Those of us who live and play in Grand County are well aware of its many blessings – bright skies, fantastic wildlife, abundant outdoor recreation, and plenty of elbow room. This lovely isolation, however, makes it difficult for adults to enrich their lives or improve their skills through additional education.

Online education is the perfect solution and Grand County Libraries offer an exciting choice, free to Grand County library cardholders. Universal Class provides a diverse range of 540 online Continuing Education classes funded primarily by a generous $2,000 grant from the Grand Foundation, supplemented by funding from the Grand Lake Rotary and Friends of the Grand County Library.

To find Universal Class visit, gcld.org and select Books and More/Online Resources. To access the Universal Class site and register for online classes, library customers will need their library card number and an email address to receive a login and start taking courses. They can work on their courses from within the library or from a remote location. So far, 314 residents are regular users of this wonderful resource. Of the top ten courses taken, eight are for office and computer-related skills. This demonstrates the strong need for serious adult education in the county.

Kathie Scarbrough of Grand Lake has taken several courses, ranging from QuickBooks and bookkeeping to how to start your own craft business. Through these classes, she has learned how to make massage oils and bath salts, and has begun to sell them. “A lot of jobs want bookkeeping expertise, so unemployed people need to upgrade their skills. These classes are straightforward, and you can easily email your classmates or type in your essays for your instructor,” Scarbrough said.

Patty Brown of Hot Sulphur Springs is also a regular user. “I love Universal Class. Everyone in my family has signed up. I have started three classes so far but there is a whole list I would like to take,” she said. “It is convenient to be able to take classes in the comfort of your home, on your own time schedule and for free (with a library card)!”

The courses in Universal Class confer Certificates of Achievement or, for selected classes, Continuing Education Credits (CEUs.) A CEU provides a permanent record of an individual’s educational achievements, valuable in a job search or simply for personal enrichment. Other online learning opportunities provided through the Grand County Library District website at gcld.org are the Encyclopedia Britannica and Mango Languages. Encyclopedia Britannica is a true marvel, much more flexible and useable than the traditional multi-volume sets of the past. Mango Languages is new to the Grand County Library District collection. It offers over 50 languages from Swahili to Spanish as well as ESL courses.

We know that knowledge is power. So why not learn something new today through your Grand County Library District?