From learning Zulu to cake-making: the new services coming to Havering libraries

Ever fancied learning Zulu? Or perhaps you want to brush up on your cake-making skills? These are just some of the new experiences available soon to Havering Library users - and all for free!

At a time when other boroughs are reducing library opening hours or closing branches, Havering Council is taking a very different approach, and investing in its very popular service.

Four new online programmes are to be launched over April and May - at no cost to Havering Library members.

‘Zinio’, launching later this month, will give library members free access to UK published magazines such as New Scientist, Cosmopolitan or BBC Wildlife and people will be able to access it via tablets, suitable mobile phones or PCs.

The second new resource is ‘Transparent Language Online’, which gives access to a suite of video language training courses from Albanian to Zulu, and including English as a second language.

Also launching, in late May, is ‘Freegal’ - this will allow library members to access music downloads, which can be stored on a music player.

Finally, ‘Universal Class’ is a remote learning system offering education in a wide range of subjects from management to cake-making.

Members submit work online which will be marked and returned by tutors giving constant support and feedback.

Students will receive a certificate at the end of the course.

Cllr Andrew Curtin, cabinet member for culture, towns and communities, said: “Libraries help us to improve ourselves in a wide variety of different ways, and these new resources will help add to the vital role which public libraries play in culture, society and learning in Havering.”