It has been almost 20 years since my last college-level foreign language class and, sadly, most of the skills I learned have been forgotten.

Now that my children are enrolled in high school foreign language classes, I remember the thrill of understanding new words, phrases and cultures. Learning to speak a different language can be time-consuming and complicated, but luckily your local library can help.

The St. Charles Public Library has language learning resources that anyone with a library card can access for free. Our favorite is Mango Languages, which offers online courses in more than 70 languages. In addition to popular choices such as Spanish and French, Mango offers courses in Irish, Swahili, Haitian Creole, Hawaiian and even Potawatomi, just to name a few. English as a second language learners can take advantage of the courses to improve their basic and conversational skills.

Users can access the Mango tutorials via desktop or by downloading a convenient app for learning on the go. Native speakers teach the lessons with a focus on practical language skills and pronunciation. After mastering the basics, learners can build their knowledge over time and at their own pace with dozens of more advanced lessons.

Mango has tools available that go beyond the basics. To help you stay motivated on your language learning journey, Mango has a goal-setting feature built into the app.

You can view movies through Mango to supplement your learning or try their curated vocabulary collections.

Whether you are looking to learn basic phrases before traveling to a foreign country or you want to connect with your child as they learn a new language at school, the library is happy to support your language learning journey.

For help using Mango Languages, call the library and ask to speak to a librarian or visit scpld.org/learn-research/research-materials/language-learning.