Faculty & Staff Learning Library

Invest in yourself. We’ll help.

Free, trusted professional development from federal agencies, leading universities, and national nonprofits, plus learning right here at Allen. Find it, save it, and build your own plan.

  • 98resources
  • $0cost to you
  • 16topics
  • 15guided paths
Find My Next Step

Answer two questions. Get three picks.

1. What do you want to do?
2. How much time do you have?

Choose a goal to see your picks.

    Built for the HBCU Mission

    HBCUs do extraordinary work. These tools help us do even more.

    Since 1870, Allen has opened doors with determination and community. These free resources are matched to the challenges HBCU faculty and staff know best.

    • Funding the missionWin grants built for HBCUsFederal opportunities for HBCUs, including the National Park Service program that helps support Allen’s Coppin Hall restoration.
    • Students carrying moreHelp students stay enrolledEvidence-based advising, first-gen support, and basic needs resources like SNAP for students.
    • Culturally grounded careSupport mental healthThe Steve Fund focuses on students of color. And 988 is there for you, too.
    • Libraries on a budgetResearch without paywallsFree tools and databases that put scholarship within reach.
    • Small teams, many hatsWork smarterFree training in the tools you use daily, AI basics, and cybersecurity.
    • Every dollar countsLower costs for studentsReplace expensive textbooks with free, peer-reviewed alternatives.
    • Our history, our strengthTeach with Black historyFree archives from HBCU libraries, the Smithsonian, the Schomburg Center, and South Carolina’s own collections.
    • Your library cardUnlock free resourcesStart with Allen’s Flipper Library. Discus is free for every South Carolinian, and Richland Library cards include LinkedIn Learning.
    • Learn on any budgetFree lectures from top universitiesMIT, Yale, and Harvard courses on video, plus Crash Course and Khan Academy.
    Guided Learning Paths

    Not sure where to begin? Follow a path.

      Learn Together

      Learning sticks when you share it.

      Turn any path into a learning circle with colleagues in your department, or across campus.

      1. Pick a pathChoose one above and tap “Copy link to this path.”
      2. Invite two or three colleaguesSend the link. Everyone saves the path to their own plan.
      3. Meet once a monthShare one idea you’ll try. Use “Add a monthly learning hour” to keep it on the calendar.
      The Library

      Browse everything.

        Outside resources are not Allen programs, and links open in a new tab. Everything listed is free; some providers also sell paid options. Ask your supervisor or Human Resources whether a course can count toward your professional development goals. Know a great free resource? Share it with Human Resources.