Connect with Tech: Northstar - Practice your Computer Skills

Connect with Tech: Northstar is back at the Central Library on Tuesday, November 3, from 10 AM to 12 PM. It's an open-lab session, which means you work at your own pace rather than following a lecture. Staff are on hand to guide you when you hit a wall, so you can spend as much or as little time as you want on any one thing.

The program is built around guided lessons, and you can put together a learning plan that fits your own goals. Once you've worked through a topic, you can take a proctored exam to earn a Northstar Certificate. The subjects cover a wide range of ground: essential computer skills like using a phone, the internet, email, and Windows or Mac OS; essential software like Microsoft Office and Google Docs; and technology in daily life, including cybersecurity basics, social media, information literacy, career search skills, your digital footprint, and accessing telehealth. Both the practice lessons and the assessments are available in English and Spanish, and the program is made possible by The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation.

It's a good spot if you've been wanting to brush up on a specific skill without having to commit to a full course. You can focus on the basics, dive into a particular piece of software, or work through the more practical, day-to-day tech stuff like cybersecurity and telehealth. Since it's an open lab, you're in charge of what you tackle and how fast you go. The session runs from 10 AM to 12 PM on Tuesday, November 3, at the Central Library, 40 East Saint Clair Street.