Running head: CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR YOUNG ADULTS

Career Development Services

for Young Adults:
A North Carolina Libraries in Communities (NCLC) Initiative

CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR YOUNG ADULTS

Executive Summary

We, as future librarians, contributors to our

communities, and advocates for our fellow man/woman,
ONE IMPORTANT
would like to see a more successful generation arise.
KEY TO SUCCESS IS
The above quote is by athlete and author, Arthur Ashe.
SELF-CONFIDENCE .
If his theory is to be believed, then the future we desire
AN IMPORTANT KEY
begins with properly preparing the young adults of
TO SELF- CONFIDENCE
today.
IS PREPARATION .
Healthy preparation is especially vital for those
young adults who are considered at-risk. Maybe they
are at-risk because of the circumstances they were born into (ex. Low household income,
physical or mental disabilities). Even the area at which one grows up can put him or her at a
higher risk of becoming jobless or homeless. Whether the area is too rural and doesnt offer
ample opportunities or the area is too urban, crowded, and unsafe, both extremes can have a
detrimental effect on the communities young adult population. Whatever the reason may be
these youth are in jeopardy of being less than successful in their career and academic endeavors
and so could benefit from specialized guidance and training.
We would like to propose a public library program that offers young adults a chance to
receive the preparation that may change their lives for the better. The policy is complex enough
to encompass many features that could aid in a young adults career and college success. Yet, it is
simple enough that, with a little training and grant funding, it could be offered at any public
library to help the communitys youth become confident achievers. The policy we would like to
see implemented involves six public libraries scattered across the state of North Carolina. Three
libraries are located in rural areas and three in urban cities. The chosen libraries would ideally
use a plethora of techniques and tools to teach and inspire young adults to learn new skills, value
their education, act in a professional manner, overcome any negative circumstances and give
back to their communities.
Our ideal society does not simply appear out of thin air. If we want future generations to
be educated, employed, confident and successful we need to take the steps to ensure they have
ample free opportunities to gain the knowledge they need to build that society. We do this by
campaigning for funds, paying attention to detail, and reaching out to and empowering our
community to assist in our strategy to keep at-risk youth motivated and capable of achieving a
fruitful future they desire.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR YOUNG ADULTS

The Issue
Public libraries should take a more active role in addressing the apparent lack of careerdevelopment programs and resources for at-risk adolescents.
For the purposes of this report, the term at-risk is defined according to The Glossary of
Education Reform as: students or groups of students who are considered to have a higher
probability of failing academically or dropping out of school.1 Relevant and accessible career
development programs could provide this population with pertinent employment pathways,
skills, knowledge, and opportunities to help ensure success in their future.
According to the Ferris State University Career Institute for Education and Workforce
Development survey of 800 high school junior and seniors nationwide, most teenagers are
receiving little to no career guidance outside the home and are not pursuing the appropriate
educational plan for real world career opportunities and business needs. (MMS, 2014) Although
the demographics of this study were unclear, it makes apparent the lack of career development
for teenagers within the school systems. How are these leaders of the future to prepare for
success if they cannot make sound decisions about their education, careers, and finances?
Another factor to consider is the barriers of not only at-risk youth, but ones who may live in
rural settings. How do the opportunities and educational influences in rural areas differ from
teens living in a more urban setting? According to Ferry (1996), career-focused programs would
prove beneficial to at-risk teens living in a more bucolic (often poorer) setting: In the most
affluent schools, career decisions had been made, and students were preparing to enter college or
advanced training. In the lower income schools, the lack of career decision-making was the
norm. (Ferry, 1996) As librarians we aim to fully examine the career development needs of
these teenagers, why it is necessary and important to their success, and how to appropriately
address these needs.
In the process of thinking about the future, young adults (ages 16-21) realize the
numerous barriers that come into play, whether they are college or work bound. The Penn State
Cooperative Extension in rural Pennsylvania conducted a study of factors that influence the
career choices of the local youth, and found that career development programs need to be utilized
within the library systems, especially those that are considered at risk. The article states that all
of the youth voiced that the lack of financial resources to attend additional schooling or training
was the major barrier. (Ferry, 1996) The study broke down the barriers even further with
comparing college-bound youth vs. work-bound youth: For college-bound youth, the second
1

