Have you ever wished you could take some college courses, but you don't want the expense, the homework, the tests, the getting dressed, driving there, looking for parking, but you still want to learn? You can if your library has a program called Hoopla. You need a library card, internet, and an electronic device or TV. Keep reading.
In the past, I've purchased VHS tapes and DVD's from The Great Courses, but they've really improved. They no longer have a professor standing in front of you and lecturing. Now the professor has maps, and photos, etc. to make the courses more interesting. And FREE from you library.
Log into your library website, and look for the program Hoopla. It might be under programs, research, digital collection, or something else. If you can't find it, call the library.
Now in Hoople, in the search window, type The Great Courses Video BingePass. The pass is good for seven days to give you time to research the collection and find the courses you wish to attend.
Click on Play Titles and it will take you to a list of categories across the top, with right and left arrows to explore all the categories. Click on the category, and it will give you a list of all the courses under that category. Hover over a course you like, and a label will appear which says Watchlist. If you click on it, the course will be added to the list of courses you wish to watch in the future. Or simply choose a course, click it, and start watching. You can pause, or back up, and there's closed captioning - just like YouTube.
If you prepare a Watchlist, you can access it by clicking on Options at the top, and you can access your list, or choose History, and it will show you the courses you're watching, or have completed. You can also click on FAQ for info on devices, etc.
You can study History, Religion, Travel, Food and Wine, Music, Mathematics, Science, Language, Health and Fitness, Economics and Finance, Professional and Personal Development, Hobbies and Leisure, and more.
I wish I'd known this ages ago. I just finished my first lecture on Mesopotamia: Life in the Cradle of Civilization, and I was very pleased. Each lecture is 30 minutes. Strange that I chose a lecture by a professor at Cal-Poly, Pomona, a college about two miles from where I lived in Diamond Bar, California.
Let's go, Students. We're never through learning. And if you can't tear yourself away from the TV, you can stream the courses with Roku, FireTV, or AppleTV.
Let me know by email what you think. And don't forget, I have a new address: PatriciaKaye1065@gmail.com.