Our training program provides ongoing training to various academic institutions in underdeveloped countries. Students are provided strategies for adequate access, retrieval, and use of the e-library resources, referencing, citation, etc. At the same time, teachers are taught about the basic strategies for incorporating additional and external (e-library) resources in their teaching, and administrators are taught about basic strategy and the importance of integrating the digital library in their curriculum and of controlling and managing access to their e-library portals.

Basic technical skills are critical in today’s environment because everything is centered on technology. However, limited education and technical knowledge are among the major challenges facing immigrant communities. Many immigrants did not have the opportunity to be educated in their native countries, sometimes due to war, poverty, and/or lack of gender equality in education. Therefore, many of these individuals cannot perform basic technical tasks such as online banking, creating a good password for online accounts, password resetting, searching, and applying for a job. In addition, their lack of email accounts makes it difficult to sign up for new services and make online purchases.

Similarly, their limited education knowledge limits them from navigating available resources in their communities—something as simple as locating a suitable local tradesman is more efficient when done through an online search than by looking in the yellow pages.

To help meet these challenges, E-Lib4All Igniting Minds Program (IM) benefits various immigrant communities. The program supports families seeking assistance in navigating their communities, opening bank accounts, fostering relationships between newcomers and long-time residents, connecting with employment opportunities, enhancing their job-search (e.g., resume-writing) skills, and promoting volunteering.

The program further educates participants on basic computer skills such as understanding more about sharing files, avoiding viruses, dealing with crashes, using shortcuts, backing up data, and regular maintenance to keep computers running efficiently. Also, the program offers typing courses to improve their keyboarding skills and to make it easier and faster for them to write on computers. The program is open to all immigrants regardless of their race, religious affiliation, or nationality.

The E-Lib4All Research Assistance Program is a research-focused professional development opportunity for students, teachers, professors, and researchers in Liberia. The program is designed to encourage Liberian researchers, both old and new, and educational institutions to engage and invest in scientific research studies that benefit the country (Liberia).