The Glossary of Education Reform - http://edglossary.org/at-risk/

The term at-risk is often used to describe students or groups of students who are considered to have a
higher probability of failing academically or dropping out of school. The term may be applied to students
who face circumstances that could jeopardize their ability to complete school, such as homelessness,
incarceration, teenage pregnancy, serious health issues, domestic violence, transiency (as in the case of
migrant-worker families), or other conditions, or it may refer to learning disabilities, low test scores,
disciplinary problems, grade retentions, or other learning-related factors that could adversely affect the
educational performance and attainment of some students. While educators often use the term at-risk to
refer to general populations or categories of students, they may also apply the term to individual students
who have raised concernsbased on specific behaviors observed over timethat indicate they are more
likely to fail or drop out.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR YOUNG ADULTS

most identified barriers were college acceptance and being capable of graduating. Work-bound
youth identified the lack of employment opportunities as their second barrier to achieving
employment goals. (Ferry, 1996)
While it is clear that many barriers exist that limit the career potential for youth
nationwide, at-risk young adults can overcome these obstacles given the right tools. With these
vital tools, this age group could make sound college and career choices, and patrons of libraries
nationwide seem to agree that libraries can, and should, offer these tools to the
public. According to a report written by The Pew Internet Project, some 67% of Americans
think it is very important to the community for public libraries to provide job, employment and
career resources. (Zickuhr, Rainie, & Purcell, 2013)
The International Association for Vocational and Educational Guidance sums up the
necessity of creating career development programs for the future success of these young adults:
People who feel that they can influence their own lives, communicate better, have good
relationships in the home and community, and exhibit social skills appropriate to learning and
workplaces are more employable and more likely to create opportunities for self-employment
(IAEVG, 1999).
It has always been important for young adults to be gainfully employed. From a social
standpoint, it has been proven that satisfying employment can help adolescents achieve success
in academic and economic arenas. Plainly put, it can help keep kids out of trouble, and, as
higher crimes rates among the at-risk youth are often attributed to the increase in dropout rates
(see Appendix A), the kinds of programs needed to target this population could help to lower
these percentages and build an overall more prosperous and effective society.

The Evidence and Extent of the Issue in a Social Context

In light of well-funded programs such as the Public Libraries as Partners in Youth
Development Initiative (PLPYD), one might think that career services for youth would be a
common element of public library programming, and to a certain extent, it is. A quick internet
search using the terms public library and career services yields over 100,000 results, most of
them the career services webpage for a local library branch. The 2011-2012 Public Library
Funding and Technology Access Study (Bertot, McDermott, Lincoln, Real, & Peterson, 2012)
found that:
77.5% of libraries help people create resumes
92.2% of libraries help people access to online job resources
76.0% of libraries help people apply for jobs online
While these numbers are encouraging, most of these services are intended for adults; very
few are focused on teens. It is our belief that more resources and services are needed in the area
of college and career readiness and employment services for young adults, and that public
libraries can help provide these resources. In fact, the results of a 2013 study by the Pew
Research Center shows that, depending on the demographic, over 60 percent of those
interviewed, ages 16 and older, said they expect their public library to offer job and career
support (Zickhur et al., 2013).
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that From April to July 2014, the number of
employed youth 16 to 24 years old increased by 2.1 million to 20.1 million (Employment and
Unemployment, 2014). This has long-term repercussions for the American economy, as

CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR YOUNG ADULTS

suggested by Gene Budig and Alan Heaps in the May 2014 issue of USA Today. In the article
Unemployment a Crisis for Youth, (2014) Budig and Heaps review several current reports on
what some are calling a national crisis of youth employment, and point out that the current
unemployment rate for 16-24-year-olds may cost the nation over $8 million annually in lost tax
revenue, as well as increased cost of healthcare and social services benefits. With financial
effects measured in millions of dollars, the issue of youth employment certainly warrants
attention (Budig & Heaps, 2014).
Budig and Heaps offer 3 possible solutions to the youth unemployment crisis: a youth
guarantee program (the government promises employment, further education, or an
apprenticeship within months of graduation), expanded national service opportunities, and public
school requirements for vocational training (Unemployment a Crisis for Youth). All of these
prospects hold potential, but would require great planning and change at high levels of
government. For example, a new youth guarantee program is being implemented in Europe; it is
managed by the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union. Such a largescale program would take years to plan, fund, and implement.2 Expanded national service
opportunities and public school-provided vocational training are excellent ideas and probably
slightly less intensive than a youth guarantee program, but would still require large-scale
planning and funding. In any case, public libraries could be a support system for these types of
programs. However, at least in Budig and Heaps report, there is no mention of the potential of
public libraries to provide the needed programs (Budig & Heaps, 2014)
The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (commonly known as the
Perkins Act) provides funding for career and technical education, or CTE; therefore the success
of programs thus funded is of interest at the government level and qualifies career readiness as
a topic of national importance. In a 2013 hearing of the Congressional Subcommittee on Early
Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education and the Workforce, Committee Chairman Ted
Rokita remarked that strengthening (CTE) programs will help put more Americans on the path
to a prosperous future (U.S. Government). While the Perkins Act funds many high school and
community college programs, committee members agreed that there is still an unmet need. For
example, committee member Susan Brooks points out that, not enough kids are getting the
opportunity to explore (the CTE programs,) partly because, among other reasons, the programs
take place during school hours and at separate locations, thereby taking students away from more
college-prep focused classes. (US Government). In the entire 80-page document, there is no
mention of public library programs. This is, of course, because the Perkins Act doesnt fund
library programs, but the concerns raised by committee members show that there is a gap in
services, and that the success of the young American work force is of interest at the
Congressional level.
The Perkins Act doesnt reach the sphere of public libraries, but the U.S. Department of
Labor Employment and Training Administration (ETA) does. The ETA is working together with
the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to highlight effective practices and
encourage additional collaboration between the workforce investment system and public
libraries (Partnerships). This is taking shape in the form of their Public Libraries and the
Workforce Partnership. The partnership sponsors One-Stop Career Centers that draw from a
vast array of community resources in order to provide skills assessments, career counseling, job
search and placement assistance, and access to technology, among other things (IMLS, 2014).
For more about EU Youth Guarantee Program, visit The European Commissions webpage for
Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, at http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1079&langId=en
2

CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR YOUNG ADULTS

According to a study conducted by the University of Washington Information School and funded
by IMLS and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Thirty million Americans used a library to
help address career and employment needs in the last 12 months (Becker et al., 2011). While
this study, and the partnership with IMLS, is encouraging, there is still room for improvement.
There is no specific focus on the young adult demographic.

Recommendations
Based on available research concerning youths current career preparation programs, we
suggest creating a library program which incorporates the following policies:
In order to prevent misuse of funds and successfully implement a program, we suggest
organizations study other programs serving teens in the nation and in the state.3
In order to prevent misuse of funds and successfully implement programs, we suggest
organizations study existing library programs.4
In order to fully address the needs of the community, perform preliminary research and
assess the opinion of patrons, particularly teens and parents.
In order to create a myriad of opportunities, promote involvement and foster goodwill,
we propose actively involving the community in job creation and training services.
In order to ensure that teens are being provided differentiated, specialized services which
are not readily available in other places, collaborate with schools and other local teen services.
Due to the fact that certain teen programs may need strengthening before implementing
new services, review the ALA/YALSA Services Evaluation Tool (Young Adult Library Services
Association, 2011) to assess the strength of the librarys young adult services before
implementing new programs.
In order to create a sustainable pattern of work, establish formal training requirements
and host regular informal meetings to discuss potential employee concerns.
In order to ensure responsibility, establish a strong code of ethics, expanded from the
Code of Ethics of the American Library Association (American Library Association, 2008),
which ensures the program protects the rights of intellectual property and privacy while
accounting for both parental and community (particularly public school) involvement.
In order to maximize student success, each participant should commit to six months of
career counseling and receive a minimum 30 hours of counseling through the proposed program
prior to graduation from high school
Ex. the Durham Teen Center Mission, which offers career planning services as well as self-esteem
courses (City of Durham, n.d.) and After School Matters in Chicago, IL, which provides hands-on,
project-based programs [to] expose teens to rewarding careers and help them develop marketable job
skills. (After School Matters, n.d.)
4
Examples of existing programs include the City of Greensboros Career Information Services in North
Carolina, which offers One-on-One Counseling Services in addition to resume workshops (City of
Greensboro North Carolina, n.d.), and the Chicago Public Librarys YOUmedia labs, which allows teens
to develop skills in digital media, STEM, and making in order to connect teens to other learning
opportunities that will lead to skill-building as well as college and career development (Chicago Public
Library, n.d.)
3

CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR YOUNG ADULTS

In order to ensure individual success, post-graduation, the program should be tailored

within the community to allow each youth the option to participate in a community supported
contracted employment situation, internship, or further academic workshops.
We also recognize that different strategies will be more effective in different communities,
and as such, each program may not incorporate all of these recommendations. However, based
on these policies and a study of currently implemented programs, we propose the following
solution incorporating various aspects of our recommendations.

