We’re always on the lookout for new, budget-friendly ways to serve our customers. So when the opportunity to use an excellent new service popped up, we got excited. And we think you’ll get excited too! Udemy for Libraries offers more than 6,000 high-quality, on-demand video courses to help you achieve personal success. With the Gale Virtual Reference Library being a mainstay of our electronic resource for many years, Gale has been a longtime partner with BCLS. Udemy is meant to fill a niche left by the departing Lynda.com.

Now, on to the basics. When you first start using Udemy, there’s a bit of setup, just like setting up a new phone, or programming your VCR. (Although, we promise, it’s a lot easier than programming a VCR.)  After using your library card to enter, Udemy will ask you to enter a Google or Microsoft email. This is when your alarm bells might start ringing, but rest assured: Gale only retains this information so they can send you completion certificates for courses. They’re not going to send you offers or share your email address with spam lists or marketers. And yes, one of those two email accounts is required. Folks with an Xfinity, Verizon, or AOL mail will have to create another email account with Google or Microsoft. They’re free and will only take a minute or two to create. Once entered and the agreement button hit, you’re in!

Udemy hosts thousands of video courses on a wide variety of subjects. Looking to start or improve your business? Udemy offers video courses on business planning, accounting, marketing, sales, human resources and more! Brushing up on your IT skills? Certified courses for cloud computing, website development, programming languages, and of course, classes on hardware from the Raspberry Pi mini-computer all the way to servers are available.

But it’s not all work! There are classes that can help you explore new hobbies too. Want to learn to draw better but not interested in learning in a classroom (or paying a lot of money to sit in a classroom)? Udemy’s got you covered. Interested in painting on your tablet or with canvas and brush? Udemy’s can help with that too. Language learning? Photography? Playing a musical instrument? Singing? Udemy can help with all those interests.

For our multilingual customers, there are courses in other languages too, such as Spanish, German, Portuguese, Japanese and more.  Many of the courses also come with captions in multiple languages. 
We think Udemy for Libraries is an excellent resource, and we bet you’ll think so too!