Top 10 Free Tech Training at Libraries and Community Centers in Anchorage, AK in 2026

Table of Contents

• Start Your Tech Journey in Anchorage
• LinkedIn Learning Portal at Anchorage Public Library
• RITE AI Clinic
• Computer & Tech Help at Loussac Library
• Teaching, Learning, and Living with AI Workshop
• Drop-in Tech Time at Chugiak-Eagle River
• Application & Digital Navigation Assistance
• UAA Community Engagement & Tech Giveaways
• Alaska Job Center Network Workshops
• Mango Languages via Alaska Digital Library
• People Mover Travel Training
• Your 30-Day Free Learning Plan
• Frequently Asked Questions

LinkedIn Learning Portal at Anchorage Public Library

Your free Anchorage Public Library card is a master key to professional development, granting 24/7 access to the entire LinkedIn Learning library. This platform transforms your home or local branch into a classroom, offering expert-led video courses that are "industry-recognized credentials" vital for competing in today's tech-driven world.

This resource is Anchorage's most powerful and flexible tech starter kit. A retail worker in Midtown can spend three weeks on "Python Essential Training" and gain the confidence to apply for an entry-level data support role at a company like ConocoPhillips Alaska. Experts note these free courses allow job seekers to "level up their digital know-how" and directly engage with the local market, where foundational tech skills are in growing demand.

RITE AI Clinic

While online courses provide knowledge, the leap to applying AI tools in real projects requires hands-on guidance. The RITE AI Clinic at the Angels In Progress Community Innovation Center melts that barrier with casual, walk-in coaching every Thursday from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

This clinic focuses on immediate, project-based application. You can get direct help using AI writing assistants like ChatGPT, creating graphics with visual AI, or applying introductory data analysis to a spreadsheet. It’s the ideal first touchpoint for the curious who’ve heard about AI’s impact at companies like Alaska Airlines or GCI but don’t know where to start practically.

A small business owner from Spenard can bring their laptop and receive coaching on drafting marketing emails or analyzing customer feedback, applying the tech to grow their venture that same day. This drop-in model, requiring no appointment or prior knowledge, embodies the welcoming community spirit essential for thawing the uncertainty around new technology and building the foundational skills Anchorage’s employers need.

Computer & Tech Help at Loussac Library

Before you can code in Python or analyze data, you need to confidently navigate a computer and core software. The weekly Computer & Tech Help session at the Z.J. Loussac Library’s Raven Meeting Room is designed for this exact purpose, offering one-on-one, patient assistance for true novices every Friday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

Library experts explicitly note these sessions are "designed for tech novices looking to enhance their skills" in foundational areas. Walk-in attendees receive personal help with Microsoft Office programs like Word and Excel, email setup, smartphone troubleshooting, and basic internet safety - all critical first steps for any Anchorage job seeker.

This resource removes the initial intimidation of technology. A senior citizen can get help setting up Zoom to video call family, while a prospective applicant for an administrative role at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson can receive guidance on formatting a professional resume. By mastering these essentials, you build the digital confidence required to progress to more specialized tech training available through other library programs.

Teaching, Learning, and Living with AI Workshop

Artificial intelligence isn't just a Silicon Valley phenomenon - it's reshaping daily operations at Providence Alaska Medical Center and optimizing logistics for Alaska Airlines. The "Teaching, Learning, and Living with AI" workshop at Loussac Library demystifies this technology for everyday Anchorage residents, cutting through the hype to provide practical, ethical knowledge in a single, no-registration-required session.

Scheduled for events like Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 6:00 PM, these workshops teach you how to navigate AI in daily life and learning environments. You’ll explore how to use tools ethically, recognize their limitations, and leverage them for personal productivity. This foundational understanding is crucial for anyone considering a tech-adjacent role in our local economy.

For a University of Alaska Anchorage student pondering a tech minor, attending this workshop illuminates how AI is applied across different sectors, from healthcare diagnostics to supply chain management. This insight helps inform their academic path. The workshop reflects a broader commitment to accessible tech education in Anchorage, mirrored by initiatives like the University's national 'gold standard' for community engagement, ensuring the community can grow alongside its evolving tech landscape.

Drop-in Tech Time at Chugiak-Eagle River

For residents in the Eagle River Valley, accessing tech help shouldn't require a long commute into downtown Anchorage. The Drop-in Tech Time at the Chugiak-Eagle River Branch brings essential, personalized digital navigation support directly to your community every Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM on the ERC Main Floor.

This weekly walk-in program provides "one-on-one help" praised by patrons, focusing on navigating online community resources like the Alaska Job Center Network, using library digital services, and solving basic technology issues. As library services experts highlight, this personalized approach is designed to build foundational digital literacy, a critical first step before any specialized training.

"Patrons attending 'Drop-in Tech Time' at the Chugiak-Eagle River Library frequently praise the one-on-one help received for navigating community resources and basic technology issues."

A parent helping their child with online school assignments can get guided support using the school portal and educational apps, building their own confidence in the process. This local access point ensures that geographic distance doesn't isolate anyone from the support needed to engage with Anchorage's growing digital economy, turning a community library into a warm hub for skill-building.

