Richland Library offering small business, employment help

Richland Co., S.C. (WOLO)– The COVID-19 outbreak is not only a health crisis, it is also an economic crisis.

Since the onset of the outbreak, hundreds of thousands of South Carolinians have found themselves out of work, and small businesses have been forced to scale back their operations or close up shop entirely.

The Richland Co. Public Library is offering assistance for those facing financial hardships due to the virus.

According to a spokesperson, the library is  launching a new online service where customers can choose from a variety of options, based on their unique circumstances, to find trusted information on loans, unemployment benefits and more.

In addition each week, the library is hosting a virtual meeting with local business leaders to identify growing needs and discuss accessible resources.

With help from Midlands Technical College, the library says it is training nearly 20 employees to become certified career coaches by the end of May 2020, adding to the dozen certified career coaches that the library already has on staff.

The library adds it has certified career coaches are interacting with customers through virtual, one-on-one appointments by visiting us online or calling any library location. These one-on-one appointments also extend to the library’s entrepreneur-in-residence, Kimico Myers. Learn more about Myers’ business experience here.

And lastly, according to a spokesperson, the library is connecting entrepreneurs and small businesses with a dedicated Facebook groupto bounce ideas off each other, ask questions and find useful tools.