Campbell County libraries helping in tough times

At a time when library usage is increasing, Campbell County libraries want you to know that, not only do they exist, they are there to help.

A list of free upcoming programs at Campbell County libraries for job seekers and budget crunchers:

Weathering the Financial Storm
Learn about financial tools for asset protection and investment growth while navigating the current economic climate. The workshops are taught by Karen Tanner and Lee Lewis, financial advisors from the Commonwealth Financial Group.

- Tuesday, Feb. 17, 7 p.m. Timbrook Library, 21309 Timberlake Road, Timberlake area – (434) 239-1190

- Tuesday, Feb 24, 6:30 p.m. Campbell County Library, 683 Village Highway, Rustburg – (434) 332-9560

Job Readiness Workshop
This workshop will be taught in partnership with New Land Jobs. Participants will learn to identify their skills, potential employers, create an effective resume, learn about networking and effective job searching.

- Wednesday Feb. 25, 9 a.m. to noon, Patrick Henry Memorial Library, 204 Lynchburg Ave., Brookneal – (434) 376-3363

- Friday March 27, 9 a.m. to noon, Staunton River Memorial Library, 500 Washington St., Altavista – (434) 369-5140

- Friday April 24, 9 a.m. to noon, Timbrook Library ?

- Friday May 1, 9 a.m. to noon Campbell County Library.

Grow Your Own for Less
Campbell County library director Nan Carmack will give participants an overview on how to grow their own produce, either indoors or out. Carmack, who has years of gardening ex-perience, will share tips on how to use existing resources to improve nutrition while lowering food bills.

- Staunton River: Monday, March 9, 5:30 pm

- Timbrook: Tuesday, March 17, 7 p.m.

- Patrick Henry: Saturday, March 21, 10 a.m.

- Campbell County: Tuesday, March 24, 6:30 p.m.

Vacations on a Shoestring
Campbell County recreation department co-director Sherry Harding will share ideas on how to stretch vacation money as far as possible.

- Staunton River: Monday, April 6, 5:30 pm

- Timbrook: Tuesday, April 14, 7 p.m.

- Patrick Henry, Saturday, April 18, 10 a.m.

- Campbell County: Tuesday, April 21, 6:30 p.m.

Basic Budgeting for Everyone
Library deputy director Coralee Tuck will explain how to create a household budget. While the workshop is geared for everyone, it will focus on young families and for those who are creating a budget for the first time.

- Staunton River: Monday, May 11, 5:30 p.m.

- Patrick Henry: Saturday, May 16, 10 a.m.

- Timbrook: Tuesday, May 19, 7 p.m.

- Campbell County: Tuesday, May 26, 6:30 p.m.

The library system, which has four branches, will be holding a series of free programs and services to help area citizens find jobs, improve technical skills and even weather their own tighten-ing budgets and changing investment needs during the ongoing economic crisis.

These program expansions come as the library – and county as a whole – has to slash its budget for next year by at least 5 percent, said director Nan Carmack. Yet the only cost of these new programs to the county will be for a few sheets of paper for advertising flyers.

Volunteers, from county employees with unique interests to community members with busi-ness talents, will teach the programs, Carmack said. Among the offerings include “Job Readiness Workshops” held by Lynchburg-based New Land Jobs, a non-profit with services to help unemployed and under-employed people find work.

“We have such a wealth of talent in the county, from our library staff to our community members,” Carmack said. “Eve-ryone in Campbell County, whether it’s the county staff or community members, really sees this climate as an opportunity to grow together as a community. Everybody is in it together so lets see if we can capitalize on our talents and work together.”

New Land Jobs executive director Mike Danos said the or-ganization has wanted to expand its training sessions into area counties, but Campbell County’s partnership came about through his wife, who is the county’s registrar.

“Looking for a job (is) not something you do every day,” Danos said. “A lot of people think it doesn’t require knowledge or skill, but it’s really hard to look for a job correctly and find a good job.”

In addition to that partnership, the libraries will hold programs themed on living life on a shoe-string, which will include topics like growing your own food or planning a household budget, Carmack said. Those programs will be taught by library and county staff who have personal expertise in those areas.

“We’re trying to meet the community and its needs, and right now, the community needs ideas of living frugally,” Carmack said. “What better way to teach someone that they don’t have to spend $1.79 on crappy tomatoes from the grocery store when they can grow their own for 75 cents.”

During normal library hours, citizens can use computers at the library to work on resumes, do job searches and improve technological skills. Those opportunities, Carmack said, form a critical part of a library’s role in the community, particularly during economically difficult times.

“People who can’t afford to have their own computer rely on the library for access to the technological world,” she said, “and in the information age, that is critical to improving your lot in life.”

While there are no hard figures on how much patronship has increased in recent months, Carmack said computer use has “skyrocketed” and attendance at certain children’s programs has increased so much that library staff have had to turn away people. “So we’re trying to find the money to expand and expand and expand so we can offer more, so we don’t have to turn people away.”

One way the library has changed a program for children in response to community needs is by hosting a story hour at night.

“We have a lot of families where both parents work and they can’t come out during the day for story times,” Carmack said. Children of all ages can come to listen to bedtime stories in their pajamas and the library has cookies and milk. Two weeks ago, an event at Timbrook Library had 48 people attend, she said.

“When you see that many community members, you know you’ve hit a need,” Carmack said. “It’s free family time for exhausted, financially strapped parents.”