Adult Learning
Government initiatives are increasingly focused on continuous learning outside of the parameters of formal school education. Adult learning is a major issue on the Government agenda and efforts are being made to ensure all adults have access to further education or training if they wish to engage in these programmes.
Libraries and museums form integral parts of this campaign with both receiving additional funding to attract greater numbers of members and visitors in order to encourage further reading and continual intellectual development.
Lifelong learning is also targeted at those who perhaps did not enjoy school but would like to increase their knowledge and skill level; lifelong learning offers people new environments in which to learn; these are often much less formal than a school or university classroom and therefore make people feel more at ease.
Lifelong learning can also enable people to choose to study or learn about specific subjects, which may not be available to study at school or university. These classes are often in the evenings and weekends to enable people to fit them in around full-time work commitments.
University Education
In terms of university education, libraries still lie very much at the heart of academic university life and students are urged to read as much relevant material as possible and use this to formulate arguments as well as come to their own individual decisions.
When writing essays only students who demonstrate a wide research base and considerable background reading will score the best grades.
Independent research using online resources, as well as books, is actively encouraged at University level and original research using existing studies and information as a foundation is essential at Master’s or Doctorate level, whether you are working to become a dentist or a social worker.
Both libraries and museums can be fundamental to gaining as much relevant information as possible on the particular research area and therefore can be extremely important to the success of University students.
University libraries are some of the best-equipped in the country boasting huge collections of books as well as being registered to access vast online databases of journals online.
Most university library services offer additional classes; these include acquiring a better writing style, public speaking skills and learning how to reference properly to name but a few.