Smyrna Public Library Announces Free lynda.com Service for Library Card Holders

Want to learn Photoshop, Excel, or WordPress? Now you can access thousands of online self-paced courses for free with your Smyrna Public Library card. 

lynda.com is an online learning site that hosts a constantly growing library of over 3,000 courses that include over 130,000 videos.

Courses cover a variety of topics (including business, design, web development and multimedia skills) and software (Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite and open source applications) that can help you pursue personal and professional goals. These courses are delivered by expert instructors and feature searchable transcripts that make it easy to find quick answers to questions. They also feature Certificates of Completion that can be uploaded to a LinkedIn profile.

Normally, using lynda.com requires a paid subscription, but as a Smyrna Public Library cardholder you can access lynda.com content from any device with an Internet connection simply by entering your library card barcode and 4-digit PIN.

(Please note that you can only access course content through Smyrna Library's lynda.com login page, and not by directly visiting the lynda.com homepage. Bookmark accordingly. Please also note that while the BPL's lynda.com accounts are accessible through mobile devices, they are not accessible through lynda.com apps. Please use your mobile device's browser.)

Once you have logged into lynda.com with your library barcode you must create a personalized lynda.com account by entering your name and e-mail address. This account can help you manage your course history, playlists, bookmarks, and Certificates of Completion. Many courses also feature exercise files, so that if you're watching a tutorial about Microsoft Excel you can follow the activity with downloadable, pre-populated Excel spreadsheet files.

“The Tuskegee Airmen: The Segregated Skies of World War II” Exhibition Opens

The exhibition, explores the history and heroism of the first African-American pilots to fly in combat during World War II. In 1941 the U.S. Army established a segregated training program for African American pilots at Moton Field in Tuskegee, Alabama.

Over the next five years, more than 1,000 pilots trained in what became known as the “Tuskegee Experiment.” The Red Tails, as they became known in combat, compiled a stellar record during the war. These pilots and 16,000 men and women who served as support personnel are all part of the Tuskegee Airmen.

While their success did not bring broad social change at home, their service during the war influenced President Truman to integrate the military in 1948. The ten-panel “Tuskegee Airmen” exhibit is presented by the Museum of History and Holocaust Education in partnership with Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama.

First Sunday Lecture – William Marchione Speaks on Vinings Folk Artist Nellie Mae Rowe

Smyrna historian Dr. William P. Marchione Ph.D. kicked off the Smyrna Public Library’s celebration of African American History Month with an informative presentation on Vinings folk artist Nellie Mae Rowe.

A creative and resourceful self-taught artist, Nellie Mae Rowe gained national recognition during the last decade of her life (1970s). Long before that, she was well known locally in Vinings by visitors who came to her exuberantly embellished home, which contained her drawings, stuffed dolls, and recycled objects. Her works are on display at the High Museum of Art, the Smithsonian and other public and private collections. [New Georgia Encyclopedia]

The First Sunday Lecture is sponsored by The Friends of Smyrna Library. For more information, visit www.friendsofsmyrnalibrary.org.