BizLibrary is a corporate-focused learning management software solution. The vendor provides a searchable library of prebuilt courses and materials that are mobile-accessible and include assessment and gamification capabilities.
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LinkedIn Learning (Lynda.com)
Score8 out of 10
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Lynda.com (now offered as part of LinkedIn Learning) is an elearning course library acquired and now supported by LinkedIn in May 2015.
Instructional Designer & LMS Administrator in Information Technology at State of Vermont Agency of Human Services (Government Administration, 5001-10,000 employees)
Chose BizLibrary
Great affordable content and good service. We found that each had its specialties, but BizLibrary suited most of our needs the best that we could manage. They have been very responsive and very helpful.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
Director Human Resources in Human Resources at Elkhart Plastics, Inc. (Plastics, 501-1000 employees)
Chose BizLibrary
We selected BizLibrary because it had the most robust system that pertained to our employee base. We have found that that has resulted in users engaging in several areas in addition to those required. The price was better that some and worse that some, but we felt that it …
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
Learning and Talent Development Manager at Master Electronics (Mechanical or Industrial Engineering, 201-500 employees)
Chose BizLibrary
We have one department in our company using LinkedIn Learning (LIL). The benefit of BizLibrary (BL) over LIL is quality short learning content. I have a workforce that will not watch an hour and a half video course. With BL we have access to courses that come in small chunks. …
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
HRIS Manager in Human Resources at Crest Industries, LLC (Utilities, 501-1000 employees)
Chose BizLibrary
Most other companies do not offer the wide range of content that Biz Library has. You have to purchase different catalogs at different prices to get more modules. The pricing per employee is more expensive. The user interfaces for the other applications are usually a little …
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
Verified User
Chose BizLibrary
We selected BizLibrary because it addressed the needs of training for both professional and hands-on positions within our organization. The ability for our team members to access it online ensures consistent training across multiple locations and provides all of our team …
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
Since I only use BizLibrary as a source for content, I cannot speak to the program's suitability as an LMS, but it is an excellent solution for obtaining content that can be used in your own LMS. They offer a wide range of topics, the courses are just the right length, and the files never give me any issues exporting, loading into our LMS, and users rarely have trouble viewing the files. If you are looking for content to be added to your own LMS, BizLibrary is the way to go. What I know of it as an LMS, it seems like there would be content overload for a student. With so much content, it might be hard for a student to narrow down what they would like to take.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
I've learned hundreds of software applications over the last several decades, and trained teams in offices and one-on-one. At one point, books and trade magazines were a great way to get up to speed with an application, but they've become less and less effective for getting started. Video lessons have some strengths; you can get a rapid overview of a program's capabilities and watch an experienced user using its tools efficiently. On rare occasions they'll even point out bugs that could trip you up, but I wish instructors shared more of those issues. However, it takes a very self-motivated learner to sit through training sessions. Most people don't fit that category, and a subscription may end up gathering dust like a pandemic gym membership. My account is sometimes dormant for months, but then I'll be watching lessons continually the following month. I've often wondered if it was worth it for that reason. I have some friends that voraciously devoured class after Lynda.com class, and built successful careers on that training. But many others never use their account. It's helpful to consider whether you're a self-motivated learner. If not, it may not be the best format for you. More complicated software often can't be adequately introduced in a several-hour-long series of videos. I found Final Cut Pro (7) hard to learn online, also Logic Pro. Other somewhat complicated programs like DVD Pro were a snap to learn, and I learned a lot about PHP and Actionscript programming from Lynda.com. Some web and graphics software is exceptionally explained by real experts, such as Lynda's Photoshop classes, which are the best I've seen on that subject. Many of her web production courses will take you every step along the way to creating your own website, even if you haven't coded before. Adobe and Apple have both published similar project-based tutorial classes in book form, and I think they're a bit more polished, but the video instructor can help move you along through all the content more easily. Learning software seems to work better from an online video than a book these days; it's helpful to already be sitting at the computer where you're able to try everything out as it's explained. Most people don't seem to retain software principles unless they're trying them while learning. A bad instructor can make it difficult to sit through a video class. Lynda.com and others generally have a large variety of content creators, so you're not as limited with instructors as you might be at a University, where the same