by Julie Andersen, Outreach Librarian, Vista Grande Library, City of Casa Grande
Summer Reading is all wrapped up and we hope that many were able to participate to help with the “Summer Slide” over the break.
Parents and caregivers, you might be looking for ways to help your children with some of their schoolwork, or homeschoolers, you may be looking to add to your curriculum. College students heading back in the fall, do you need to brush up on some skills? The library is here to help.
Start by going to www.cglibrary.org where you can then click on the Research Tab. Scroll down to Student Resources. You will see an extensive list of databases you can access with your library card.
Brainfuse is the first free resource we will focus on. Brainfuse can be used for live online tutoring, help with writing, has an extensive Skill Surfer link which allows you to read lessons, watch videos, as well as take tests to practice new and past skills. Brainfuse can be used from Kindergarten through college and adult learning.
Brainfuse also has “study” and “collaborate” features. To fully take advantage of using this resource, you will need to create an account. Creating an account allows you to keep track of your lessons, tutoring sessions, tests, messages and more.
Are you looking to learn a new language? Under the Student Resources Tab, you will find access to Duolingo. Duolingo offers 40 different languages to learn. Upon clicking on Duolingo, it will ask you what language you want to learn and then a series of questions such as why you want to learn the language, a daily goal and and if you know any of the language already.
And last, but not least: Khan Academy. We have a quick link to Khan Academy in our Student Resources. Khan Academy offers help in the areas of math, science, computing, arts and humanities, reading and language arts, life skills, economics and test prep.
Again, to fully use all its features, you will want to create an account. By doing so, you will be able to keep track of the items you viewed and work you have completed. Whether you go to public school, private school, home school, college, or even are a parent searching for ways to help your child, Khan Academy can be a resource for you.
But don’t stop with these three great resources. Look around at all the outstanding resources that you will find on www.cglibrary.org under the Research tab.
We are always here to help you get started at the library. You can stop in either location where we would be happy to show you around the site: Main Library, 449 N. Drylake St., and Vista Grande Library, 1556 N. Arizola Rd.
