Financed by a federal grant, the computer classes help residents learn basic skills such as filling out job applications on the Internet and drafting and sending résumés as attachments – skills that were not as essential a decade ago.

In Hasbrouck Heights on Thursday, 10 adults who acknowledged that their job-seeking skills need improvement took part in the first day of a two-day workshop designed to acquire those skills, one of more than 100 such programs in the state.

"We believe in helping our community with the economic recovery and bettering the people that we serve," said Mimi Hui, the librarian. "And why not? We want to help them get back on their feet. We want to provide information and help them with lifelong learning."

Funded by the $5.1 million grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and matching funds of $1.5 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the program has implemented 521 training programs since March at 124 public libraries, state officials said.

For residents like Donna Fackelman, who left the job market in the 1990s to raise a family, the training is a chance to catch up on skills.

"I mostly did basic word processing," said Fackelman, of Hasbrouck Heights, a former secretary. "I want to learn how to do it right."

Regina Imperato, who has given instructions at several libraries, including Lodi, Westwood, Garfield, Dumont and Cresskill, said job seekers who have not had to look for work in several years face particular challenges.

Most employers require applicants to fill out job applications online, even if they will not need to work in an office.

With the state's jobless rate at record levels, local and state officials said libraries are filling a need.

More than 5,000 people have participated in the program, state officials said.

"What we are finding is that people are coming into libraries; not only have some of them never been out of work before — some of them have never sat in front of a computer before," said Peggy Cadigan, the state's acting librarian. An advantage of libraries is that they're open evenings and weekends, she said. "Librarians are really good-hearted people, and they'll sit down with somebody and say, 'Here's a mouse. Here's how you go online.' "