Carson City Library Is Helping Bridge the Digital Skills Divide
Submitted by Carson Now Reader on Wed, 06/19/2019 - 9:27am
Event Date:
June 19, 2019 (All day) Whether you are working on a research project for a history class, or hoping to pass your citizenship test, the Carson City Library is here to help you. Since our establishment in 1966, the Carson City Library has been a natural meeting place for families and friends to congregate and learn. Each and every day we are fortunate to serve our community and welcome new visitors.
But we are more than just a depository of books, magazines, and newspapers. In an increasingly digital world, we know that our library plays just as critical a role today as it did when we first opened our doors more than half a century ago.
During the last decade, our region has rapidly become a hub for tech companies and start-ups. Between drone delivery and software companies to data centers and fulfillment facilities, it is clear that with each passing year, more and more businesses are choosing to stake a claim in Northern Nevada.
To help keep up with the demand for skilled tech workers, our library has made significant advancements to prepare our patrons for these local jobs — and we aren’t the only library doing so. According to the American Library Association, nearly three-quarters of public libraries assist their community members with job applications and interviewing skills, 90 percent help their patrons learn basic digital skills, and just under half provide access and assistance to entrepreneurs looking to start their own businesses.
At the Carson City Library, we offer a number of resources and programs to help members of our community acquire these essential skills. By simply signing up for a library card, visitors can attend computer classes, or participate in activities with the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) club. We also have an @Two Digital Learning Center, a space within our library that allows visitors to access computers and the internet, use email, create websites, and more. And the Digitorium, also located in the library, is where local high school students and teens can improve their online literacy and digital media production skills.
Ensuring our visitors have access to digital training is a worthwhile investment because a thriving workforce creates a thriving community. This week, we are expanding on our work to bridge the digital skills divide by hosting Google for a day of workshops. The ‘Grow with Google’ nationwide tour is the tech company’s initiative to help create economic opportunities through digital skills training. Today, the tour will stop at the Carson City Library for a day of workshops and 1:1 trainings for small businesses, job seekers, and anyone else who wants to build on their skills. Google trainers will also provide our librarians, as well as librarians from nearby areas and trainers from other organizations, with the tools and resources to provide these trainings on an ongoing basis.
Here at the Carson City Library, we believe that you are never too young, or too old to learn. We encourage Carson residents to stop by next week’s workshops and take advantage of the resources that will be provided. We hope to see you there.
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