Editorial
Library serving the jobless
The length of the unemployment line is stretching all the way to local libraries. The increasing number of people needing access to Internet-equipped computers to apply for unemployment benefits is straining library resources.
WorkOne Northeast, the organization responsible for unemployment services in northeast Indiana, appears aware that mounting demand is causing problems for people applying for unemployment insurance and is bolstering its services. But the agency needs to expand its partnerships to help unemployed Hoosiers. And locally, one of those partners needs to be the Allen County Public Library.
Cheryl Ferverda, the library’s community relations and development manager, said all the library branches are inundated with customers needing library computers to apply online for unemployment benefits. “Sundays are particularly rough,” she said. “The main library is the only library open on Sundays, and there is always a long line of people needing to use the computers.”
There appears to be a misperception by some people that they need to file on Sunday.
“Many now expect library staff to be their assistants in filling these (forms) out,” Ferverda said. She said at least one branch librarian, at the Grabill branch, wants to hold an event to provide unemployed residents with information about conducting a job search and applying for unemployment benefits.
Including the library in its efforts to assist unemployed Hoosiers would be wise. The branch librarians should not be expected to become experts on workforce development’s computer system.
“We actually want people to file online,” said Kathleen Randolph, president and CEO of Partners for Workforce Solutions. “They can still file a paper claim, but it bogs down the system. If they file a paper claim, it can take up to three weeks to get payment.”
There is merit to having people apply online. Making the system more efficient and ensuring people get the unemployment benefits they deserve quickly is desirable. But state officials need to recognize the digital divide. Many people, especially those hardest hit by the economic downturn, do not have easy access to the Internet. And computer savvy is not a natural talent for everybody.
“We are finding the digital ability of the claimants is making it difficult. It is tricky to fill out these forms online,” Randolph acknowledged.
The mass of people swarming the libraries demonstrates the value of the Allen County Public Library and proves the importance of having Internet access available at libraries. It also illuminates another opportunity for improvement for the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.
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