Continuing Education Resolutions for 2015!

Front line librarians at the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System. spend a lot of time touting the benefits of our library system’s free databases to our patrons and the public in general, and while I do actually use many of them myself while manning the reference desk, I have never actually enrolled in an online course through the continuing education databases that we make available. I hope to change that in 2015! With so many varied class topics to choose from in either personal or professional development, it seems foolish to continue to allow these opportunities to pass me by. And what better way to sell these resources to our users than to become familiar with the process myself?

While we offer several test preparation databases as well that are also very useful for those interested in furthering either education or career (See all eCampus Resources,) the two continuing education databases we subscribe to at AFPLS are Gale Courses and Universal Class. Both are free to library card holders in good standing and both offer a wide array of highly interactive, instructor led courses.

Gale Courses: Courses available through this database run for six weeks and new sessions begin every month. This is a certificate program geared towards professionals, including CEU (Continuing Education Units) and PLU (Professional Learning Units)-granting courses, and online GED, SAT/ACT Prep courses. Enrolling is a simple process that only requires the user to have a library card and email address to create a free account. Once enrolled students must log in and view the first two lessons within 13 days after the start date of the course to avoid being automatically dropped. If dropped, you do have the ability to enroll in the course during a later session. When a course selection is clicked on, users will be given an overview, syllabus, instructor information and requirements for enrolling. Clearly this is not an entirely self-paced set of courses as each session takes place within a six week time frame, however with classes ranging from Accounting and Finance to Writing and Publishing, users from all backgrounds are sure to find value in the classes offered here. An award of completion will be given after a passing final score.

Universal Class: While this database definitely offers courses that would be beneficial to professionals, it also offers hundreds of courses, all instructor-led, on almost any topic imaginable. This resources boasts over 500 online self-paced continuing education classes for adults in a range of subjects related to skills, jobs or personal growth. Face Painting, Weight Training, Flower Arranging, even a Beginner’s Guide to Wine class are all examples of the personal continuing education resources you will find here. When library card holders choose a course they will be taken to a page with a full course description, syllabus, information about the instructor and number of CEUs the class provides. Another feature of this database I liked was the recommended related classes that are also listed for the user when a course is selected. Signing up for that wine class? Maybe you’d like to pair that with Italian Cooking 101! Classes are self-paced here, which may be both a blessing and a curse. It’s wonderful to have the flexibility to take a class at any time of day or night that suits your schedule, however with no completion deadline I can see how a lot of users might start something they never finish.

Both of these offer users so much variety in terms of the range of topics covered. For someone like me just looking to find something fun it’s almost overwhelming! Still, I am excited to discover something new and to accomplish my goal of completing one of these classes in the near future. As the day winds down that wine class is sounding better and better all the time…

Ring In The New Year With eCampus!

You don't have to be a student to appreciate access to life long learning! The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System has an array of online databases that are designed for learners of all ages, backgrounds, and in a variety of subjects. The best part about eCampus? It's free for library card holders and can be used anywhere you have an Internet connection! If you haven't explored any of these resources yet, why not make it your New Year's resolution to give them a try and learn a new skill in 2014? Whether you're trying to pass the GED, want to take a photography or flower arranging class, have a desire to learn Mandarin, or need some extra tutoring in Algebra, the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library's eCampus is here to help! Classes that explore these resources will be given throughout the year at many of our locations, starting with Top 10 Ways Students Can Use eCampus at the Southwest Branch this month! Register now to ensure you have a seat, and don't forget your flash drives!

eCampus resources and their descriptions can be found below. And you can always visit our web page and click on the eCampus link in the middle of the screen to access any of these wonderful resources at your own convenience. 

