PLA releases digital literacy tutorials in Spanish

For Immediate Release
Tue, 03/07/2017

Contact:

Kara O'Keefe

Manager, Marketing and Membership

Public Library Association (PLA)

kokeefe@ala.org

CHICAGO — Spanish speakers will now have access to digital literacy training resources thanks to recent efforts by the Public Library Association (PLA), a division of the American Library Association. PLA announced today that all learning content on its website DigitalLearn.org is available in Spanish.

DigitalLearn.org offers a collection of self-directed tutorials for learners to increase their digital literacy on critical topics such as navigating the World Wide Web, using email, searching online for employment and creating a résumé. Modules are video-based with narration, six-to-22 minutes long, and written at the fourth-grade reading level. Since the site’s launch in 2013, nearly 60,000 users have accessed DigitalLearn.org, completing approximately 15,000 modules each year. Visitors may access the site in Spanish by simply clicking the link marked “Español” at the top of any page.

“By making all DigitalLearn.org’s modules available in Spanish, PLA is helping bridge both the digital divide and the language divide that can inhibit some of our community members from being able to thrive in today’s digital environment,” said PLA President Felton Thomas, Jr., director, Cleveland (Ohio) Public Library.

DigitalLearn.org was created in 2013 with support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. It is just one tool PLA offers to help its members make their libraries digital literacy learning centers. The Association also offers continuing education on digital literacy training and a variety of professional tools for public librarians. For more information, visit http://www.ala.org/pla/initiatives/digitalliteracy.

About the Public Library Association
PLA is the largest association dedicated to supporting the unique and evolving needs of public library professionals. Founded in 1944, PLA serves nearly 9,000 members in public libraries large and small in communities across the United States and Canada, with a growing presence around the world. PLA strives to help its members shape the essential institution of public libraries by serving as an indispensable ally for public library leaders. For more information about PLA, visit www.pla.org