LEWISTON – A cutting-edge language learning program is available as a link on the city library’s Web site.

The Rosetta Stone software, offering lessons in Latin-American Spanish and French, as well as English, is available free of charge via a link on the city’s Web site, www.lplonline.org/ref/rosettastone.html. Home computer users simply need a Lewiston library card – available free of charge to all Lewiston and Auburn residents.

“We had talked about buying a copy of the software for use on our computers here, but this makes so much more sense just for the economies of scale,” said Librarian Ellen Gilliam. “And it’s a very cool program.”

Rosetta Stone software has been a staple of Lewiston schools and adult education for some time. The software guides students through lessons in the language they are learning using pictures, hints and tips.

“The best thing about it is, they can work at their own pace,” said Kelly Rudd, the lead English teacher at Lewiston’s Adult Education program. “It also really incorporates all of the language skills they need – writing, reading and listening.”

The program also tests students pronunciation, as long as they have microphone attached to their computer.

“We’ve really only used it in the labs, so we don’t have the microphones hooked up,” Rudd said. “I think that would get pretty disruptive.”

Language programs have been popular items at Lewiston’s library, Gilliam said.

“Mainly on tapes and CDs, but we have people regularly checking out all of our language education tools,” she said.

Library officials considered buying a copy of the software for internal use, but found it was just as easy to make it available on line.

The program costs $2,000 per year, Library Director Rick Speer said. That includes the basic program and the first three languages.

He’s used it to brush up on his French.

“It’s not like spending a month in Quebec City, but it’s a pretty immersive program,” he said. “It helps a lot.”