SIDNEY — Shelby County Libraries are now offering cardholders free access to online educational courses from Lynda.com.

Now owned by LinkedIn, Lynda.com has been the leading provider of online learning content for 20 years. The service has more than 12,000 courses, ranging from computer programming to project management including instruction on various computer software, programming languages and business topics. The video courses are taught by industry experts and are designed for any skill level. Lynda.com also offers more than 50 different learning paths to help users stay ahead in their current jobs or change careers.

“Lynda courses are free to all of our patrons. All you need is your library card number and PIN,” said Suzanne Cline, executive director of Shelby County Libraries. “You can access Lynda.com from any device with an Internet connection through http://shelbyco.lib.oh.us/. The Lynda app is also available for mobile phones and tablets. The default PIN is the last four digits of your library card number.”

Lynda.com courses are available for dozens of popular software and developer tools, including: Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher), Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, In Design), latest versions of popular operating systems including Windows 10, iOS, Android, Linux, and coding and markup languages including C, Java, Python, Ruby, MySQL, HTML, CSS, and PHP.

In addition, Lynda.com offers courses on business topics and personal advancement, including job hunting and resume or cover letter writing, business skills, communication, marketing and leadership, data analysis, cloud computing and server management and creative arts including 3D animation, video editing, photography and more.

“Providing Lynda.com is another way that we are supporting the local community and small businesses in our area,” said Cline. “Whether you are a professional wanting to sharpen your skills, or an amateur starting from square 1, Lynda.com can provide the instruction you need. And, it’s free with your library card.”