Forum Network: Free Online Lectures from PBS and NPR

Forum Network provides free access to a variety of video and audio presentations / lectures from WGBH (Boston) and its various partners (e.g., bookstores, scholarly / professional associations, and colleges/universities).

Topics range from career presentations for high school students to environmental discussions among leading thinkers/writers to local issues for New England and other areas. Issues in religion, science, social policy, politics/political theory, literature, business, philanthropy, education, and foreign affairs are just some of the topics this wide-ranging resource presents. The website is arranged so users may access lectures by Topics, Speakers, or Series; also available are tabs for popular, new, and featured lectures, along with keyword searching. Videos load quickly, and although the blue-and-white print on black background isn't visually pleasing while searching, it does provide a better viewing experience for users who do not choose to watch videos in full-screen mode. . . .  Links to several social media sites are provided. Subscriptions to Forum Network's podcasts, its YouTube channel, and its Facebook or Twitter accounts are available. The site provides comments and ratings from registered users, and registration is free. Summing Up: ACRL Choice, April 2012, Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general audiences. -- E. M. Bentsen, Baylor University Libraries