Universal Class is EVPL’s newest tool for continuing your education! From Precalculus to Baking Cookies 101, this online course service provides flexible, certificate-oriented learning and self-improvement at no cost. Whether you’re looking to improve something in your personal life, start a new hobby, or get a serious crash course in any industry, Universal Class is for you. Here we are going to highlight just how fundamental this resource can be for receiving high-quality business education without paying a penny in tuition.
Accessing Universal Class
Anyone with an EVPL card can access Universal Class. It can seem confusing at first, but follow these steps and you will be able to check out the service for 30 days:
- Go to our website, evpl.org.
- Navigate the “Collections” tab at the top of the page, then click on the link for “Research Databases.”
- From the alphabetical list of databases, keep loading more until you get all the way to the end for “Universal Class.”
- Click the database, and then, click the words “Universal Class” to pull up a new page. Follow the link, and register for an account by providing an email address and creating a password.
Universal Class will “check out” to you for 30 days through your Libby account. You can either access this by following the above instructions through our website or through the Libby app. Once you have registered and checked out Universal Class online, it will show up on your Libby account as an Extra and link directly to your courses.
If you have any trouble accessing Universal Class, you can always contact us by phone, chat, or even come to one of our drop-in technology help sessions!
For Business Education
If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or have a side-hustle and are looking to expand your business knowledge, Universal Class can be a game-changer. Unlike other forms of business education, this classes are easy to access. No application process, no textbooks, no rigid schedule, no tuition fees – just learning.
Becoming proficient in the business field can be intimidating. How do businesses get funding? Is there a difference between technical writing and normal writing? And do I really need to learn accounting? With Universal Class, you can get answers to all these questions and more, on your own schedule, and earn certificates to track your progress.
Sound good? You bet it does. So let’s take a look at some business courses that will give you a solid foundation:
- Business Budgeting 101
- Learn how to make your business profitable, affordable, and realistic.
- How to Write a Business Plan
- Yes, you need one.
- Marketing for Small Business 101
- Developing and implementing a marketing strategy that works for you.
- Small Business Guide
- Get the basics on what you need to know about moving forward as an entrepreneur.
- Accounting & Bookkeeping 101 For Everyone
- Take the fear and procrastination out of keeping track of your finances.
- Business Credit
- Good debt, bad debt, how to get it, and how to get rid of it.
Business Books
Of course, pairing an online course with free educational materials from EVPL is a win-win scenario. Our Business Central collection has a large selection of books on everything from step-by-step guides to starting your own business to the specifics of business finance. Looking to pair a good book with one of our suggested classes? Here are a few titles to get you started:
- The Payroll Book: A Guide for Small Businesses and Start-Ups
- The Wall Street Journal Complete Small Business Guidebook
- Clever Girl Finance: The Side Hustle Guide
- Business Plan in a Day: Starting and Thriving in a Recession, a Complete Business Plan in 24 Hours or Less
- The Non-Obvious Guide to Small Business Marketing (Without a Big Budget)
- How Business Works: A Graphic Guide to Business Success
