LDND InfoCenter

Self-Paced Learning Opportunities

This page contains resources for users who desire to create and customize their own training path. The learning resources are self-paced and self-directed.

  • ABLE Courses
      • The free, online Alternative Basic Library Education (ABLE) Program provides basic library knowledge and skills for staff members who have no formal education in library science. Courses cover technical services, collection development, and reference.
  • CREW: A Weeding Manual for Modern Libraries
      • Developed by the State Library of Texas, the CREW Method has provided guidance to librarians and staff in small and medium-sized public libraries about how to weed outdated and no longer useful materials from their collections.
  • CSL in Session
      • An online learning series from the Colorado State Library. Topics include reference interviews, services to teens, bullet journaling and More!
  • DigitalLearn.org
      • From the Public Library Association (PLA). A collection of self-directed tutorials for end-users to increase their digital literacy. Modules are video-based with narration, 6 to 22 minutes long, written at the fourth-grade reading level, and help learners practice skills like using a mouse and setting up passwords. Nearly all modules are available in Spanish as well as English.
  • Excel Easy
      • An easy tutorial with multiple examples on how to best use Excel.
  • GCFLearnFree.org
      • Over 750 online classes offer the opportunity to learn on your own time and at your own pace. All classes are free and provide a Certificate of Completion. Subjects range from computers to the Internet to software to life skills.
  • Indiana State Library Online Training Series
      • Developed by the Indiana State Library – free webinars plus archived recordings
  • Infopeople
      • Infopeople is the training arm of the California State Library and offers online courses and webinars on many library-related topics. Some content is specific to California, but much is relevant to the library community at large.
  • Internet Library for Librarians
      • An information portal specifically designed for librarians to locate Internet resources related to their profession. It provides links to more than 4,000 resources. All the resources are recommended, selected, and reviewed by librarians. Each entry has a full description of the goals and /or scope of the resource, as well as the contact information if provided.
  • Library of Congress: Resources for Librarians & Archivists
      • A wide range of topics and formats of interest to librarians and archivists. Options include 26 Webcasts, MARC tutorials, and information sheets on preservation.
  • National Library of Medicine: Web-Based Training and Distance Education
      • Brief tutorials on various medical library resources such as PubMed and MedlinePLUS. Some include videos and handouts.
  • OCLC WorldShare Interlibrary Loan Tutorials
      • The tutorials listed here can show you everything you need to know about WorldShare ILL. Of course, if you prefer instructor-led training, the OCLC training team offers regular WorldShare ILL migration training sessions, with helpful instructors to guide you.
  • Ohio Library Council Online Learning
      • Tutorials on library marketing, reference, and general library practices for new employees. While the tutorials include some Ohio-specific content, they are general enough for use anywhere.
  • RDA Series Webinars
      • Free recordings of webinars from the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS). Be sure to check out the other recordings about collections, cataloging, preservation, and more.
  • RDA Training & Resources
      • This LibGuide consists of resources that the State Library of NC used during our training and/or use during our current task of creating RDA records in different formats, as well as authorities. There are resources for both professional and paraprofessional catalogers, in addition to information that may be of interest to non-cataloging staff who are curious about RDA.
  • Simple Book Repair Manual
      • Contains a list of necessary book repair tools, and instructions for ten simple repairs: Self-Closing Wrapper, Cleaning, Torn pages, Tip in a Page, Hinge Repair, Corner Repair, Sewing a Single Signature, Spine Repair, Air Dry Method, Hinge Tightening.
  • Smart Investing: Reference Strategies and Resources
      • Welcome to Smart Investing: Reference Strategies and Resources, an online training course available to all librarians who would like to improve their reference strategies and knowledge of financial literacy concepts and resources. The goal of the course is to promote confidence and competence in responding to your library patrons’ questions on personal finance and investment.
  • Tech Training for Libraries
      • Created by the Colorado State Library, Tech Training for Libraries is a new site with instructor materials and information related to technology training in public libraries for folks teaching public computer classes or training staff to be better one-on-one tech tutors.
  • Using Online Resources at the Government & Heritage Library
      • Developed by staff at the State Library of North Carolina, these short videos provide an introduction to the use of online resources available at the State Library’s Government and Heritage Library, such as NCpedia and the North Carolina Newspaper Locator.
  • WebJunction Course Catalog
      • Welcome to the learning management site for WebJunction’s continuing education opportunities. Access to WebJunction’s library-specific courses is available for free to all library workers and volunteers across the nation. All learners will need to create a new account. Begin by selecting Log in at the top right of this page, and then Create new account. Once you’ve created your new account, explore the catalog of library-focused self-paced courses and webinars. Certificates of completion will be available to you after you have completed any course or webinar that you enroll in from the catalog.

This site is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. It is managed by the The Library of Virginia Library Development and Networking Division.