Solution
Program Description: North Carolina Libraries in Communities (NCLC) is a recurring,
eighteen month program designed to both train and employ at-risk teens, ages 16-21, in local
businesses through partnership with public libraries. This grant funded program targets teens
living in the states three most impoverished rural towns (Lumberton in Robeson County,
Roanoke Rapids in Halifax County, and Forest City in Rutherford County5) as well as troubled
youth living in the states three largest urban cities (Raleigh in Wake County, Charlotte in
Mecklenburg County, and Greensboro in Guilford County). (See appendices B and C)

This project is loosely based upon PLPYD, an initiative of the Wallace Foundation
launched in 1999, whose goal was to support the development of innovative models for public
library systems to provide high quality educational enrichment and career development programs
for underserved low-income teenagers and children (Spielberger, Horton, Michels, & Halpern,
2004, p. V). Nine public libraries, including both urban and smaller county systems, received
grants averaging $400,000 each for a three year implementation period. (Spielberger et al., 2004,
p. VI). According to administrative data collected between April 1, 2000 and June 30, 2002, a
total of 737 youth participated in PLPYD programs (Spielberger et al., 2004, p. 22). Each library
designed their own program, which included homework help centers; computer/library teen
assistants; Youth Advisory Councils; advocate and outreach teen teams leading documentary
projects, storytelling performances and other community engagement projects; and other various
youth development initiatives (Spielberger et al., 2004, p.18-19).
Our proposed project is similar in that it targets the same underserved low-income
population, but focuses exclusively on teens, ages 16-21. Additionally, our project is
concentrated only in North Carolina, instead of the entire country, as a kind of statewide
economy boost initiative (See Appendix D) Furthermore, as our program is specifically targeting
career development and job placement needs among young adults, each public library will tailor
their youth development program specifically toward providing career counseling services and
workshops that fit the needs of the population they serve.
Additionally, this project is also loosely based on the Communities in Schools initiative,
a nationwide drop-out prevention program designed to keep kids in school through school5

Although census data (what data source are we using?) indicates that Forest City does not fall within the
lowest annual income ranger, the town does have some of the highest unemployment rates and lowest
high school graduation rates compared to the state average.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR YOUNG ADULTS

community partnerships (CIS, 2014); likewise, our project is a partnership between libraries and
communities designed to keep older youth constructively engaged in the community through job
placement and career development initiatives.

At the beginning of the project, a project administrator and assistant will be hired to
oversee the smooth implementation of this program at all six library locations.
At each site, up to 20 teens will be referred to participate in the program through schools,
libraries, or other community organizations who have worked with the youth. Adults who know
the student can nominate them to apply to participate in the program so long as they fall within
our proposals definition of an at-risk student (see introduction). Participants are not required to
be public library patrons as this project is also an attempt to reach other populations the library
may not typically serve.
A committee of three library employees at each branch will review the applications and
select no more than 20 students to join the program based on need and their aptitude for
completing the program. Any library employee who helped nominate a student to apply cannot
be on the selection committee.
Once selected, students are required to receive a minimum of 30 hours of professional
career counseling over a 6 month period at their main public library. These public libraries
are::Robeson County Public Library (in Lumberton), Halifax Public Library (in Halifax),
Mooneyham Public Library (in Forest City), as well as the main branch in each urban city,
including Central Library (in Greensboro), North Regional Library (in Raleigh), and Main
library on North Tryon St. (in Charlotte).
Counseling may either be provided by library employees who have undergone counseling
certification training or by professional counselors for other local organizations, who are
contracted by the library specifically to provide these services. For example, in New Jersey,
hundreds of librarians were trained by the state workforce development agency to learn how to
deal with workers in crisis (employees involved in illegal issues, such as sexual assault, in the
workplace) and where to send their library patrons for state and federal assistance (Developing
Career Resources in Public Libraries, 2014). Or the library could temporarily contract employees
from the local employment security agency or neighboring universities to provide hourly career
counseling training at the library.
Hiring and training appropriate staff for a career counseling program has its challenges.
In the Final PYPLD Report, New on the Shelf: Teens in the Library, three general challenges
in staffing were discussed in regards to their project: (1) hiring appropriate program staff ,(2)
developing a commitment to the new youth programs among front-line library staff, and (3)
providing high quality staff training (54). One example of the first challenge involves hiring
non-LIS professionals to head up programs. Several of the libraries involved in the PLPYD
program hired youth services professionals such as teachers to manage or co-manage their
programs. Some libraries reported resistance to this, saying that library staff were uncomfortable
working with an outsider who might have a significant impact on their everyday work duties
(55). Another factor discussed in the PLPYD Initiative Final Report is the time constraints
associated with implementing the training and orientation for the new program. Many staff may
feel overworked and stressed out during the early stages of the project, when extra training
sessions and/or organizational changes (both in personnel, and in the physical layout of the

CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR YOUNG ADULTS

furniture and shelving) are taking place. It is crucial that any program staff, whether library
professionals or otherwise, be integrated carefully.
Counseling sessions might include: resume and cover letter writing, mock interviewing,
career interest assessments, online tools for job searching and professional development, etc.
Numerous public libraries already provide these services for adults in a variety of formats. At the
Davenport Public Library in Iowa, for example, patrons can schedule a one-on-one appointment
with a designated reference librarian to review their resume or cover letter, offer basic computer
training and job searching advice, or guide them through a mock interview (Developing Career
Resources in Public Libraries, 2014). The Omaha Public Library hosts a career fair in their
library parking lot once a month, bringing together companies who are hiring to share their needs
with members in this low-income community (Developing Career Resources in Public Libraries,
2014). Not to mention, many public libraries have created libguides to enable users to search
through dozens of useful online job bank databases at their leisure.6
While these approaches and resources might be successful or beneficial for adults, teens
might feel intimidated seeking out these kinds of professional services on their own. Instead,
career counseling sessions for teens through the NCLC program may be taught in a fun,
lighthearted manner at first to encourage student participation; for instance, participants may
assume alternate identities (a favorite superhero, book character, a family member, etc.) during
mock interviews or while developing resume and cover letter skills. Ideally, by the end of six
months, this role playing will give each student the confidence needed to successfully navigate
through the job searching process. Each week, the library will host at least one professional to
present a one-hour workshop on their specific career in the community and what is required to
enter this profession, in terms of education, skills, and experience. Possible career presenters
might include local park rangers, a hair/nail salon worker, law enforcement staff, a local
restaurant entrepreneur or artist, and so on.
After completing the 30 hours of career counseling, the teens will then utilize their career
development resources to be matched with a local business that meets their interests and will be
contracted for one year of employment with that business. The employment contract will be
financially supported through the Workforce Investment Act as discussed below. Businesses
could range from large corporations, such as McDonalds or Lowes Food to smaller, privately
owned practices or trade based businesses, such as hair salons, auto mechanic shops, etc.
During that year of contracted employment, for every dollar the student makes in hourly
wages from their employer, allocated funding from the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) will
match each dollar with an additional dollar; half of this additional dollar will fund the operational
costs needed to sustain the 30 hour career counseling program at the library (see program
expense report) , while the other half will go into a NCLC scholarship fund, for which students
who have successfully completed their one year employment contract will be eligible to apply.
All students who successfully fulfill their one year employment contract will be required
to give back to the librarys career counseling program either as a voluntary program assistant or
as a workshop presenter for a minimum of one year. After the one year employment contract is
met, students will either be brought on full time by the company they were contracted to work
for or, if this is not possible or desired, will be reconnected with the library career center to begin
6

The Riley Guide, developed exclusively by librarians, began in 1994 and is regularly updated to include
the latest job bank sites, resume tips, and job statistic listings, such as salary information
(http://www.rileyguide.com/execute.html).

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10

applying for jobs utilizing their newly gained skills and work experience, contingent upon the
job being in North Carolina for a minimum of one year. Those who still cannot find work or who
choose to not enter the workforce immediately can apply for the NCLC scholarship or find other
means to pursue continuing education opportunities, such as taking courses at community
colleges. Library career counseling services will always be available to the students after
completing their one year employment contract.

