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Library now offers online classes

Date: 10/4/2010

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

WILBRAHAM -- Some might say that education is as close as your local library.

For Wilbraham residents, now it's as close as the local library's Web site.

The Wilbraham Public Library recently launched its partnership with Universal Class to offer online learning through the library's Web site.

"It's a lifelong learning opportunity," Adult Services Librarian Karen Demers said. "It offers all different types of classes."

Library patrons may log on and take up to five classes at a time, free of charge. Universal Class offers 85 different classes, with subjects ranging from accounting and bookkeeping to medical coding to wedding planning. Most classes are self-paced, according to Moran, but must be completed within six months. If not completed within six months, students may re-enroll and pick up where they left off.

"It's supplementing the services we already offer," Demers said. "With this we are able to offer classes on the computer that we don't have staff time or the resources to offer within the library."

The library decided to subscribe to Universal Class after getting a favorable response to a question posed on the library's Facebook page, asking if patrons would be interested in such a program.

Universal Class is readily accessible by going to www.wilbrahamlibrary.org and clicking on the link at the bottom of the home page. From there, patrons can sign up for a free account and begin taking classes.

Patrons may log on to their classes through the library Web site on their home computer or they may use one of the library's computers.

"Some classes have audio or video components, so users would be required to bring their own head phones if they want to use our computers," Demers said."

According to Universal Class, students do receive a certificate of completion once they finish the course, but the classes offered do not result in any certifications or licenses and are for professional development or personal enrichment only.

Universal Class is another step the Wilbraham library has taken to embrace modern technology. Wilbraham is also one of the first libraries in the area to offer an extensive e-books collection.

By doing that, according to Demers, the library has not only prevented the World Wide Web from making the library obsolete. It has strengthened itself.

"Technology has helped us by giving us the ability to provide services 24 hours a day, seven days a week," Demers said, adding that the recent Web site statistics showed the busiest time in terms of visits was between 7 and 8 a.m.

"People are using the library's services before we even open," she said.