March 6, 2017

Hi,

Late last month, I sent the below article about LearningExpress Library (LEL) to Beth Wigham at the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and asked her to post it to her listserv for school counselors. As a follow-up, I’d appreciate it if you’d forward the same information and/or touch base with counselors in your building to see if they have any questions. Anything you are not comfortable answering, feel free to forward to me.

While LearningExpress Library has some skill-building resources for upper elementary grades, the bulk of the resources are relevant for middle and high school.

Remember that there is not a shared login for LEL. Each user creates his or her own account. If a school subscribes to Oregon CIS, please note that LEL is also accessible through it. The accounts are separate, so instruct users to access LEL the same way each time – either through OSLIS or Oregon CIS.

Content area teachers – like for English Language Arts, social studies and history, mathematics, and science – might find the article helpful, too. This flyer, which is linked in the article below, shows what resources LearningExpress Library offers.

LearningExpress Library Offers AP Test Prep, College-Entrance Exam & Essay Help, Basic Skills Reinforcement, Career Info, & More
LearningExpress Library (LEL) is a test-prep and skill-building database available to all Oregonians. The K-12 access point is via the Find Information page on OSLIS (elementary, secondary), or via the Oregon Career Information System for schools that subscribe to it. Different centers within LEL cover different topics. The School Center basic skills in reading, writing, math, and more. The College Preparation Center offers practice exams to help students prepare for many tests, including AP, ACT, SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, and TOEFL iBT, plus resources to prepare for college admission essays. In the category of Advanced Placement, there are tests for biology, calculus, chemistry, English language and composition, English literature, environmental science, European history, psychology, U.S. government, U.S. history, and statistics. Two centers focus on career information, resumes, and interview techniques: Career Center and Job & Career Accelerator (J&CA). Distribute this handout to help students create an account. Students and staff can watch the short user guide videos (LEL, J&CA) or browse the FAQ for a quick way to learn how to use LearningExpress Library. For staff, there’s also a 45-minute webinar recorded in October 2015 and two chances monthly to watch a live webinar. Questions? Contact your library staff or Jennifer Maurer, School Library Consultant at the State Library in Salem. Please help spread the word among students and staff.

Thanks,
Jen

Jennifer Maurer
School Library Consultant
Oregon State Library