For Immediate Release

 

Media Contact:

Heather O’Connell

hoconnell@leegov.com

239-461-2924

 

FORT MYERS, FL, April 25, 2008 -Applying for Assistance

 

Library computers are always busy, but more and more in Lee County, they’re being used to apply for public assistance.

 

“At any given hour the library is open, there’s someone applying for unemployment, Medicaid, housing assistance or food stamps,” said Lee County Library System Community Relations Coordinator Heather O’Connell.

 

Since the E-Government Act of 2002, government agencies have moved to cut costs by providing information and applications online. As a result, agencies are increasingly referring people without computers to the library. However, libraries are finding that many of the applicants don’t just need computer access; they need personal instruction.

 

A 2006 survey* of Florida Libraries found that:

  • Over 88% of libraries assist with job applications, online training and unemployment claims
  • Over 86% of libraries assist with locating or completing social service forms
  • Over 78% of libraries assist in locating or completing Medicaid registration or prescription drug forms
  • Over 67% of libraries assist in locating immigration and naturalization service information

and

  • 78% of libraries ranked providing this assistance as the first or second most time-intensive service they provide

 

Why is so much assistance needed? A recent report found that 56% of these online applications are written at a 12th grade reading level, which is higher than the average American reading level, and the forms can be complex. **

 

”For example, there are 28 screens to complete for food stamps, so there’s a lot to navigate and many of the applicants we see have little or no computer experience,” O’Connell said.

 

Laura Cifelli, a librarian at the Fort Myers-Lee County Public Library, says some applicants need to be advised on basic skills like scrolling down to view all the text.

 

“For many, they’ve never even used a drop down box or had to create a password. Almost all the applications require an e-mail address, which many of these applicants haven’t had before, so we get them started with setting up free e-mail accounts”, said Cifelli, adding that the process can be time consuming.

 

“If you’re already in a situation where you need to apply for assistance, you may be feeling a lot of pressure to get this done quickly, but with heavy demand, there are time limits for computer use, so the applications can’t always be finished in a single session,” Cifelli said.

 

Cifelli responded to the increasing needs by creating step by step directions for each application. She went though the process, screen by screen, adding arrows and instructions for each step. The result: library staff can now help more people by providing “paper computer coaches”. The step by step print-outs lead applicants through creating e-mail accounts, completing each section of social services applications, and saving information at each stage. The guides also tell applicants what information they need to write down and keep, in case they need to refer to their application or complete it later.

 

The guides for social services applications and setting up free e-mail accounts are available in English and Spanish. There’s also a guide in Spanish that provides citizenship information for immigrants.

 

Here are some tips for completing public assistance applications at the library:

 

Check the libraries nearest you for their hours. Computers shut down 15 minutes before closing at each location.

Some locations frequently have wait times for computers, but reservations can be made at the library up to 7 days in advance.

 

There is no charge for computer use at the library, but there is a fee for printing: 10 cents per black and white page.

 

If you have limited computer experience and need assistance, call the library to see if a volunteer computer coach is available.

 

Check that you bring all required information for your application, including identification.

 

A library card is required for computer use. If you do not have a Lee County Library System library card, you will need identification to get one. Library cards are free to anyone who lives, works, or goes to school in Lee County.

 

For more information and library locations, please call 479-INFO or visit www.lee-county.com/library

 

Sources Cited:

 

*Charles E. McClure and others, “E-Government and Public Libraries: Current Status, Meeting Report, Findings and Next Steps” (Information Use Management and Policy Institute, College of Information, Florida State University, January 2007).

 

**Darrell M. West, “State and Federal E-Government in the United States 2007” (Taubman Center for Public Policy, August 2007)

 

 

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