Do public libraries impact local labor markets? Evidence from Appalachia

Amir B Ferreira Neto
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Amir Borges Ferreira Neto

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: This paper investigates the effect of public library programs and participation on unemployment and labor force participation in Appalachia. Appalachia is an economically distressed area, mostly rural, and with a sustained lower level of labor force participation and a higher level of unemployment. As public library programs can be countercyclical to labor market outcomes, I use public library staff and the amount of print resources and computers available as instruments. The results show that neither adult nor children’s programs and participation affect local labor market outcomes. These results are robust across different specifications. Spatial econometric estimates corroborate the main results and provide evidence of spatial spillover effects, especially for children’s programs.

Keywords: Local Labor Market; Labor Force Participation; Public Library; Unemployment; Appalachia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H40 J64 L39 R59 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018-10-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-geo, nep-lab and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/89584/1/MPRA_paper_89584.pdf original version (application/pdf)
https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/110906/5/MPRA_paper_110906.pdf revised version (application/pdf)
https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/114332/1/MPRA_paper_114332.pdf revised version (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Do public libraries impact local labour markets? Evidence from Appalachia (2023)
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