Application & Digital Navigation Assistance

Two key branch libraries offer targeted, hands-on assistance with the exact digital tasks that often act as barriers to employment and essential services. The Application & Digital Navigation Assistance programs at Mountain View and Muldoon Libraries provide walk-in, first-come-first-served help during set weekly hours, turning library staff into your personal tech navigators.

At these sessions, detailed among the APL's services for adults, you receive direct coaching on filling out complex online job applications for major local employers, creating and managing email accounts, and using government portals. This isn't abstract learning; it's applied tech literacy for immediate needs, operating Fridays from 1:00-3:00 PM at Mountain View and Tuesdays from 2:00-4:00 PM at Muldoon.

The impact is tangible. A veteran transitioning from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to civilian life can sit down with a library specialist and get direct support applying for a facilities management role on USAJobs.gov, ensuring their application is submitted correctly. This service directly connects foundational digital skills to Anchorage's job market, removing a critical logistical hurdle for career advancement.

UAA Community Engagement & Tech Giveaways

While formal university courses typically require tuition, the University of Alaska Anchorage actively creates pathways for community members to access high-level tech education. Through its Office of Community Engagement and special initiatives, UAA offers free seats in lectures, project partnerships, and even technology giveaways, serving as a vital bridge between self-directed learning and formal computer science concepts.

Programs like the 2026 ASSET for success initiative, which gave away technology and training access, demonstrate this commitment. By monitoring UAA announcements, you can find opportunities to attend free lectures on machine learning, data science, and software engineering that follow the academic calendar.

This access is powerful for career progression. A self-taught coder using the library’s LinkedIn Learning portal can attend a UAA lecture, network with students and professors, and discover more structured educational paths. This exposure helps demystify advanced topics and connects you directly to the academic heart of Anchorage's tech talent pipeline, recognized with a national ‘gold standard’ for community engagement.

Alaska Job Center Network Workshops

The journey from learning a tech skill to landing a job requires knowing how to present those abilities to local employers. The Alaska Job Center Network bridges this gap with free workshops and job fairs that specifically tailor digital skill-building to Anchorage's market demands, offering a direct line to hiring companies.

While not exclusively tech-focused, their variable-schedule workshops frequently cover using job search platforms, digital resume building for tech roles, and software training aligned with employer needs. These sessions are typically walk-in or require simple online sign-up, providing actionable guidance for translating self-study into career opportunities.

For someone who has completed basic Excel training through the library, attending a Job Center workshop on "Data Management for Administrative Roles" teaches them how to frame their new skills for positions at organizations like Providence Alaska Medical Center or the Municipality of Anchorage. This resource ensures your learning directly fuels your job search, connecting you with the network that understands the specific salary ranges and skill requirements of the local economy.

Mango Languages via Alaska Digital Library

In a global tech industry and a state with unique international ties, language proficiency is a powerful, often overlooked technical asset. With your Anchorage Public Library card, you unlock free 24/7 access to Mango Languages through the Alaska Digital Library, a platform offering instruction in over 70 languages.

This resource allows you to build foundational skills in coding-relevant languages like Japanese or German, which are valuable for IT roles in companies with overseas partners, or in local Alaska Native languages, fostering deeper community connection. In Anchorage's diverse economy, where companies like ConocoPhillips Alaska and Alaska Airlines operate on a global scale, this skill set provides a distinct competitive edge.

An IT professional aiming for a systems analyst role at a firm with international operations can use Mango to develop conversational Japanese, adding a unique layer of value to their technical resume. This turns a free library resource into a strategic career-development tool, enhancing your ability to collaborate and solve problems in Anchorage's interconnected tech landscape.

People Mover Travel Training

True technological literacy in Anchorage includes confidently navigating the digital tools that power daily city life. The library's People Mover Travel Training sessions focus on this exact competency, teaching the practical tech of public transit through periodic, walk-in workshops like those held from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.

These hands-on lessons cover using digital transit maps, the official People Mover app, and the mTicket system for mobile bus fares. Mastering these tools is a form of essential civic tech that empowers reliable mobility, a non-negotiable for attending a new job or a night class.

For someone securing an entry-level IT support role at GCI’s downtown offices or aiming to attend a more advanced coding workshop at the University of Alaska Anchorage, this training removes a major logistical barrier. It ensures they can reliably commute, turning the city's infrastructure into a supported pathway for their career growth. You can find upcoming sessions on the APL's full calendar, another example of how local institutions provide the foundational skills to fully participate in Anchorage's evolving economy.

Your 30-Day Free Learning Plan

This structured plan integrates Anchorage's free resources to transform curiosity into concrete skills and local connections in just one month. It's designed for the busy Alaskan, whether you're working shifts at Providence or managing family time in Eagle River.

By Day 30, you'll have foundational knowledge, hands-on project experience, and connections within Anchorage's tech community. This process definitively answers "Is this for me?" and positions you to assess logical next steps, whether a paid bootcamp, certification, or continued self-study. As success stories from local training programs show, this initial commitment can lead to significant breakthroughs, turning the frost of uncertainty into a clear path forward in our city's growing tech landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions