You can probably guess the languages our library patrons learn most: English, Spanish, French. But recently… ASL!
Sometimes, when you look at the world, it can be easy to despair at the passage of time and the things we lose along the way. Luckily, there are those who make an effort to change the course of what seems to be an inevitability. With dedication, resourcefulness, and teamwork comes success. And so it is that four new courses have been created for endangered Alaskan languages.
Not sure where to begin in Transparent Language Online? Take a placement test!
According to the Center for American Progress, “more than one out of four of all children in the United States are from immigrant families, and in most cases these children speak a language other than English at home.”
Of the 140+ languages offered in Transparent Language Online, English is the most learned.
And for good reason.
For many language learners, a new alphabet is enough to stop you from ever learning.
We believe in the value of every language, regardless of the number of speakers, the economic value, or otherwise. That’s why we offer 140+ languages in Transparent Language Online and continue to add new ones each year.
For those interested in learning African languages, we currently offer courses in 8 languages spoken throughout Africa!
We’re feeling very fourtunate to receive our fourth consecutive Platinum Award in LibraryWork’s 2019 Modern Library Awards! Providing language learning opportunities to library patrons must really be our fourte. (Okay, that’s all of our number puns… four now.)
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.
