Borrowing books isn’t the only thing one can do with a library card in Pima County.
It also opens up a world of other media and resources available at the library branches and online. And now, it can also enable those who never finished high school to have another go at getting a diploma.
The Pima County Public Library has launched a new program for county residents who are at least 22 years old to get their high school diplomas through an online high school program as part of the county’s larger plan for workforce development.
The Career Online High School is unlike the GED preparation that the library system already provides. It’s an 18-month program that participants can complete in an online platform that provides free education resources and an online academic coach.
“The goal is to essentially remove barriers for people throughout the metropolitan area,” said Tony Ludovici, library program instructor at the Joel D. Valdez Library downtown. It gives that “second chance” to those who need the opportunity but face issues such as a lack of transportation or money.
Participants can choose an emphasis through the online high school in eight fields, including child care, homeland security, retail customer service and office management, he said. At the end of the program, they can earn a career certificate.
To be eligible, applicants must be at least 22, a resident of Pima County and have a library card. When they meet those requirements and have filled out a self-assessment questionnaire, they then have two weeks to complete a prerequisite module online and score 70 percent or higher to continue in the program.
Participants of the online high school will have access to a variety of resources, Ludovici said, including tutoring and homework help at the library system’s 27 branches or online.
The online and on-site tutoring opportunities aren’t just restricted to Career Online High School students, though. Anyone from kindergarteners to college students can browse the library’s calendars for the right sessions and just drop in, said Michelle Simon, deputy director of support services for the library.
The library system also has several other education initiatives to help fill in resource gaps in local school districts, including ConnectED, a national campaign to expose students to electronic resources available through libraries.
For example, with a library card and account, students can access what’s called Brainfuse, an online learning platform, and Learning Express Library, a large database offering tutorials and test preparation.
“These are resources that the school districts may not be able to pay for on their own,” Simon said.
Last year, the library system partnered with the Tucson Unified School District as part of the ConnectED initiative to get more than 5,000 kids signed up for library cards. It’s a win-win for both the schools and the library, Simon said. The schools can leverage the resources from the library and the library can communicate to local families through the schools.
“A library card opens doors to so many new worlds,” she said.
“Students can learn about countries far away or something close to their hearts, like music, arts or science.
“They can participate in programs within the library, and all this is possible without ever having to walk into the building.”
