New Jersey State Library Offers New Resources and Programs to Help Unemployed Citizens and Small Businesses

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. and TRENTON, N.J., Feb. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to help New Jersey residents find new career opportunities and help prepare the state's small businesses for success, the New Jersey State Library has provided New Jersey libraries with access to Gale's Career Transitions, an advanced, online career service tool and Small Business Resource Center, an online business guide for entrepreneurs. The resources were purchased for libraries by the State Library, an affiliate of Thomas Edison State College, through a federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP) grant.

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"New Jersey public libraries are uniquely positioned to help residents search for employment opportunities and improve their skills, especially in difficult economic times," said Norma Blake, New Jersey State Librarian. "We are confident that these tools will help reduce unemployment in the state and help small businesses access the trusted information they need to achieve success."

The latest Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) research report, "How Libraries Stack Up," revealed that every day 300,000 Americans receive job-seeking help at public libraries, and libraries are used nearly 3 million times each month to support small businesses. Career Transitions and Small Business Resource Center will help New Jersey librarians meet these demands.

Developed by Gale, part of Cengage Learning, Career Transitions is designed to help everyone, even those with no experience using technology, find sustainable employment. It's a guided, self-paced program that walks individuals through the entire employment process – from assessing strengths and providing information on growing careers, to finding educational opportunities, preparing a resume, performing an online job search and finally, applying for positions. It offers features such as a custom interview simulation, matching work or military experience to new careers, expert tips and advice, and more than 1,000 videos on popular careers and career help, including "A Day in the Life" interviews with people in different fields.

Small Business Resource Center, also developed by Gale, is a comprehensive resource that covers all major areas of starting and operating a business. From conducting industry research to financial planning to marketing a product and writing a business plan, users can easily find the information they need. Developed by subject experts based on a combination of unparalleled periodical and reference content, Small Business Resource Center is an important source of information for the prospective and current entrepreneurial community.

"We are excited that the New Jersey State Library chose our Gale resources to help citizens across the state achieve their goals – whether that be finding a new career or growing their small business," said Frank Menchaca, executive vice president and publisher for Gale.

The implementation of Career Transitions by New Jersey State Library is part of the State Library's NJWorks@yourlibrary campaign, which was created to help in the economic recovery of the state by giving libraries the tools they need to expand services to the unemployed and underemployed. Small Business Resource Center is part of their NJGrowsBiz@yourlibrary campaign, which provides business owners 24/7 access to powerful online business and marketing tools and resources selected to foster the growth of entrepreneurs and existing businesses.

For more information on these Gale resources, visit http://www.gale.cengage.com. For more information on the New Jersey State Library, visit http://www.njstatelib.org/.

About Cengage Learning and Gale

Cengage Learning is a leading provider of innovative teaching, learning and research solutions for the academic, professional and library markets worldwide. Gale, part of Cengage Learning, serves the world's information and education needs through its vast and dynamic content pools, which are used by students and consumers in their libraries, schools and on the Internet. It is best known for the accuracy, breadth and convenience of its data, addressing all types of information needs – from homework help to health questions to business profiles – in a variety of formats. For more information, visit www.cengage.com or www.gale.cengage.com.

About the New Jersey State Library

The New Jersey State Library, an affiliate of Thomas Edison State College, is led by New Jersey State Librarian Norma Blake. The State Library has been offering the highest quality service to the executive, legislative and judicial branches of state government for more than 200 years. The State Library's mission has expanded since its establishment in 1796 to lead in the provision, promotion and support of high quality library and information services to all the people of New Jersey. The State Library's mission is filled through the efforts of the State Library Information Center, the Library Development Bureau and the Talking Book and Braille Center.

SOURCE Cengage Learning