The library has two great resources which job seekers can use to improve or gain language skills to add to your resume: 

• Mango Languages
• Transparent Language Online 

Mango Languages has over 70 courses to choose from. Transparent Language Online has over 100 courses.  Both resources provide full language courses with lessons to work on reading, writing, and speaking a new language.  When you use a microphone, they will do vocal comparison when you speak to show whether you are pronouncing the foreign language correctly.  Both also have free apps which you can install on your tablet or smartphone. 

You may wonder why the library has two language resources.  Well, the answer to that is because the PLYMC library is paying for Mango Languages which we have provided to our library users for many years. And just a couple years ago, the state of Ohio purchased Transparent Languages Online for all Ohio library cardholders to have access.  While both resources teach many of the same languages, there are differences in how the lessons are done. So, depending on your learning style, one or the other may be the better fit for you when you want to learn a new language. 

For jobseekers, the most popular second language most employers are looking for in the U.S. is Latin American Spanish.  Of note in both Mango Languages and Transparent Language Online is that each offers specialized lessons within the Latin American Spanish course.   

Mango Languages has: 

• Business 
• Legal 
• Medical 
• Text Talk 
• Romance 
• Spanish for Librarians 

Transparent Language Online has:

• Business Vocabulary 
• Medical Vocabulary 
• Survival Spanish for Librarians 

Also, each resource will teach English to users in their native tongue.  Mango covers 21 different mother tongues to use when learning English.  Transparent Language Online covers 32 difference mother tongues for English.  In addition, every English language course in Transparent Language includes an American Citizenship Course. 

Always remember that a second language is a great bonus to have on your resume!

For more about using these language resources, check out:

• Niche Academy Tutorial: Mango Languages – Learn Languages from Native Speakers
• Mango Languages – Welcome Flyer
• Mango Languages- Language List
• Niche Academy Tutorial: Transparent Language Online – Online Language Learning
• Transparent Language Online Overview tri-fold brochure
• Transparent Language Online – Language List

Come back next week to learn about an online resource which gives you access from home to many reference ebooks, particularly business and medical texts that are very useful for the entrepreneurial and health-minded job seekers.

Sara Churchill

Sara Churchill is the Digital Services Specialist and Assistant Supervisor in the Information Services Department at Main Library. A major fan of technology devices and computer research resources at work, she enjoys helping everyone learn to use their devices and the library's many online resources.  She loves reading Science Fiction/Fantasy books, British cozy mysteries, True Crime and other true stories, plus a past reader of horror fiction by the likes of Stephen King and John Saul (among others).  Also, she’s a big fan of Sci-fi, action, horror, spaghetti westerns, and based-on-a-true story movies.  Her blogs are for adults and the entire family to enjoy reading and trying out the many online resources free for PLYMC library cardholders to use.