New Port Richey Library as Learning Center
For patrons who want to expand their minds, New Port Richey Library offers plenty of learning opportunities for all ages – no books required.
Kid stuff
Teens, tweens and the younger set can augment their school studies or go beyond subjects taught in the classroom.
For kids who need help with literacy or school work, NPR Library pairs them with appropriate tutors. Students and tutors can use library meeting space if they want to.
Kids can also access Brainfuse, either at the library or on their home computer through the library’s website. Brainfuse provides:
- Homework help
- Live tutors
- Online study groups
- Lessons
- Writing lab
- Test prep
NPR Library’s many youth programs focus on STEAM.
For instance, their active youth gaming program gives kids a fun space to play, interact and develop skills.
The library hosts gaming events, including: 
- Minecraft Build Off
- Kids compete to create the best Minecraft design
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Battles
- Interactive game pits players against each other
- Game Days
- Freestyle fun with board games, plus Wii and PS4 games like Dance Central and Mario Kart
Kids 5-12 enjoy hands-on activities like:
- Messy Art Club
- Build Me a Story
- Kids use LEGOs to create a scene and share their stories
Younger kids learn rhymes, songs and stories at Rhymes to Readers.
Adult ed
For adult patrons, NPR Library offers study programs, digital databases and plenty of intellectually stimulating events.
The library’s Reading for Life literacy program matches tutors with students to increase reading comprehension and math skills. Non-English speakers may be matched with an ESL tutor.
With more than 150 student-tutor pairings and only one dropout (as of late 2015), the program has been a huge success.
Patrons who want to earn their high school diplomas can get help through NPR Library in a couple of ways:
- GED study materials
- Referrals to the School Board of Pasco County’s GED program
- GED prep class (by appointment)
- Career Online High School
Brainfuse’s adult learning center also offers GED prep, as well as:
- Resume/cover letter writing
- U.S. citizenship prep
- Foreign language center with Spanish-speaking support
Some patrons simply want to learn about a subject for fun. Self-paced instruction modules can be checked out and used at home.
iStudy kits typically include one or more booklets and DVDs, with each subject taught by a qualified professor. Courses span a wide range of interests.
NPR Library also provides a wealth of online self-study resources. Among the offerings:
- lynda.com
- Mango languages
- Ancestry.com
- Learning Express
- Khan Academy
Both special events and regular programs offer even more opportunities to learn.
Meetups like Guten Tag! and Bonjour Mes Amis give attendees the chance to practice their conversational skills in foreign languages.
Several of NPR Library’s ongoing programs seek to delve deeper and encourage discussion:
- Big Ideas
- Featuring thought-shifting speakers and concepts
- Social Interest Film Series
- Films exploring topics like mental illness, suicide and poverty
- Information about related local resources
- Lunch and Grow
- Environmental documentaries
