This was a headline in the Janesville Gazette on April 30, 1980. Sharon Ebel, of the Gazette staff, wrote of the effects of layoffs at the General Motors and Dana Corporation plants in Janesville and Edgerton, respectively.
The two men in the photo are Guy Hinkle, left, and Scott Jordan on the right.
In 1980, Library Director Dan Bradbury said circulation skyrocketed in part due to area layoffs. More patrons - especially men - visited the library, and were observed reading to their children in the children's department.
--Janesville Public Library, c. 1982Books about automotive repair, home improvement, garden and landscaping, and career opportunity materials were popular. The first three months of 1980 saw a 15 percent increase in circulation compared to 1979.
In 1980 the library's reference department received more requests for "8mm and 16mm movie projectors, which are circulated almost daily. "
"With many persons unable to take long vacations because of the energy and economy pinch, [the library] hopes to saturate library shelves with information describing Wisconsin tourist attractions."
Other patrons requested information about job opportunities, pay scales, resumes and educational requirements in other fields.
In 2010, job-seekers have even more options at the library:
- Free computers to write a resume or search the Internet.
- A "Job-Seekers" lab held monthly - no registration required - for help with job hunting.
- A "Job Resource Center" with books, magazines and reference material located across from the Reference Desk. Find help with choosing a school, financial aid, selecting a career, studying for an entrance exam or writing that perfect resume.
See our online Job Resource Center for help - from home or at the library.
Contact the library Reference Desk if you have questions or need assistance.
Helpful library staff are available to assist with your information needs - just as in 1980.
We're here for you!
--posted by sb 9/17/2010
