Tips & Tricks for ACLA Databases and Downloadables

The county’s newest addition to our superb assortment of e-resources is Udemy! 6000+ courses offering upskilling in business, tech, and personal development across 75+ different categories. So let’s talk about how to get word out to patrons that Udemy is awesome. I’ve had great luck with physical displays (of course, that’s not entirely possible these days, but if you put on your thinking cap, it can easily be done on your website or virtually in so many ways!) I have a ‘read this book – take this class’ approach. I find some juicy lonely nonfiction, pull it out and create a little bookmark to slip in that highlights a related Udemy class or CreativeBug or any other resource you’re trying to showcase. Here are some examples to get you started:

• Book: Healthier Together: Recipes for Two – Nourish Your Body, Nourish Your Relationships by Liz Moody. Udemy class: Soundscaping for Health
• Book: How to Start a Revolution – Young People and the Future of American Politics by Lauren Duca. Udemy class: Creating a Mindset of Change
• Book: Urban Garden Design – Transform Your Outdoor Space into a Beautiful and Practical Escape by Kate Gould. Udemy class: Fundamentals of Garden Design.
• Book: Good Husbandry : a Memoir – Growing Food, Love, and Family on Essex Farm by Kristin Kimball. Udemy class: Sustainable Living Made Simple.
• Book: Hashtag Authentic – Finding Creativity and Building a Community on Instagram and Beyond by Sara Tasker. Udemy class: The Complete Digital Marking Course.
• Book: Before and After the Book Deal : a Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving your First Book by Courtney Maum. Udemy class: Write and Publish Your First Nonfiction Book on the Side.
• Book: The Little Book of Big Lies : a Journey into Inner Fitness by Tina Lifford. Udemy class: Master Your Brain – Neuroscience for Personal Growth.
• Book: You Suck at Cooking : the Absurdly Practical Guide to Sucking Slightly Less at Making Food (based on the YouTube Channel). Udemy Class: Essential Cooking Skills.

Kelley – Cooper-Siegel Community Library

Mission Statement: To empower our members; promote a just, accessible, and inclusive judicial system; and serve the community at large.

The Allegheny County Bar Association is much more than a directory of attorneys:

• Lawyer Referral Service: helps you find a qualified attorney to meet your specific needs. Participating attorneys offer a free 30-minute consultation.
• Provide referrals to organizations to help if you can’t afford an attorney
•  Legal Employment Services: meets the needs of job seekers and employers in the Allegheny County legal community including career counseling, job board, placement service, and resume writing tips.

The Allegheny County Bar Foundation is a public non-profit organization:

• Educational programming
• Pro Bono Center provides legal assistance to low income individuals
• Assists legal related organizations through financial assistance and grants

Lisa Akenhead – Northland Public Library

On Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s website, you can access digitized issues of 19th and early 20th century American railroad journals. If you are interested in railroads and their impact on industrial America, you will find plenty of interesting information in this collection.

This collection contains early issues of titles including:

• Locomotive Engineer
• Official Proceedings of the Railway Club of Pittsburgh
• Railway and Locomotive Engineering
• Street Railway Review

If you enjoy railroads and history, you will want to have a look at this rare and interesting collection of titles!

Kate Straccia, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh- Main

The newest addition to the county’s e-resource lineup is sure to become one of our most popular resources: Creativebug.

Creativebug is a hub for any level of creative, from those just seeking out a little artistic outlet to the tried and true crafter extraordinaire. There are hundreds of classes to choose from and each can be done at the pace of the user—no pressure to complete a class on any specific timeline.

It’s a quick process for patrons to sign up for Creativebug. You only need to provide your library card number, your e-mail address, and create a password.

There are a variety of one-off projects that can be done in an afternoon. If you enjoy a particular instructor, you can take more of their classes as they expand on a specific pursuit. For instance, Yao Cheng is a popular Creativebug instructor that focuses on watercolor. You can begin with her “Supplies and Basic Techniques” class before moving onto “Mark-Making and Expression Brush Strokes.”

Each class includes the accompanying video, but also supplemental materials. You can view transcript of the class or download a PDF that includes the necessary materials and the procedure to complete the project. This is perfect for group work (including library-sponsored programs).

Beyond these class offerings, Creativebug also has a Daily Practice series that includes over 50 topics. These are designed to help users pursue a specific artistic endeavor as a daily (or, almost daily!) exercise. These are less about the final result and more about the journey along the way.

As virtual programming continues, Creativebug is a great way to provide patrons with creative projects that they can complete on their own time.

Happy creating!

Jeff, South Park