The Hidden Haunts of MCLS Online Resources

Greetings! The spooky season is officially in full swing, which means there are ghosts, ghouls, and goblins lurking behind every corner! While the prospect of werewolves howling, witches cackling, and zombies growling may send chills down your spine, I can offer you an escape: the library. Well, at least, the virtual library, where the things you’ll find lurking behind every corner are far more benign. I am talking about the hidden haunts in our online resources - learning tools that you likely would not expect from the seemingly mundane “database.” These online resources are available for free with your MCLS library card, and can be accessed from anywhere with an Internet connection. Throughout my travels in the land of online resources, I have discovered many spellbinding features and tools, five of which I would like to share with you. Keep reading to unveil some of these hidden haunts!

American Sign Language, Pronunciator

Pronunciator is one of our language-learning online resources. You may not be aware that American Sign Language is one of the over-160 languages Pronunciator boasts. Whether learning ASL to be a competitive job candidate, better communicate with a loved one, or teach your toddler how to more clearly express herself, the American Sign Language courses in Pronunciator are meant for all ages and all skill levels. Not sure if you have time for the main course? Create your own personalized course based on your learning goals and interests! You’ll also find learning guides covering the ASL alphabet, and COVID-19 essential phrases. And yes, you’ll find out how to sign “Halloween!”

Rapid Test (Language Proficiency Assessment), Bluebird

Already have some multilingual skills you want to show off? Why not add a language proficiency certificate to your resume? Bluebird, the mobile app companion to Pronunciator, offers Rapid Test, a 45-minute self-assessment that measures your language proficiency and delivers an official PDF certificate with your CEFR level (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). A language-learning resource that doubles as a career preparation tool? That is a trick and a treat!

Investing Classroom, Morningstar

Bonds and funds and stocks, oh my! Does the thought of investing terrify you? If you are like me, you need some no-nonsense tools that break down the intricacies of investing, and that is exactly what Morningstar’s Investing Classroom does. This interactive “classroom” offers courses in different types of investments, plus retirement and financial planning! The courses are quick and easy to digest, unlike the Halloween candy you have been shoveling down.

VisualCV (Resume Builder), Peterson’s Test and Career Prep

Have you seen ads for VisualCV? VisualCV is an online resume and cover letter builder, and through our Peterson’s Test and Career Prep resource, you get free access to many of the features of a paid subscription! Either build your resume from scratch or import an existing one, then use VisualCV’s formatting service to quickly enhance its look and layout - an act of sorcery that will be sure to entrance your potential employer! If you find the art of resume and cover letter writing beguiling, you can also choose from over 25 resume and cover letter templates, which include example content. You’ll find other mesmerizing tools as well, like a website builder with custom URL creation and a “Career Journal,” which helps you track your achievements in your current and past jobs. As with the apparitions roaming your rooms and hallways, with Peterson’s Test and Career Prep, you are not alone.

NOLO, Legal Information Reference Center

Need some free legal advice with a dash of DIY? Peer inside the boiling cauldron that is EBSCO’s Legal Information Reference Center. There you will find a library of Nolo e-books and forms. The Nolo Network has been providing expert legal guidance to consumers and small businesses for over 50 years. Understand your rights as a tenant, learn what you can and can’t do with 401(k) plans and IRAs, prepare yourself for property disputes, and much more. You will also find free legal forms, such as those for will and estate planning and creating your own LLC. Let Legal Information Reference Center and its Nolo library guide you (by lantern) through the seemingly impenetrable forest that is the law.

Now, take these enchanting discoveries and do with them what you will! And remember, with your MCLS library card they are all free and can be accessed online from within the confines of your own house, haunted or otherwise…

- by Keith, Technology Instruction Department