Public libraries are busier than they've been in years.

According to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, U.S. public libraries logged over 800 million visits in 2023, almost double the 2021 total! 

But the digital side tells a different story: for every 4.37 physical items checked out per person, Americans borrowed just 1.68 e-books, audiobooks, or videos. And the most recent Pew Research Center data found that only about 3 in 10 adults had used a library website in the past year.

That means most Americans, and language learners in particular, are missing out on the free online resources their library card unlocks. 

Spanish is by far the most popular language in American classrooms.

If you're teaching Spanish to young children, there are some things you'd probably rather avoid. And we're not just talking about all the p words.

Never has a slogan been truer than for Nashville Public Library (NPL), where “books are only half the story.” This library goes beyond books, and beyond the walls that house them, with its extensive adult literacy program that supports immigrants and resettled refugees throughout the community.

For many language learners, a new alphabet is enough to stop you from ever learning.

In 2011, things got a little brighter for the Jacksonville Public Library system in sunny Jacksonville, Florida: they subscribed to Transparent Language Online, providing their customers free language-learning resources in more than 80 languages.

Every language learner has different goals. Some want to read, write, and speak a new language. Others just want to hold a conversation. If you're in the second group, we've got you covered.

Got grammar? Transparent Language Online does!

Guest Post by Linda Langley, Coushatta Tribe of LA

When I first started thinking about working on Koasati, I realize now, I knew nothing.