Albany Public Library to Offer Academic Advisement Sessions

January 27, 2017

Hudson Valley Community College is now offering academic advisement sessions at the Albany Public Library's Washington Ave. Branch (161 Washington Ave., Albany). The sessions will take place in library study rooms on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and are part of the college's effort to enhance accessible educational opportunities for all local residents.

"Hudson Valley has a long tradition of meeting the needs of the community by offering both credit-bearing academic and non-credit fast-track workforce development training," said Debra Kowalski, off-campus coordinator and academic counselor with the college's Office of Continuing Education, Summer Sessions and Workforce Development. "By collaborating with the Albany Public Library, we hope to establish a valuable service to Albany residents, and those who work in the area, by providing a convenient location where they can learn what the college has to offer."

The free academic advisement sessions at Albany Public Library are one-on-one meetings with a Hudson Valley advisor to discuss both credit-bearing classes and academic programs and non-credit fast-track career training available through the college's Workforce Development Institute. Each meeting is tailored to meet the specific needs and interests of each individual. Academic opportunities are available on campus, online and at the college's various established off-campus locations.

"Albany Public Library is all about connecting people to the resources they need to better their lives. We are proud to expand this charge through our new partnership with Hudson Valley Community College," said Amy McLaughlin, Albany Public Library community engagement coordinator. "HVCC is now hosting free academic advisement sessions at our Washington Ave. Branch. This service augments the college and career resources the library already provides to patrons, and adds value to the library-going experience."

Appointments at the Washington Ave. Branch are available, and walk-ins are welcome if there is no previously scheduled appointment at the same time. To schedule an appointment, call the Hudson Valley Community College Office of Continuing Education, Summer Sessions and Workforce Development at (518) 629-7338. The office is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Academic advisement sessions are free and open to the public. For more information about HVCC programs and course offerings, visit www.hvcc.edu. For more information about Albany Public Library programs and services, visit www.albanypubliclibrary.org.

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Founded in 1953, Hudson Valley Community College offers more than 80 associate degree and certificate programs in four schools: Business; Engineering and Industrial Technologies; Health Sciences; and Liberal Arts and Sciences; and workforce and academic preparation programs offered through the Capital District Educational Opportunity Center. One of 30 community colleges in the State University of New York system, it has an enrollment of nearly 12,000 students, and is known as a leader in distance learning initiatives and worker retraining. Hudson Valley has 75,000 alumni.

Albany Public Library (APL) educates, entertains, and empowers our community. APL operates seven award-winning branches serving the residents of Albany. Each month, about 74,000 people use the libraries to borrow materials, attend programs, access computers, and research information. More than 85,000 books, DVDs, and other materials are circulated each month. The libraries also provide 45,000 WiFi sessions and 13,000 public computer sessions monthly. Visit APL online at www.albanypubliclibrary.org. Look for the free "Albany Public Library Mobile" app for Apple and Android devices. And, follow @AlbanyNYLibrary on social media.

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