A universe of learning, customized by you
Bendable delivers online and in-person learning to your patrons via a beautifully designed browser-based app. Think of Bendable as your digital end cap for learning—a way to make content discovery fun, relevant and timely. Whether it’s a yoga class at your local YMCA or an online course on coding from a leading national provider, Bendable is the place your patrons can tap into the learning they need.
Schedule a conversation
What do you get?
Your own Bendable learning catalog
Our team of learning specialists will craft a catalog for your patrons out of the tens of thousands of digital courses, classes and resources that they now have access to—but are likely buried somewhere on your website. We balance topics, skill level, age and modality so that all of your patrons are one click away from the learning they need. We’ll also highlight great learning opportunities right in your own community, such as through the city's parks department, your neighborhood senior center or Goodwill, so that local choices are offered alongside the big national providers.
An initial set of Bendable Collections
We know that many libraries are playing a growing role in local workforce development. If that’s you, Bendable has got your back. We’ll use local labor market data to make sure your patrons get access to the right Career Collections—learning pathways aimed at getting started in in-demand industries in your community.
We’ve found that when it comes to learning, people trust their neighbors more than algorithms. So we’ve designed a way for you to showcase what your community knows and is passionate about. With our Bendable Plus option, our team will help to create Community Collections—personal learning playlists on specific topics, put together by local residents. And we’ll show your staff how to make more.
Spotlights
Bendable gives your staff easy ways to feature select content so that your Bendable homepage is always fresh and timely. If time is tight, you can choose from our menu of pre-set Bendable Spotlights on everything from “Back to school” to “Staying fit and healthy” to “Celebrating Black history.”
Easy-to-use tools
Bendable’s CMS was co-designed with librarians to ensure that you would find it easy to use. You can turn features on and off, depending on your community’s needs and your library’s capacity. You’ll receive training for your staff, as well as ongoing technical support and KPIs to keep you updated on Bendable usage in your community.
See it for yourself
Results that speak for themselves
5x
engagement with learning content on Bendable versus other platforms
Source: St. Joe County Public Library pilot program, South Bend, Indiana
Schedule a conversation
FAQs
Who is behind Bendable?
Bendable was developed by the Drucker Institute, a nonprofit social enterprise based at Claremont Graduate University. The Institute launched Bendable in June 2020 in South Bend, Indiana, in partnership with the St. Joe County Public Library and with philanthropic funding from Google’s and Walmart’s corporate foundations. The system was designed by IDEO. In late 2022, the Institute team that created Bendable was given the opportunity to spin it out on their own and operate it independently. Their company, Bendable Labs, now runs the platform.
What’s it cost?
It depends. Bendable pricing is based on the size of a library’s service area and the desired level of customization. To receive a quote, schedule a conversation below with a Baker & Taylor representative.
What are a library’s staffing requirements to set up and maintain Bendable?
Setting up Bendable requires only a few hours of library staff time. And no library IT personnel is needed to maintain the platform. After being trained, a library may choose to actively curate its Bendable instance. But there is also an option to “set it and forget it,” with the site automatically refreshing the learning content that is highlighted.
How does Bendable integrate with a library’s existing ILS?
No integration with the library’s existing network is required to deploy Bendable. That said, we can integrate with your ILS for one-time verification of library card status.
What is Bendable’s privacy policy?
Bendable is compliant with the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). You can find our full policy here.
Who is included in Bendable’s partner provider list?
As of March 2024, Bendable’s master learning catalog included these trusted content partners: Brainfuse, Cell-Ed, Common Threads, Coursera, Creativebug, DigitalLearn, edX, GCFGlobal, GetSetUp, Khan Academy, LearningExpress, LinkedIn Learning, Mango Languages, ParentTV, Penn Foster, Pronunciator, SCORE, Skillshare, Sokanu, Study.com, Universal Class and WorkForge.
Bring Bendable to your library.
Schedule a conversation.
Submit
