Job & Career Accelerator Extended For New Jersey State Library Recovery Project

NEW YORK, Dec. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- LearningExpress, LLC announces the extension of the Internet resource Job & Career Accelerator (TM) to all New Jersey public libraries, available through the New Jersey State Library and affiliated with Thomas Edison State College, to aid in the state's recovery efforts following the region's October hurricane, Sandy.

"Hurricane Sandy forced many New Jersey residents to interrupt their job searches, and unfortunately, left some residents facing new or continued unemployment," said Mary Chute, New Jersey State Librarian. "This extension of service will give our customers additional time to search for a job, create and update their resumes, and uncover new opportunities. We heartily thank LearningExpress for their generosity."

The original subscription by the New Jersey State Library was part of a statewide project, "New Jersey Libraries - Anchor Institutions as Instruments of Recovery", funded by a $7.5 million federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP) grant. Job & Career Accelerator was selected to help achieve the project's workforce development goals: to provide NJ residents with comprehensive job search assistance, employment skill-building tools, and access to proven career development programs. To date, New Jersey residents have conducted more than 161,000 job searches using Job & Career Accelerator at New Jersey libraries.  This and other career resources can be accessed with a library card, at no additional cost to the user, by visiting www.NJWorks.org, the State Library's career resource portal.

According to John Fugazzie, Founder and President of Neighbors-helping-Neighbors USA, Inc. (nhnusa.org), the Internet site has been an invaluable resource to the over 1,000 members of the NJ-based and nationally recognized grassroots organization, offering weekly job search support and assistance at meetings held at public libraries throughout NJ.

"We are pleased to be able to make this gift of an extension on Job & Career Accelerator to the New Jersey State Library as an appropriate way to help the state in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. All participating libraries and consortia throughout the state will be able to provide essential workforce services to New Jersey residents, and especially those personally affected by Sandy," says Barry Lippman, President and CEO of LearningExpress, LLC.

LearningExpress, known for its award-winning online educational and work-related platforms, is a three-time winner of the SIIA CODiE Awards in 2011 for Best Postsecondary Instructional Solution, Best Postsecondary Education Solution, and Best Instruction Solution for Job & Career Accelerator™.

About New Jersey State Library
The New Jersey State Library has three bureaus: the Library Development Bureau (LDB), the NJ State Library Talking Book & Braille Center (TBBC), and the State Library Information Center (SLIC). The State Library connects people with information through its service to libraries, government, and people with special needs. The State Library, which is affiliated with Thomas Edison State College, coordinates, promotes, and funds the New Jersey Library Network, of which we are a proud member. Last year, attendance in New Jersey's public libraries was well over 51 million with total circulation of almost 64 million, an increase of almost 6 million. For more information, visit www.njstatelib.org.

About LearningExpress, LLC
LearningExpress, LLC is an educational technology company founded with the mission to help adult and student learners improve basic skills required for academic and career success. The company currently serves over 6,000 public libraries, 5,000 schools, and 1,200 colleges across the United States and Canada, and helps more than 1.5 million adults and students each year. Visit LearningExpress, LLC at www.learningexpressllc.com.

SOURCE LearningExpress, LLC