Did you know that the Calgary Public Library has more than just books? Aside from a famous downtown location, the library network offers a number of free online courses you can take in Calgary at your own pace.
All you need is an internet connection and a library card! These courses cover all sorts of topics, like finance, business, design, technology, and writing, among others.
Here’s everything you need to know about what free courses are available at the Calgary Public Library and how to enroll.
Calgary Public Library free courses
Online courses at the Calgary Public Library are offered through Gale Courses. These courses are instructor-moderated and run for six weeks at a time, with new sessions beginning every month. It’s a great way to kick-start your professional development or try something out without sinking a ton of cash into a diploma right away. At the end of your six-week course, you’ll receive an award of completion with a passing score.
The 12 course categories are:
- Accounting and Finance
- Business
- College Readiness
- Computer Applications
- Design and Composition
- Healthcare and Medical
- Language and Arts
- Law and Legal
- Personal Development
- Teaching and Education
- Technology
- Writing and Publishing
How to enroll for free courses
Browse through the course catalogue and see what interests you. Don’t worry if you missed the signup period for something you wanted; new sessions begin every month!
Here’s how to enroll:
- Find courses by browsing through the categories or using the search bar
- Click “Enroll Now” next to the course of your choice
- Select your course start date and click “Continue”
- Create a free Gale Courses account, or sign in to an existing ed2go account
- Use your Gale Courses account email and password to log in to the My Classroom area to view your lessons once your session begins
- Enter your library barcode in the box labelled “Submit”
- Click “Use Library Card” to complete your enrollment
That’s it! Easy peasy.
LinkedIn Learn through the Calgary Public Library
But wait, there’s more! Did you know you can access LinkedIn Learning for FREE through the Calgary Public Library? No need for a premium LinkedIn account either!
LinkedIn Learning for Library allows you to tap into the vast library of LinkedIn courses free of charge; all you need is your library card. Learn industry-specific skills, or try out something new that might inform a future career move.
One thing to note is that course certificates will not have your name on them. For security reasons, the Library version of LinkedIn Learning cannot connect to your personal LinkedIn account.
Learn something new without paying a dime. You never know when a skill might come in handy!
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