Sari Feldman, president-elect,
American Library Association and executive director,
Cuyahoga County Public Library
Heidi Silver-Pacuilla, team leader, Applied Innovation and Improvement, Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education
Susan Hildreth, director
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Kimberly Vitelli, chief of Division of
National Programs, Employment and Training Administration, U.S.
Department of Labor
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 IMLS and Workforce Development
 Overview of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
(WIOA)
 Provisions Related to Libraries
 Frequently Asked Questions
 Partnership in Action
 Input from the Field
 WIOA Resources
3

 Millions of Americans depend on libraries for workforce support (estimated 30 million in 2009)
 IMLS Partnership with Department of Labor Employment and
Training Administration connects libraries with One-stop
Centers across US http://www.imls.gov/about/workforce.aspx?id=14&category=0
 IMLS Partnership with Office of Career, Technical and Adult
Education - “Dear Colleague” letter leverages libraries’ digital literacy training with adult education programs http://www.imls.gov/about/adults_gain_skills_at_the_library.as
px?id=9&category=7
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 Libraries named as One-Stop partners
 Libraries recognized as important providers of training and employment services
 Focus for State and Local Workforce Development Boards on digital literacy skills can leverage and build on library services
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 President Barack Obama signed WIOA into law on July 22, 2014.
 Passed by Congress with wide bipartisan majority (The Senate voted 93-5 and the House of Representatives voted 415-6).
 Reaffirms ongoing role of American Job Centers.
 Promotes program coordination and alignment of key employment, education, and training programs at the Federal,
State, local, and regional levels.
 Builds on proven practices such as sector strategies, career pathways, regional economic approaches, work-based training.
 Complements and supports the President’s Job-Driven Workforce
Vision.
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 Supersedes the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and retains and amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the Wagner-
Peyser Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
 Identifies “core programs”:
–
Adults, Dislocated Workers, and Youth formula programs and Wagner-Peyser employment services administered by the Department of Labor; and
–
Adult education and literacy programs and Vocational Rehabilitation state grant programs that assist individuals with disabilities in obtaining employment administered by the Department of Education.
 Authorizes the Job Corps, YouthBuild, Indian and Native Americans, and Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker programs, and evaluation and research activities conducted by DOL.
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 Requires states to strategically align workforce development programs to support job seekers and employers.
 Promotes accountability and transparency of programs.
 Fosters regional collaboration to meet the needs of regional economies.
 Streamlines and strengthens the strategic roles of workforce development boards.
 Enhances services provided to job seekers and employers through the American Job Center system.
 Improves services to employers and promotes work-based training.
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 Provides access to high quality training.
 Enhances workforce services for the unemployed and other job seekers.
 Improves services to individuals with disabilities.
 Makes key investments in serving disconnected youth and other vulnerable populations, including Native Americans and Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers.
 Increases the performance and quality of the Job Corps program.
 Reinforces connections with Registered Apprenticeship.
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 WIOA increases the quality and accessibility of services that job seekers and employers receive at their local one-stop centers.
 States will establish criteria to certify one-stops at least every three years to ensure continuous improvement, access (including physical and programmatic accessibility for individuals with disabilities) and integrated service delivery for job seekers and employers.
 Key partners and services will be available at one-stops through co-location of partner programs, and the addition of the TANF program as a mandatory partner.
 The workforce system will have a common identifier so workers that need employment or training services and employers that need qualified workers can easily find their local center.
 States and local areas are encouraged to improve customer service and program management by integrating intake, case management, and reporting systems.
 One-stop partner programs will dedicate funding for infrastructure and other shared costs.
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Create a partnership among Federal Government, States, and localities to provide adult education and literacy services that assist adults to:
 Become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and economic self-sufficiency
 Become a full partner in the education development of their children
 Complete high school
AND (new purposes):
 Promote transitions from adult education to postsecondary education and training through career pathways
 Assist immigrants and English language learners
 improve reading, writing, math, speaking, and comprehending
English
 acquire understanding of American government, individual freedom, and responsibilities of citizenship
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 Libraries are an optional partner in one-stop centers.
 State boards advise the Governor on ways to improve digital literacy skills.
 States may use statewide funds to improve coordination of employment and training activities with adult education and literacy activities, including those provided by libraries.
 Libraries are an “eligible provider” of adult education and literacy services. 12

 IMLS and OCTAE recently released a Dear Colleague letter pledging greater coordination of services to address digital literacy.
 IMLS and DOL/ETA released joint guidance on how libraries support job seekers.
 IMLS and USCIS pledged support on offering services to immigrants and their families.
 Libraries are trusted community engagement and information hubs.
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 What does it mean to be a “one-stop partner”?
 Does WIOA change funding for one-stop partners?
 How will WIOA improve seamless service delivery for clients?
 Since libraries provide services to enhance digital literacy, how can libraries help with planning and providing these activities, especially if the library does not sit on the State or local
Workforce Development Board?
 With WIOA’s increased focus on serving out-of-school youth, what are ways in which libraries can help meet the needs of these youth?
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1.
How might libraries and the workforce system partner in the future?
2.
What have libraries and the workforce system already been doing?
3.
Are there barriers or stumbling blocks that have been identified?
15

 Department of Labor
–
WIOA Resource Page ( www.doleta.gov/WIOA )
–
WIOA Dedicated Email ( DOL.WIOA@dol.gov
)
 Department of Education
–
Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education’s WIOA Resource
Page ( http://www.ed.gov/AEFLA )
–
WIOA Dedicated Email ( AskAEFLA@ed.gov
)
–
Rehabilitation Services Administration’s WIOA Resource Page
( http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/rsa/wioareauthorization.html
)
–
WIOA Dedicated Email ( RSA.WIOA@ed.gov
)
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• District Dispatch
( www.districtdispatch.org
)
• Department of Education
( www.ed.gov/AEFLA )
• Department of Labor
( www.doleta.gov/WIOA )
• IMLS
( www.imls.gov
)
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