Initial start-up funding for the career development program at each public library will be
provided by grants through private, corporate, or community foundations. Possible start-up
funders might be the Staples Foundation grant, which supports non-profit organizations [as well
as libraries] with programs that provide job skills and/or education for all people, with a special
emphasis on disadvantaged youth (Staples Foundation Grant, 2014).Additionally, the Dollar
General Literacy Foundation, is an excellent funding option whose mission is partially to help
create models of success/best practices that can be replicated [such as this proposed NCLC
program) in order to help increase the high school graduation rate and GED attainment rate in the
United States (APTS, 2014). Another potential start-up funder would by PNC Bank Foundation
Grant, which supports education and economic development initiatives that strategically
promote the growth of targeted low and moderate income communities (PNC Foundation,
2011).
For larger cities, such as Greensboro, Charlotte, and Raleigh, the PLPYD report suggests
turning to local city funding or even the Community Development Block Grants, which are
administered at the city and county levels and also target low-income and blighted
neighborhoods in need of improved local services (Spielberger et al., 2004, p. 92). For smaller
towns, such as the three rural towns we identified, the PLPYD report suggests turning to Friends
of the Library groups to receive start-up funding (Spielberger et al., 2004, p. 93). This funding
would cover the cost of training current library employees as career counselors and paying them
additional hourly wages or it would pay for professional career counselors and/or community
members brought in to lead the workshops. Other start-up expenses might include workshop
material costs and the salaries of the full time NCLC program administrator and his or her
assistant (see program expense report).
A renewable grant from a federal source, most likely the Workforce Investment Act
(WIA), would provide matching funds to provide long term program sustainability. As
mentioned, the WIA will match each dollar that each student earns working as a one year
contracted employee for a local company. This dollar would go towards funding the career
development program at each library as well as building a NCLC scholarship fund for
participants awarded by the public libraries. The WIA provides funds to assist adults, dislocated
workers and youth with employment and training needs. In North Carolina, there are 23 local
areas each led by a Workforce Development Board, which has its own Youth Council. Youth
Council members represent the youth as service agents, local public housing authorities, parents
of at-risk youth, job centers, and other youth-oriented members. The Youth Council is in charge
of allocating the WIA funds for their particular area of jurisdiction keeping in mind the voiced
needs of the youth whom they serve, including those who have dropped out of high school
(NC Workforce Department of Commerce, 2014).

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11

Evaluation
Our proposed NCLC program would best be evaluated on two levels: 1) program
effectiveness and 2) program sustainability (in terms of cost effectiveness, available resources).

To evaluate program effectiveness, student participants who give their consent will be
interviewed by program organizers both at the completion of their 30 hours of career counseling,
and again after completing their one year employment contract. In addition, each student is
required to take a survey at the beginning and end of their time in the program, assessing what
they hoped to get out of the program compared to what they actually learned as a tool for
evaluating program effectiveness. A random sampling of career counselors, library staff, and
employers involved with the program will be interviewed by the student selection committee
every year and a half as a new group of participants rotates in. (Examples of interview and
survey questions provided in Appendices E and F).
In addition to interviews and surveys, administrative data will be reviewed to determine
program effectiveness for the participants. For example, after each year and a half, program
organizers will review how many students were admitted to the program versus how many
fulfilled their one-year employment contract to track retention rates. One year after completing
their employment contract, students will be contacted via email to complete a survey to gauge
how many are gainfully employed in North Carolina or seeking further education. All North
Carolina employers of past program participants are required to notify program coordinators if
they choose to hire a past program participant full-time and this data will be further analyzed.
The number of library patrons and program participants utilizing the career counseling services
will be recorded daily through a sign-in database at the library and statistics will be compared
monthly to track an increase or decrease in user trends.

Program coordinators will be tasked with compiling a monthly finance chart tracking all
revenue and expenses. In particular, analyzing these charts on a monthly basis at all participating
libraries will assess if the amount of money generated from students actively completing their
one year employment contract is enough to both cover career counseling program expenses (staff
wages, supplies, professional training, etc.) at the library and provide a significant amount of
scholarship funding.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR YOUNG ADULTS

