Monroe County libraries get grant to provide thousands of free online courses

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Monroe County Library System is offering free online classes after getting a $3.1 million grant.

All library card holders now have access to Udemy, an online learning platform with more than 4,000 continuously updated and on-demand video courses. The funding comes from the county’s American Rescue Plan Act funding.

Udemy offers courses in business, technology, science, design, and more taught by taught by world-class instructors. You can access the courses at library locations or through the library system’s website here.

The funding will also support the Mi-fi program, mobile hotspots that libraries loan. Library leaders say the Mi-fi units are the most popular items checked out of libraries, with over 5,200 check-outs last year. With the grant, they hope to cut the wait times for Mi-fi units in half.

In a statement, Emily Clasper, director of the Monroe County Library System, said:

“Wired for Opportunity is another example of how the Monroe County Library System provides our citizens with an array of valuable resources beyond books. We will be rolling out new initiatives and programs for our residents in the coming months, and we are grateful to County Executive Adam Bello and our entire federal delegation, Congressman Morelle, Senator Schumer, and Senator Gillibrand, for making this possible.”