Your Wolf Card can get you a lot of places but it can sometimes be helpful to have an Anchorage Public Library card as well. One of our favorite resources available through APL is LinkedIn Learning. LinkedIn Learning gives you access to online courses on a wide variety of professional skills – everything from learning Excel, Adobe Suite, or web design to project management and leadership. No matter what career field you are hoping to enter, you’re sure to find a course that will help you build skills and be a competitive candidate.

Courses on LinkedIn Learning are divided into three broad themes: business, technology, and creative. In all three themes, there are courses that appeal to beginning, intermediate, and advanced learners. In addition to individual courses, there are also Learning Paths available, which are sequences of courses to help you gain mastery in a particular subject. LinkedIn Learning also offers some professional certificates that include assessments and give you credentials that you can share with employers.

One feature that makes LinkedIn Learning courses particularly helpful is that many of the more technical courses include files that help you put into practice the concepts from each unit. For example, Excel courses come with Excel files pre-filled with data so that you can practice using different functions.

APL has access to a number of databases and services that are available to all Anchorage residents – and getting an APL card is free and easy. Find more information about how to sign up for a library card here and browse the available databases and online resources (including LinkedIn Learning) here.

Does this situation sound familiar? It’s late at night, and you just want to go to bed, but you can’t seem to make headway on that paper or homework assignment. Where to turn?

Fortunately, the library has resources to help you. 

Check out the Learning Commons on the first floor to find tutoring times for Math, Writing, Science, Engineering, Nursing, Languages, and Communication & Presentation. 

SLED (Statewide Library Electronic Doorway) also provides Live Homework Help, which provides help with a number of different subjects, from Math and Biology to Writing or History. It is available from 8 AM – 2 AM (AK Time) Mondays-Fridays and Noon – 2 AM (AK Time) Saturdays & Sundays. You can chat with a live tutor online, submit a paper for review, get help writing a resume or cover letter, or even practice for a test, including grad school exams. Best of all, it’s free for all Alaskans! Which means if your child needs help with their math homework or a research project, they can use it, too.

It’s Pi Day! Pi Day is celebrated every year on March 14 on the days that correspond with the first three digits of Pi (3-14). In some places, the day is celebrated with Pi recitation contests and in others by eating all manner of pie. In 2019, UNESCO named Pi Day the International Day of Mathematics. We’ve highlighted some of the math resources we have available through the Library as well as a couple of bonus books to help you bake a pie in honor of this very special day.

Available through the UAA/APU Consortium Library:

The UAA Consortium library strives to provide equitable access and services to all UAA and APU students, including those who may be experiencing a disability.

Currently, there is one adjustable computer workstation equipped with assistive technology and specialized software available for students to use. Priority is given to students using this computer for academic purposes, and it is first come, first serve. Some of the accessible features include:

• Screen reader narration
• Display and vision settings
• Color control settings
• Color filters to accommodate color blindness
• Voice access for hands-free control and typing
• Live captions

Here is a link to the LibGuide that addresses library services and accommodations available for people experiencing disabilities: https://libguides.consortiumlibrary.org/disabilities

For more information concerning disability support services, please check out UAA and APU’s Disability Support Services Links:
UAA:
https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/students/disability-support-services/
APU:
https://www.alaskapacific.edu/disability-support-services/

The Research Help Desk is available to answer any questions or concerns and will prioritize directing you in the right direction. Do not hesitate to ASK US, in person, via phone, online chat or email.

The Fur Rondezvous winter festival kicks off tomorrow, Friday, February 23, with 10 days of
activities and entertainment. There’s something for everyone, including the Iditarod ceremonial
start on Saturday, March 2.

Perhaps you’re curious about the history of dog mushing in Alaska or want to know more about
sled dog racing. The Consortium Library provides access to excellent resources that can be used
to research many aspects of dog mushing. From our homepage, use QuickSearch or link to any
of our databases to find information. The Newsbank database is a great starting point for both
current and historical news coverage. If you want historical footage, make sure to also explore
Alaska’s Digital Archives for archival images of sled dogs and dog mushing.

Check out this link for a picture of Balto, famous for helping deliver the diphtheria medicine to Nome in 1925.