Connect with Tech: Northstar

Connect with Tech: Northstar is back at the Central Library on Monday, September 21, from 10 AM to 12 PM. It's part of Northstar, the Indianapolis Public Library's digital-literacy program, which runs as open-lab sessions where adults learn at their own pace with staff on hand to guide them. If you've been wanting to get a better handle on your devices without the pressure of a formal class, this is exactly that kind of thing.

The curriculum is split into three areas. The first covers essential computer skills—phone, computer, and internet basics, email, and working with Windows and Mac OS. The second focuses on essential software, including Microsoft Office and Google Docs. The third looks at technology in daily life, which pulls in cybersecurity basics, social media, information literacy, career search skills, managing your digital footprint, and accessing telehealth. You can pick the area that feels most useful to you and work through it at your own speed.

Practice lessons and assessments are available in both English and Spanish, and anyone can take a proctored exam on any topic to earn a Northstar Certificate. The whole program is made possible by The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation. It's a good way to brush up on the basics or tackle a specific skill you've been putting off, and you don't have to worry about keeping up with a group.

The session runs from 10 AM to 12 PM on Monday, September 21, at the Central Library, 40 East Saint Clair Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204.