Library card a gateway to online test preparation

By SHERYL FELL, Off the Shelf
Published February 1, 2008

Almost every day, people come into the library looking for some kind of test preparation book. They have either decided to go back to school, pursue a new career or simply get their GED certificate.

Patrons are surprised and pleased to learn that there are free online test preparation resources available and the resources can be accessed from either a library or home computer. All that is required is a library card and Internet access.

The Hernando County Public Library System subscribes to a database called Testing and Education Reference Center. It is a collection of databases specially selected and designed to help students of all ages make important decisions about their futures. One of the most popular and unique features of TERC is its test preparation database.

The database includes test preparation eBooks (online books) and full-length practice tests. Students can work through the tests at their own pace and learn immediately - thanks to instant scoring - what areas need further study.

The TERC database has standard college entrance exams and entrance and licensing tests in other areas, including civil service, armed services, EMT and firefighter, law enforcement, nursing, postal clerk/carrier and the GED (high school equivalency).

The database is easy to use. Simply go the library's Web site at www.hcpl.lib.fl.us, click on "learning center" (left side of the page) and choose Testing and Education Reference Center from the list. This will take you to a log-in screen where you will enter your library card number and click "proceed."

Once on the Testing and Education Reference Center main page, choose "test preparation," and you will see tests that are available in the following areas: high school, state assessments, college entrance, college credit, graduate entrance, nursing, civil service and licensing, military entrance and career placement, basic skills and job skills assessment.

After selecting a test, you must register with a user name and password. The tests are timed, but you can go at your own pace. Even better, test takers can save their work, exit at any time and return later to finish. Once you complete a test, you will get a score as well as a list of your answers and the correct answers. This immediate feedback lets you know what information you need to review before taking the actual test.

The site offers a variety of other useful tools. In the "college search" section, students can search for a specific college or program, get recruited by colleges they're interested in (CollegesWantYouSM), find hard-to-find financial aid packages (BestCollegeDealsSM), and get advice on choosing the right college, selecting classes, studying and time management.

For students and parents looking for financial assistance, the "scholarship search" section has a searchable database of more than 1-million scholarships and grants available to help defray the costs of education and training.

If you're looking for a specialty or change-of-career program, there are features to help you find something to meet your needs, as well as a database of more than 29,000 certificate, diploma and licensing programs at 2,600 trade and technical schools.

There's a special database for those interested in nursing and one for those who would like to find out more about distance learning programs. In addition, parents can search for private secondary schools for their children with Thomson Gale's award-winning database of more than 1,500 U.S. and international independent day, military and boarding schools.

Whether you are planning on going to college, changing careers, getting your high school equivalency diploma or entering civil service, the military or another specialized field, give the Testing and Education Reference Center a try.

We think you'll be impressed and pleased with just how valuable and easy to use this resource can be. And, it's available to you absolutely free - courtesy of your county library system.

Sheryl Fell is a reference librarian for the Hernando County Public Library System.

[Last modified January 31, 2008, 21:06:57]