The Seattle Public Library's Homework Help Program Expands to Eight Locations and Increases Hours

Homework Help, The Seattle Public Library’s free after school tutoring service, will add two locations and increase hours in February.

Starting the week of Feb. 6, the South Park Branch will offer two afternoons of Homework Help a week, and the Columbia, High Point and Rainier Beach branches will increase their weekly Homework Help hours. Starting the week of Feb. 13, the Northgate Branch will offer two sessions of Homework Help a week. The Douglass-Truth, Lake City and NewHolly branches will continue their current Homework Help schedules.

“We are delighted that we can serve more students and families with free academic support from volunteer tutors for the rest of school year,” said Wendy Israel, K-5 Student Success Manager at the Library. “All Homework Help locations will also now offer free snacks, generously provided by The Seattle Public Library Foundation and community partners.”

The Library chose these eight locations as Homework Help sites because they support students and families from underserved areas of Seattle.

The Library will continue to offer https://www.spl.org/VirtualTutoring virtual one-on-one tutoring through Tutor.com seven days a week, as well as many other learning resources. 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND HOMEWORK HELP

At Homework Help, students in kindergarten through grade 12 can get help with their homework, as well as read and play learning enrichment games with trained volunteer tutors.

The new schedule is below; additions or changes are marked with an asterisk (*). Changes start the week of Feb. 6, with the exception of the Northgate Branch, which begins the week of Feb. 13.

• Columbia Branch: 4721 Rainier Ave. S., 206-386-1908
  • *Tuesdays, from 4 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. (earlier start time)
  • *Wednesdays, 4 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. (additional day)
• Douglass-Truth Branch: 2300 E. Yesler Way, 206-684-4704
  • Tuesdays, 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
  • Thursdays, 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• High Point Branch: 3411 S.W. Raymond St., 206-684-7454
  • *Mondays, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. (additional day)
  • Tuesdays, from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
  • Wednesdays, from 4 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
• Lake City Branch: 12501 28th Ave. N.E., 206-684-7518
  • Tuesdays, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
  • Wednesdays, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• NewHolly Branch: 7058 32nd Ave. S., 206-386-1905
  • Tuesdays, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• *Northgate Branch: 10548 Fifth Ave. N.E., 206-386-1980 (starting the week of Feb. 13)
  • Wednesdays, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
  • Thursdays, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Rainier Beach Branch: 9125 Rainier Ave S., 206-386-1906
  • Mondays, from 4 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
  • *Thursdays, from 4 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. (additional day)
• *South Park Branch: 8604 Eighth Ave. S., 206-615-1688 (starting the week of Feb. 6)
  • Tuesdays, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Wednesday, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m

Homework Help will not be offered when Seattle Public Schools is not in session, including midwinter break (Feb. 21 through 24) and spring break (April 10 through 14). Homework Help will also not be offered on Wednesday, March 22, when all Library locations are closed for All Staff Day. Homework Help’s last day for the 2022-2023 school year will be Thursday, June 22.

COVID safety protocols at Homework Help

Homework Help volunteers are required to be vaccinated and show proof of vaccination. The number of students and volunteers in the program area will be limited to a number that is safe for each location. Masks are encouraged but not required.

Sanitation stations with free masks and hand sanitizer are available at each Library location. Snacks will be provided at a separate table and/or at the beginning or end of the program to encourage safety.

FREE VIRTUAL TUTORING

Students can continue to access free one-on-one tutoring through the Library’s Tutor.com service at http://www.tutor.com/spl. Virtual tutoring is offered at all grade levels and in three languages – English, Spanish and Vietnamese – seven days a week. Live English and Spanish tutors are available from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Vietnamese tutors are available from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

Tutors can offer academic help with any subject, college essays, test preparation and more. Students can also take practice quizzes, submit writing for review at the Drop-Off Writing Review service and access video lessons available 24/7.

Students in Seattle can sign in to Tutor.com with a Library card or Library Link number and PIN (https://www.spl.org/LibraryLink.). Find more about the Tutor.com schedule and information at http://www.spl.org/VirtualTutoring.

If you need help with any Library resources, call 206-386-4636. If you need an interpreter, just ask. You can also email or chat with a Library staff member at http://www.spl.org/Ask. 

MORE RESOURCES FOR SCHOOL SUCCESS

The Library offers dozens of other resources and services for students at  http://www.spl.org/StudentSuccess. Find resources by grade level at http://www.spl.org/RemoteLearning. 

MORE INFORMATION

The Library believes that the power of knowledge improves people's lives. We promote literacy and a love of reading as we bring people, information and ideas together to enrich lives and build community.

Contact the Library’s Ask Us service by phone at 206-386-4636 or by email or chat at http://www.spl.org/Ask. Staff are ready to answer questions and direct you to helpful resources and information.