LIFE

Collier libraries begin offering paper unemployment applications at 7 locations

Andrew Atkins
Naples Daily News
It begins to rain at the library headquarters on Orange Blossom Drive on Aug. 28, 2018.

The Collier County Public Library began offering unemployment application forms and mailing envelopes to county residents at seven library locations Tuesday. 

The paper application forms will be available in English, Spanish and Creole, according to a news release. Residents can pick up the free application and an envelope at an unstaffed table from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday until further notice.

Ranferi Cifuentes, 11, and sister Kaelyn, 9, of Naples read to D.B., a service dog from PAWS Assistant Dogs, while reading during Pups 'n' Books at East Naples Branch Library on Thursday, March 23, 2017.

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The locations are:

  • Everglades City Library: 102 Copeland Ave., N., Everglades City, FL 34139
  • Golden Gate Branch Library: 2432 Lucerne Road, Naples, FL 34116
  • Headquarters Library: 2385 Orange Blossom Drive, Naples, FL 34109
  • Immokalee Branch Library: 417 N. First Street, Immokalee, FL 34142
  • Marco Island Branch Library: 201 S. Heathwood Drive, Marco Island, FL 34145
  • Naples Regional Library: 650 Central Avenue, Naples, FL 34102
  • South Regional Library: 8065 Lely Cultural Parkway, Naples, FL 34113

Residents may complete the application at home and mail it to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, P.O. BOX 5350, Tallahassee, FL, 32314-5350. Postage is required unless dropping it off at one of four FedEx stores offering free mailing for the forms in a FedEx envelope.

The FedEx stores are:

  • 2367 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples, FL 34109
  • 890 Neapolitan Way, Naples, FL 34103
  • 5420 Juliet Blvd, Naples, FL 34109 (Inside Walmart)
  • 9885 Collier Blvd. Naples, FL 34114 (Inside Walmart)

A Q&A created by Rose LaBarge, a senior librarian who handles marketing for the Collier libraries, noted the widespread problems faced by the state's unemployment website. 

"A record number of Floridians are now filing for unemployment," LaBarge wrote. "The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity ramped up efforts to provide paper applications and the Library will have these forms and an envelope available.

Andrew Atkins is a Naples Daily News features reporter. Contact him via email at andrew.atkins@naplesnews.com. To support work like Andrew's, please consider subscribing: https://cm.naplesnews.com/specialoffer/