MIDLAND, Texas — Tuesday morning, Midland County Commissioners passed motions for Midland County Public Libraries to continue making way for more opportunities for their patrons, especially those who are on the job hunt.
So far, Centennial Library is getting ready to usher in the Business Resource and Information Center (BRIC) as a one-stop shop for job seekers to get hands-on help.
"Last year we received a grant from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission to renovate a study room in the Centennial Library, and we turned that from a study space into a professional office space for people who need to come in to seek jobs, or develop their resumes, or work on their interview skills," said Matthew Glaser, Assistant Director of Midland County Public Libraries. "Pretty much to advance their career, whether they’re unemployed or seeking to switch careers."
They hope to provide valuable technological resources to people who may not normally have access to them.
"The goal is to have it as an as needed basis, because people are always seeking jobs and out of vivid the online interview was the way to go and it stuck around," said Glaser. "So to have that available for people without quality internet access at home or without the technology to do so. We’re hoping it has a lot of traction."
As for people who can't make it into the library, they are hoping for these services to soon expand.
"We want to expand the community's availability for learning new skills, and we call this the mobile skills lab," said Glaser. "It’s a vision we have to take technology we have out into the community, to educate and build different kinds of skills."
With the libraries serving eight additional counties connected to Midland County, this could benefit people all over West Texas.
"To give this to people miles away who can’t come here and use our services, it has the potential to be widespread, so we definitely are looking at it to be in our entire service area and to reach those people that we don’t normally see everyday," said Glaser.