instructor may teach several related applications. Departmental faculty may have much more targeted and creative applications for your software though, while paid corporate software training can be mind-numbingly bad. Continuing ed classes that I've taken usually seemed to just focus on learning the tools in a software product. They often don't or even can't show you how to apply the software for your purposes as full time faculty at a University might. Some Lynda.com instructors weren't great, but most seemed a cut above the continuing ed and corporate software trainers I've learned from or contracted. The majority of the classes seemed to apply the software for an impressive final project. Redundancy is a real drawback among the online lessons. Often the advanced classes repeat many of the concepts from the introductory "Essentials" courses. If you know an earlier version of an application and just want to learn new features, a book may be a faster route to your goal. I originally suggested the "New Features" lessons that Lynda began to offer for updated releases, and I think they're especially helpful. It's much harder to skim through a video than a page of text, so I'd anticipate having to complement your Lynda.com lessons with other instructional materials. Lynda.com didn't have as many of the "fluff" courses that LinkedIn is now offering. These titles read like articles from Cosmo. They might be better served to offer "How to respond to a connection request from a recruiter who works in a field completely unrelated to you."
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
Industry expert authors/instructors - you're learning from people with pedigree.
Breadth and depth of catalog - not only is there a wide range of topics and disciplines, but there are frequently several levels of depth within each (eg. Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced).
Time needed to complete each course AND each section of a course are included - you know what you're getting into from the first click.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
The reporting options changed when the program was updated. You have to go through more steps to find the data to download. I would like more canned reports.
Adding a new learner is easy, but it takes more time to get them into the right group. We segment learners by company and role to make assigning topics easier for us.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
It can help all employees learn to strengthen current skills or to learn new skills and then can learn to excel in their current department or they learn a new skills in a new department creating interconnection and cross-departmental value in a company.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
The platform is very easy to use and navigate, the content is clearly itemised via the Contents section and the video playback speed can be adjusted. It's also useful to have optional captions (I always use them) and a transcript for accessibility purposes.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
When reaching out for support, BL is quick to respond. Even if they do not have a solution - such as when lessons were retired without a replacement - they are always thoughtful and informed.
The technical team behind LinkedIn Learning (or Lynda.com) knows their job, and they usually solve problems very quickly. While I haven't had many run-ins with them (thus the low rating), I do find that when we call them, the problem gets resolved in a reasonable amount of time. The flip-side of this comment is that we never have needed to call them with a high-priority issue.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
It was so easy, the tech that worked with me and my client success rep were beyond helpful. If I had questions they responded immediately and were very instrumental in our success.
By implementation we are able to achieve 1.Skill improvement 2.Reduced burden on training staff 3.Learning new market leading technologies like Generative AI.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
We selected BizLibrary because it had the most robust system that pertained to our employee base. We have found that that has resulted in users engaging in several areas in addition to those required. The price was better that some and worse that some, but we felt that it provided the best value and that has proven to be the case.
Our organization has used different webinars, including ones on LinkedIn, to provide similar insight. But it's a totally different ballgame. Lynda.com offers in-depth tutorials rather than just a 2-hour video broadcast. With lynda.com there are more information and experts, as well as so many different courses fit for every need/want. There is also a lot more flexibility with lynda. You can take it on the go, watch on mobile and at anytime, rather than being tied to a certain time slot.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
Employee engagement feedback related to the need for learning & development has already seen an uptick. Many express alot of gratitude/appreciation for the JIT learning opportunity.
1st year ROI achieved with first half-dozen employees who participated in courses which were otherwise budgeted to be taken as one-day, offsite sessions from other (classroom) vendors.
Broad-based management support was at first a struggle, to be candid, but as employees have completed courses and then we've followed up, managers are now providing positive feedback from their perspective.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
I can't think of a negative impact that Lynda.com has when it relates to the extensive library of training software that is available to subscribers. I'm lucky that my job provides a free subscription for instructors. I use Lynda.com to hone in on my technical skills.
A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info