Visit eCampus Resources

eCampus is Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System’s online learning suite of FREE resources. eCampus supports the empowerment of patrons through eight unique databases strategically designed to support: test preparation and educational resources for all ages – K-adult; continuing education and GED resources, and career and employment resources. eCampus databases are accessible via the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System library card. The eCampus databases are: BookFlix (Home access): Online literacy resource for Pre-K through 3rdGrade that offers a unique way to link fact and fiction through online read-along. Tutor.com: Live online one-on-one tutoring sessions and homework help in academic subjects. Access to resources and links for basic learning skills, homework help, GED preparation and career assistance. ePrep: Online standardized test preparation for the PSAT, SSAT, SAT, ACT and PLAN. Test prep includes video based instruction. Testing & Education Reference Center: Unlimited access to college prep tools, scholarship search, preparation and skill building for GED and other tests for technical school and vocational occupations, plus informative career information. LearningExpress Library: Provides practice tests, exercises, skill-building courses, testing resources for all ages -- K-12, undergraduate and graduate, vocational and GED. Career and employment resources are available also. Mángo Languages: Learn a new language with an interactive database that provides step-by-step lesson plans including ESL lessons for patrons. Universal Class: Over 500 online self-paced continuing education classes for adults in a range of subjects related to skills, jobs or personal growth. Learn4Life: Online continuing education certificate program for professionals, including CEU and PLU-granting courses, online GED, SAT/ACT Prep courses. Click here for more information. For more information regarding AFPLS eCampus resources, contact Ms. Jurée Hall, Project Coordinator at juree.hall@fultoncountyga.gov or visit www.afpls.org/ecampus.

Back To School Homework Help!

The school year has officially begun here in Fulton County and the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System is here to lend support to all our students, parents, and teachers! Not only do we have a variety of books on all subjects and for all ages, but we also offer excellent online databases covering everything from literary criticism to algebraic equations.

In particular, Tutor.com is a great resource for students of all ages who need help in any subject. By accessing Tutor.com through the library's eCampus resources, you can have live one-to-one help every day, 24/7! Quickly and easily create your free account using an email address and password to connect with a certified tutor using live chat. You can ask questions about an assignment, get help solving problems, or have essays and papers proofread, reviewed, and critiqued. Tutor.com's Skills Center also provides access to thousands of worksheets, lessons, standardized test preparation study guides, videos, even career resources, all available to our patrons for free!

For more information about our eCampus resources, contact Juree Hall, eCampus Coordinator, at
juree.hall@fultoncountyga.gov. We hope all of our patrons can benefit from these wonderful learning tools!

Career Resources At Your Library

If you or someone you know is currently seeking employment, help starting a small business, or simply trying to update and polish an old resume then the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System is a great place to start! We have a variety of resources available both online and in print in all of our branches. Our Job Resources link from our homepage offers links to AFPLS databases, such as Career Transitions, and also to state resources like the Georgia Career Information Center and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There are also links to resume building websites in this section, as well as a link to our eCampus Resources that include this type of information.

In the Entrepreneur section you will find links to things like the Georgia Secretary of State's Office and the Small Business Administration. You will also find links to funding and grant organizations, tutorials on business ownership and marketing, as well as articles and advice for the first-time business owner.

Company information can also be found on this page by using the links to some of our business databases located in our A-Z Database List, such as Reference USA, BusinessWise (in-library use only) and Standard and Poor's NetAdvantage. Browse through Georgia specific company resources as well as general business information. You can also find information on facing foreclosure, bankruptcy, and finding financial assistance in Georgia.

And, as always, you can check the library's catalog for books, audiobooks and DVDs on the subject of career preparation and business start-up. We hope all of these free resources will help our patrons better themselves, our city, and our state!

eCampus Summer Learning Series

Don't let your skills get rusty during the summer! You can use our suite of eCampus resources to take online classes, update your resume, brush up your study skills, and more! Use Universal Class to take a photography workshop, Tutor.com to help your child through summer school, or Career Transitions to improve job related skills.

eCampus is the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System’s online learning suite of tutoring, test preparation and educational resources for all ages, and you can get started using all of these easy-to-follow learning tools here. And throughout the summer several of our branches will be offering sessions introducing children to these databases for high school test prep and middle school vocabulary building. You can visit our web page here for more information about these sessions and for the locations and dates of each. For all of these sessions internet accessible devices are welcome, so bring out your smart phones and tablets and follow along with our presenters.

For more information about our eCampus resources, contact Juree Hall, eCampus Coordinator, at

404-730-1759. We hope all of our patrons can benefit from these wonderful learning tools!

Celebrate National Library Week!

April 8 - 14, 2012 is National Library Week! This year's theme from the American Library Association is You Belong @ Your Library. So why not show your support and visit your local library this week to take advantage of all the wonderful services we have to offer?

Many people don't realize the number of formats we use here at the public library. From VHS and cassette tapes, to downloadable eBooks and Audiobooks, and pretty much everything in between, you can get for free through the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System! Not to mention the latest best sellers, a huge variety of research databases including eCampus, hot new movies on DVD, and collections designed just for children and teens. We do our best to serve as many different types of library users as we can, and we want our patrons to get the most out of every visit!

Several branches will be hosting events to celebrate National Library Week, so check here for more information. We hope to see you soon!