Since 2012, educators and librarians have celebrated Digital Learning Day every February 28 by showcasing digital resources that can assist all people with their learning endeavors. I know I have felt supported by the digital offerings of the Los Angeles Public Library, even with my own work as a librarian. I’ve taken lynda.com courses that have boosted my professional training, and I’ve signed up for personal development classes through Gale Courses for fun. One of my hobbies that I’m passionate about is writing, so I’ve recently signed up for a Gale Courses course on journaling.
Because I myself have benefited so much from the digital resources that we offer here at the Los Angeles Public Library, I wanted to highlight some of our digital learning resources offerings. These digital learning resources are free to use, for anyone that has a library card and PIN (last 4 digits of your phone number). Best of all, our digital resources are accessible anytime, anywhere. Below are some of the best digital learning opportunities that we have to offer. Check it out!
Digital Learning Opportunities for Adults and Teens
lynda.com
Lynda.com is an award-winning online learning site that offers more than 3,000 courses taught by recognized industry experts, and 150,000 video tutorials on business, technical and creative skills.
Gale Courses
Offers a wide range of highly interactive online courses. All of the courses are free and led by expert instructors. Courses run for six weeks and new sessions begin every month. Subjects offered are Career and Professional, Computers and Technology, Personal Development and Writing and Publishing.*These courses have been designed for learners over 13 years of age.
LearningExpress Library
LearningExpress Library provides easy-to-use access to relevant interactive tutorials, e-books and
test preparation to help improve academic skills in reading,
writing, math, social studies, and science. Included are
career-related information and test preparation for college
admissions, professional career licensing and certification,
high school equivalency and citizenship, and much more.
Universal Class
Over 500 online non-credit Continuing Education Courses are offered through this resource. These courses are led by expert instructors and are provided for your personal enrichment. Business, Career Training, Cooking, Real Estate, Crafts and Hobbies, and Psychology are a few of the subjects covered by these courses. These courses are designed for learners over 13 years of age.
Digital Learning Opportunities for Kids
tutor.com
Free one-on-one online homework help provided by expert tutors from 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. every day. Provides assistance in English & Spanish for students in grades K-12, college intro and adult learners covering Math, Science, English, Social Studies, and Proof Point (writing review). The SkillsCenter Resource Library, available 24/7, offers worksheets, tutorials, study guides, plus an Adult Education and Career Center!
Science Flix
ScienceFlix combines curriculum-driven, leveled content, interactive features, and intuitive navigation into a single, highly-engaging digital resource for students in grades 4 through 9. ScienceFlix is available for use on PCs, Macs and most tablets and mobile devices
Brittanica School
This digital resource is a three-part multi-subject encyclopedia with portals for elementary, middle, and high school students.
World Book for Kids
World Book Kids is an easy-to-use tool to help kids do online research. Children can explore a wealth of subjects with articles, videos, reports, engaging activities, and games. It is designed for the young learner in grades 1 through 4.