The Public Library Association's site, DigitalLearn.org is an online hub for digital literacy support and training. The site launched in June 2013 and builds upon and fosters the work of libraries and community organizations as they work to increase digital literacy across the nation.
Included in DigitalLearn.org is a collection of self-directed tutorials for end-users to increase their digital literacy. Feedback from public library staff directed PLA to develop courses on the most basic skills, such as using a computer, navigating a web site, and searching. Modules are video-based with narration, typically 6 to 22 minutes long, written in plain language (communication learners can understand the first time they hear or read it), and often at an elementary to middle school reading level. DigitalLearn.org provides intentional, foundational instruction to be taken at the pace of the learner. DigitalLearn.org courses can also be adapted to support other teaching methods, including instructor-led classroom instruction and just-in-time individual assistance.
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You can leverage PLA's premier digital literacy training site to empower the digital skills trainers in your library and the learners in your community by working with PLA to set up a DigitalLearn site for your library. Libraries that set up their own DigitalLearn sites get a branded digital literacy training web site, accessible to patrons at any time, that shows the library is providing digital literacy training as a service. The site can include any of DigitalLearn.org's growing collection of courses as well as custom course and page content from the library. Participating libraries can track and demonstrate impact through learner analytics, and learners visiting your library's site can create and personalize their course lists, tailor content through a course recommendation tool, track progress and receive certificates for course completions. If you are interested in creating your library's own DigitalLearn site, contact PLA.
Want to support PLA's efforts to strengthen public libraries, community organizations, and the communities they serve? Your donation, volunteer time, or other assistance will help us improve DigitalLearn.org.
We want as many people as possible to hear about DigitalLearn.org, so please spread the word through email, facebook, articles, blogs, webinars, conferences, or find your own unique way to let people know about the site. If you would like to have someone from the DigitalLearn team speak at your conference, do a webinar, or anything else to spread the word, contact us and let's see how we can help.
While the PLA Digital Literacy Committee and many other PLA volunteers have been the driving force behind DigitalLearn, many others have provided expertise and creativity to support the site. PLA thanks the following organizations for their support.
