City of Calgary Public Library locations across the city are closed to prevent the rapid rate of spread of COVID-19.
Even though the Public Library locations are closed, Calgary Public Library provides plenty of free services that you can access without you ever having to set foot in a “physical” location.
Here are 10 of the best free services to help you through social distancing:
1. Get Correct Information & News from around the World about COVID-19: Your library card gives online access to newspapers and magazines from over 100 countries in over 60 languages. Want to cross-verify medical information? You have an option for that too!
2. Learn to play an instrument: Learn to play musical instruments in a variety of styles at your own pace in short lessons. with world-class music instruction with step-by-step video lessons led by experts.
3. Watch free movies: Watch 8 movies per month from a selection of more than 30,000 films from top producers such as The Great Courses, PBS, Media Education Foundation, Cohen Films, and more through Kanopy.You have 3 days to watch a movie you have borrowed.
4. Brush up your skills or learn something new: Access over 3,500 video tutorial courses led by experts on web design, software development, photography, business skills, home and small office, project management, 3D + Animation, graphic design audio, music, video editing and more through online learning classes like lynda.com.
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5. Prepare for tests: Need to sit for IELTS or SAT? Practice tests and answers for all ages like LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, SAT, GED, Canadian citizenship practice test, TOEIC, TOEFL iBT, math, grammar, writing and more are available online!
6. Learn a new language: Self-isolation and social distancing period may be the best time to learn a new language through Rosetta Stone.
Kids can learn English, Spanish, French, Chinese Pinyin, Italian, German, and Korean through animated videos, games, and interactive activities through Muzzy Online
7. Make Kids Study through Online Help: Get free online homework help for students in grades K-12 offered daily from 2:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Also includes practice tests, support for adult learners, writing assistance, skills building and more.
8. Listen to chart-topping music in every genre: Listen to great music spanning medieval to modern – classical, jazz, electronic, world music, etc. and find expert educational content. Library offers free streaming music services like Naxos and Naxos Jazz.
9. Get to know your world – Ancient & Modern: Listen to audiobooks that will expand your knowledge from ancient Greece and Apocryphal Paul to Black Holes and climate change.
10. Read a magazine or a book: Download the current issues of popular magazines! From Reader’s Digest to Cosmo, you can download a variety of magazines that covers a variety of topics — news, business, entertainment, fashion, and more. Download ebooks from comics to non-fiction to cookbooks!