Tiffin-Seneca Public Library patrons have another way to learn.
The library is partnering with Universal Class, an online continuing education class provider, to offer free courses ranging from exercise and fitness to pet and animal care, and from arts and music to parenting and family. The classes are not for credit, but those who complete them receive a certificate.
To enroll, patrons can visit the library's homepage at www.tiffinsen.lib.oh.us and click on the Universal Class link.
"Hopefully, it'll get used," said Julie Haferd, head of the library's media department.
Haferd said library officials learned about the program through the library's Recorded Books LLC sales representatives. The company, she said, comes up with various programs libraries can subscribe to, and Universal Class sounded like a good investment.
Any library card holder can use the program, which has an annual cost to the library of about $2,500.
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Tiffin-Seneca Public Library:
www.tiffinsen.lib.oh.us
Haferd said the program has more than 500 online classes.
"They try certain things. If those aren't popular, then maybe later in the year we might see other classes. ... Whatever you can think of, there's probably a class for it," she said.
Haferd said a class could have 10 to 20 lessons. The student can watch a video or read the material, could take a test or may have to write a paper. He or she has six months to complete the class, she said.
"If you don't finish within that time, you can take it again," she said.
According to the library's website, people can enroll in up to five courses and have six months to finish each class.
Haferd is taking a scrapbooking class through the program and estimated she has completed six lessons. She said the program is nice because it gives the student other websites to visit and books he or she could read.
She said the program gives the student a lot of information, and she thinks it is easy to use. The user enters his or her library card number and e-mail address.
"You can go at your own pace," she said.
Haferd said she thinks people will like the program.
"Try it out," she said.
