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WAYNE COUNTY - When was the last time you visited the public library? If you think it’s just for dated, dusty books and card catalogs, you would be sorely mistaken.
With the advent of the Internet, many citizens don’t need the library to be the central hub of information as it once was. But that doesn’t make it obsolete by any stretch of the imagination. Public libraries serve the valuable purpose of bringing communities together while adapting to the technology saturated world that is daily life.
People from all across the world are becoming increasingly connected and having the knowledge of a language besides your own can be a valuable tool.
The Wayne County Public Library offers access to Mango Languages, a computer software that provides instruction on learning a new language. This program is free of charge to anyone with a Wayne County Library Card. To access this program all you need is a library card and an internet connection. This program is available for use in the library, or at your own home through the library’s website.
Ann Foster of the Interlibrary Loan and Reference Department at Wayne County Public Libraries, had many interesting facts about Mango. She has experimented with “Dutch, Spanish and French” to see how the program would operate. One of the highlights of the program is “you can go at your own pace. You can speed up or slow down.”
Another interesting aspect of the program is “the ability to hear the languages.” The languages offered through Mango are not all easy to learn, as the program offers Mandarin and Cantonese and other pictorial languages.
Foster says the program “is great for those who are just curious” and “those who want to truly learn the language.”
The addition of Mango to the services of the library have made learning a language much easier than it has been in the past.
Before Mango, you would have to wait days after requesting books through an interlibrary loan. Foster said that “we didn’t have some of the languages” available all the time. And, once the requested text would come in, you only had a limited amount of time with the text before it needed to be returned. With Mango, that has changed drastically.
“People really respond to being able to not having to return anything,” she said. “Users really respond to being able to use the program at their leisure.”
WAYNE COUNTY - When was the last time you visited the public library? If you think it’s just for dated, dusty books and card catalogs, you would be sorely mistaken.
With the advent of the Internet, many citizens don’t need the library to be the central hub of information as it once was. But that doesn’t make it obsolete by any stretch of the imagination. Public libraries serve the valuable purpose of bringing communities together while adapting to the technology saturated world that is daily life.
People from all across the world are becoming increasingly connected and having the knowledge of a language besides your own can be a valuable tool.
The Wayne County Public Library offers access to Mango Languages, a computer software that provides instruction on learning a new language. This program is free of charge to anyone with a Wayne County Library Card. To access this program all you need is a library card and an internet connection. This program is available for use in the library, or at your own home through the library’s website.
Ann Foster of the Interlibrary Loan and Reference Department at Wayne County Public Libraries, had many interesting facts about Mango. She has experimented with “Dutch, Spanish and French” to see how the program would operate. One of the highlights of the program is “you can go at your own pace. You can speed up or slow down.”
Another interesting aspect of the program is “the ability to hear the languages.” The languages offered through Mango are not all easy to learn, as the program offers Mandarin and Cantonese and other pictorial languages.
Foster says the program “is great for those who are just curious” and “those who want to truly learn the language.”
The addition of Mango to the services of the library have made learning a language much easier than it has been in the past.
Before Mango, you would have to wait days after requesting books through an interlibrary loan. Foster said that “we didn’t have some of the languages” available all the time. And, once the requested text would come in, you only had a limited amount of time with the text before it needed to be returned. With Mango, that has changed drastically.
“People really respond to being able to not having to return anything,” she said. “Users really respond to being able to use the program at their leisure.”
Foster stresses that the software is “very user friendly” and even those who have minimal computer skills can navigate it easily. The software is also a great tool for kids who are interested in learning more about a language.
Mango Languages has two courses: Mango Basic and Mango Complete. Mango Basic brings a daunting task and re-vamps it into a fun experience. The program teaches the basics of the language, like greetings, and helpful phrases. This course of study is great for getting acquainted with a language for the first time. The basic course is offered in 22 languages.
Mango Complete goes far beyond the basics of a language with a 100-lesson course that delves into not just the language, but the culture surrounding it. You learn more about grammar and the subtleties involved in speaking the language.
The courses offered through Mango Languages are constructed and designed to mimic the natural learning process that takes places when surrounded by a foreign language. Learning a language with this program does not rely on memorization of vocabulary. The approach to learning grammar, called “stealth grammar,” is an aspect of the program that separates it from other language software. This means that instead of memorizing grammar, which makes it difficult to apply, you are able to learn it as you speak the language.
The stealth approach to grammar also encourages the brain to intuitively learn grammatical intricacies in the languages. This aids in helping you truly understand the language and how it functions.
One of the convenient qualities of Mango is the ability to learn anywhere with an internet connection. For free, with your library card, you can download Mango On the Go. Mango On the Go is software available for a smartphone or MP3 player that allows you to still learn while out and about.
To access Mango Languages, you will need to have a library card. Signing up for a card is free for residents of Wayne County. The only documentation necessary to get your card is proof of residency, such as a bill or your license, to show you are a resident in Wayne County.
Once you have your library card, you can access Mango through the Wayne County Public Library website, www.waynelibraries.org. The Mango logo is located in the center of the home page.
If you have any questions about Mango, or about how to get your library card, visit your local library or call 1-570-253-1220 for assistance.
The libraries in the Wayne County Public Library system are located in Hamlin, Bethany, Hawley, Honesdale, Lakewood, Newfoundland and Pleasant Mount.