12

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After School Matters. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from http://www.afterschoolmatters.org/about
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Ashe, A. (n.d.) Retrieved from
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Association of Public Television Stations (APTS). (2014). Grant Center for Public Media: Dollar
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Becker, S., Crandall, M.D., Fisher, K.E., Blakewood, R., Kinney, B., & Russel-Suave, C. (2011).
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City of Greensboro North Carolina Library, the (n.d.). Career Information Services at the Central
Library. Retrieved from http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=3028
Communities in Schools (CIS). (2014). About Us. Retrieved from
http://www.communitiesinschools.org/
Developing Career Resources in Public Libraries. (2014). Retrieved from
http://www.houstonlibrary.org/career-center--core
Employment and Unemployment among Youth Summary (2014). US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/news.release/youth.nr0.htm
Ferry, N.M. (1996). Factors Influencing Career Choices of Adolescents and Young Adults in
Rural Pennsylvania. Retrieved from http://www.joe.org/joe/2006june/rb7.php
Geographic Research, Inc. (2014). Crime Rate and Census Data. Designed using SimplyMap
database.
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). (2014). Public Libraries and the Workforce.
Retrieved from http://www.imls.gov/about/workforce.aspx
International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance (IAEVG). (1999). Strategies
for Vocational Guidance in the 21st Century. Retrieved from
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Modern Machine Shop (MMS) (2014). Guidance among High School Students. Retrieved from
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NC Workforce Department of Commerce. (2014). Workforce Investment Act. Retrieved from
http://www.nccommerce.com/workforce
PNC Foundation. (2011). Philanthropy at PNC. Retrieved from
http://www1.pnc.com/pncfoundation

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Spielberger, J., Horton, C., Michels, L., & Halpern, R. (2004). New on the Shelf: Teens in the
Library: Findings from the Evaluation of Public libraries as Partners in Youth
Development, an Initiative of the Wallace Foundation. Retrieved from
http://www.chapinhall.org/sites/default/files/old_reports/181.pdf
Staples Foundation Grant. (2014). How We Give. Retrieved from www.staplesfoundation.org
United States. Cong. Senate Sub-committee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary
Education and the Workforce. (2013) Preparing Todays Students for Tomorrows Jobs:
A Discussion on Career and Technical Education and Training Programs. Retrieved from
http://edworkforce.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=349698.
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Research Centers Internet and American Life Project. Retrieved from
http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2013/01/22/Library-services/

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Appendix A
Theft-related crime rates in three densely populated cities
in North Carolina compared to the states average rates.

(Geographic Research, 2014)

14

CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR YOUNG ADULTS

Appendix B
Map of North Carolina depicting areas with highest and lowest volume
of instances of household incomes which do not exceed $15,000 annually.

(Geographic Research, 2014)

15

CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR YOUNG ADULTS

16

Appendix C
A comparison of the rates of high school diploma attainment and Bachelors Degree
attainment in rural cities compared to the North Carolina State Average.

(Geographic Research, 2014)

Appendix D
This pie chart depicts the percentage of household income rates
in $50,000 intervals in the state of North Carolina

(Geographic Research, 2014)

CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR YOUNG ADULTS

17

Appendix E
Exit Interview and Survey for Students
1. How did you learn about this program?
2. What encouraged you to apply?
3. What career counseling resources, workshops, or sessions did you feel were most beneficial?
Why?
4. What career counseling resources, workshops, or sessions did you feel were least beneficial?
Why?
5. What skills from career counseling sessions did you apply directly toward your job search
process?
6. What skills from career counseling sessions did you apply during job interviews?
7. What skills from career counseling sessions did you utilize in the workplace?
8. What skills did you learn on the job during your one year of contracted employment?
9. Do you foresee using any of the aforementioned skills in in future jobs or job searches?
10. Do you plan to apply for the NCLC scholarship to receive further education? Why or why not?
11. Do you believe this program has prepared you for a future career which matches your interests?
12. Are there any changes you would recommend in order to improve the career counseling program?
On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being the lowest, rate the following:
_____ quality of career counseling programs & resources
_____ excellence of career counselors
_____ excellence of library staff
_____ quality of community member career presentations at career counseling sessions
_____ satisfaction with the company with whom you completed 1 year of employment
_____ satisfaction with supervisor with whom you completed 1 year of employment
_____ how likely is it that you would recommend this program to other teens
Appendix F
Exit Interview questions for Program Staff and Community Partners
1. Describe your role in the program, including specific resources you provided to students.
2. In your opinion, what was the greatest impact of your role on the students participating in the
program?
3. Which career counseling sessions do you feel were the most effective for the students?
4. Which career counseling sessions do you feel were the least effective for the students?
5. Did this program impact your perception of the role of the public library?
6. Do you believe this program changed the participants perception of their public library?
7. Do you believe this program changed the communitys perception of the public library?
8. In relation to your role in the program, are there any changes you would recommend in order to
improve the career counseling services?