November Newsletter

C.O.D. Library ESL/ABE/GED Faculty Newsletter

November 2009

---

Getting to Work via the Library

Access to job, work and career resources is just one of the services that the Library can offer to our students.  These materials can be especially useful to ESL, ABE and GED students– many of you already bring your students to the Library to explore these resources.  If you’re not familiar with what we have in the Library, here are a few of our “less obvious” options:

Did you know that the Library hosts workshops for recently unemployed adults? Neither did I, until recently! The Career Exploration Workshop for Recently Unemployed Adults is a new offering here at the Library, made available in conjunction with College of DuPage Counseling and Career Services. This session is just one of the many ways the Library can help students and community members find jobs, change careers and explore employment opportunities. Check out our Events calendar to find out when this workshop and others are being offered.

Perhaps you’re already familiar with the Library’s College and Career Information Center (CCIC)? But did you know that the CCIC has the DuPage area’s largest collection of books and audiovisual materials on job search, career, and college information? Me neither! This “library” within the Library, is an invaluable resource for job-seekers of any age, career-interest or skill-level. Take a look at our Job, Career & College web resources and you’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg: the CCIC has resources on every type of job from accounting to zookeeping, plus the materials that will help you study for those jobs and apply for them.

Learning Express Library is a popular resource for students who want to hone their skills– whether they’re studying for the GED or getting extra practice with writing and reading. But Learning Express Library is also an exceptional tool for job hunting, career exploration and professional exam preparation. Job Search and Workplace Skills covers business writing, the search process, resume writing and interviewing. Jobs & Careers will aid students who are exploring occupations or studying for exams.

Job and Career Resources for ABE, GED and ESL Students

Introductory/Basic English career series

• Career Discovery Encyclopedia
• Career Exploration series
• Discovering Careers for Your Future series
• Extreme Careers series
• World of Work

Work and Business Skills

• 25 Business Stories: A Practical Guide for English Learners PE1127.B86 B66 2008
• Conversations for Work General: PE1127.W65 V32 2007
• Job Hunting Handbook CCIC: HF5382.7 .J63 2000
• Job Savvy: How to Be a Success at Work General: PE1127.W65 L833 2003
• Professional English in Use General: PE1128 .M2757 2006
• Using Official Documents General: PE1127.B86 U84 2007
• Working in English General: PE1128 .W671 2001

Resource of the Month

http://www.acinet.org/acinet/

Career OneStop: America’s Career InfoNet

The Library’s College Career Information Center describes ACINet as a “must see” website. And no wonder: this site has everything. A menu at the top of the page directs users to Explore Careers, Salary + Benefits, Education + Training, Job Search, Resumes + Interviews, and People + Places to Help. Further down the page are areas for occupation, industry and state information. Beyond that are areas of interest for particular users, including students and jobseekers.

The sheer amount of information available on America’s Career InfoNet might be overwhelming to some students who are less comfortable navigating the Web, but the site make printing and emailing content fairly easy– just look for “Print this page” or “Email this page” at the top of the screen.

The search box, also at the top of each screen, allows users to bypass the many tables of contents, indexes and other navigation tools and find what’s needed immediately. Results tend to be fairly accurate and easy to work with.

ACINet is one part of Career OneStop, a U.S. Department of Labor-sponsored Web site, so you can feel confident in referring your students to this resource for accurate and useful information whether they are researching a career or looking for a job.

Fall Library Orientations

Want your students to get an introduction to the Library, but don’t have time in the semester to schedule a class visit? Encourage your students to attend a free 50-minute Library Orientation! The Library will be offering these basic introductory sessions Mondays through Saturdays between August 31 and September 14– morning, afternoon and evening.

Students will learn:

• How the Library can help them find information– any information!
• How to find books, videos, CDs and more in the Library’s collection
• What to do when what you want isn’t in the Library
• How to get a Library card and the benefits of having one
• Where to look for articles from magazines, journals and newspapers
• How to evaluate a website
• How to use the Library’s website to get information, answers and help

If you’d like to offer your students extra-credit for attendance, we will be issuing certificates of completion at the end of each session. Students can also register for a gift certificate to the Bookstore and enjoy free cookies!

Students can register in-person at the Reference Desk, by phone (630) 942-3364, or online at http://services.codlibrary.org/emailpage/orientation.php

Sessions are geared toward traditional students, but will surely benefit higher-level ESL students as well as ABE and GED students looking to familiarize themselves with Library services.

How to Book a Librarian

The C.O.D. Library ESL/ABE/GED Team (Jenn, Prema, Bobbie and sometimes, Debra) is dedicated to giving your students the best introduction to the Library and its resources. We encourage you to set some time in your busy schedules to bring your students into the Library or to have a Librarian visit you in your off-campus classroom. Booking an instruction session with a Librarian is quick and easy:

1. The first step is to contact me, your Librarian, and let me know what day(s) and time(s) would work best with your class schedule. The sooner you book an instruction session, the better! The instruction calendar fills up quickly, so even if you don’t intend to visit the Library until November, schedule your session as soon as possible in ensure your ideal day and time.
2. Let me know a.) how many students are in your class b.) what sort of instruction session you would like (Library tour, hands-on computer time, a combination) c.) topics you’d like covered (electronic resources, jobs and career information, health information, etc.)
3. Once we set up a time and reserve a classroom, I’ll send you a Library card application that you can copy and distribute to your students. Return the completed applications to me with a copy of your official class list, and I’ll be sure to have Library cards ready for your students in time for their Library visit
4. I do require that instructors attend the Library sessions with their students. Your presence lets your students know that you value information literacy and that it is an important part of their education. Additionally, with you in the room, I can better address your students’ needs, skill levels and curriculum requirements.

I am more than happy to work with you to create a custom Library instruction session/visit for your students– just let me know what you want, and we’ll make it happen.

I look forward to seeing you and your classes in the Library this Fall!