Formal Report Proposal: Benson Lin

To: Dr. Erika Paterson

From: Benson Lin

Date: June 22, 2022

Subject: Proposal for Improving Awareness of Library Resources for Career Advancements at the Surrey City Centre Library

Introduction

Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, many people have lost their jobs or are contemplating changing careers. Moreover, jobs are increasingly becoming more reliant on technology as evident by the increase in remote jobs. The process needed to change careers can be daunting but can lead to a  higher salary and better work-life balance.   

Statement of the Problem

The library has many resources for career development and self learning to help people find jobs or change careers. People may not have access to the internet at home or have access to a computer. The library provides free computers and Wi-Fi to access emails, job boards and online learning platforms. People will not access these resources if they are not aware that they are available for free or at low cost at their local library  

Proposed Solution

One possible solution to this problem is to create a monthly newsletter that can be emailed to those who are interested. This newsletter can include upcoming career related events and useful resources such as books, job boards, and other online resources. The newsletter will notify those who are interested and they can attend these events or access other related resources. 

Scope

To assess the feasibility a newsletter to increase awareness of library resources, I plan to pursue the following areas of inquiry:

1. What are the current needs of people for career related resources?
2. How many people are aware of library resources besides books and dvds?
3. How many people are currently seeking a new job or are contemplating changing careers?
4. What career related programs are in place at the library?
5. What is the current attendance at career related events hosted at the library?

Methods

The primary source of data will be an anonymous online survey to answer some of the questions detailed in the scope section. I will also interview library staff to ask about the current career related programs at the library. Observations at the library will be made to gauge how well career related resources are advertised at the City Centre branch. 

My Qualifications

I am a UBC student who is near the end of my own career transition from lab work to software engineering. Also, I was a part of the Science Co-op program at UBC and have completed three separate co-op terms. I have experience in building resumes and cover letters, interviewing and searching for job openings. I have been going to the City Centre library for some time and I just want to inform more people about the resources that the library offers.   

Conclusion

As the job landscape evolves, people will need to learn new skills to keep up with the changing requirements that employers are looking for. The public library system has the resources to help people become lifelong learners and advance their career or transition to a new career. By answering the areas of inquiry mentioned above, I can determine the feasibility of implementing a newsletter to inform job seekers of the resources from the public library system.