoenix day. She broadened her smile and said, "How civilized."

Mall officials say the music's been there for years.

Reach the reporter at connie.sexton@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-6843.

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