Heads Up: You Can Access Lynda Lessons for Free at Some Public Libraries

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Want to learn from Lynda’s paid photography and videography tutorials for free? It turns out you can at many public libraries around the country. The popular online learning company recently began to team up with libraries to provide patrons with high-quality training resources at no extra charge.

Lynda.com says it’s currently working with select libraries to “promote literacy and personal growth that boosts quality of life.” The program is currently available at a number of libraries including those located within North Logan City, Onondaga County, Arlington, Hennepin, and New York City.

Lynda.com has already obtained their contract as an approved US General Services Administration vendor and is in the process of rolling out “a vast and ever-growing course catalog updated almost daily.” The goal is to target more than 120,000 public libraries in the US to offer Lynda’s 3,000+ courses and 150,000+ video tutorials.

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Libraries will be given tools allowing them to measure the “adoption, achievement, and time that users spend learning” with Lynda content. The company notes that their new vendor contract with local libraries will allow them to “enhance community programs with a dynamic reference resource that support career skills training and helps members of the public develop professionally.”

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Currently featured courses that may be of interest to photographers include WordPress Essential Training, The Practicing Photographer, Online Marketing Fundamentals, Illustrator CC Essential Training, and After Effects CC Essential Training.

Lynda.com’s new library resources may mean that it is time to dust off your library card and head on down, but call ahead to see if your local branch is taking part in this new program. If your library isn’t, you can direct them to this website so that they may request a demo. The service does cost libraries a fee that is determined by the population served.

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