Whether or not you or someone in your family is starting school this fall, there’s something about September that promises a fresh start. It’s a great time to grab some school supplies and write a new script for yourself.
Your local library can help! Here are some of our favorite library resources for channeling back-to-school energy into a journey of learning and discovery for any age.
Get a helping hand with your homework. In 1989, The Seattle Public Library introduced free after-school academic help at the Douglass-Truth Branch. Now, nine branches around the city offer Homework Help sessions during the school year. This year, Homework Help starts Oct. 6. K-12 students are invited to drop by a session and work with volunteer tutors on anything from reading to math to college essays. You don’t need a library card to attend, and snacks are provided. This year, the Broadview, Columbia, Lake City and Northgate branches will offer sessions that are specially designed for teens. Check spl.org/homeworkhelp for this year’s schedule and locations.
Can’t make it to our Homework Help sessions? Try the Library’s online tutoring service, tutor.com, which offers free one-on-one help with any subject seven days a week in three languages (spl.org/virtualtutoring). Aspiring college students can also get help with essays, ACT/SAT prep and applying for financial aid. (You do need a library card to access tutor.com, but Seattle Public Schools students can also use their student ID as a digital library card through the Library Link program.)
Hone your job skills. If your fall goals include restarting a job search, tutor.com — which is not just for kids — is a great resource here as well. The one-on-one tutoring service has robust job and career resources. Drop off your résumé or cover letter, and you’ll receive human feedback within a day. You can also work with a tutor to do mock interviews, get help with applications and more. You can even schedule sessions ahead.
The library is brimming with other resources for job seekers, including a Job Resource Center on Level 7 of the Central Library for in-person support during open hours; online skill-building tools such as LinkedIn Learning; and employment workshops offered through Evergreen Goodwill.
Three branches offer free drop-in, in-person tutoring sessions for adults, a service that is especially useful for English language learners (spl.org/adulttutoring). Tutors can help you hone your job application materials, practice English, prep for citizenship tests or anything else you want to focus on. The library also offers a university’s worth of online learning programs.
Jumpstart a business or nonprofit. The library doesn’t just have robust support for current or would-be entrepreneurs; it can also help you start or fund a nonprofit (spl.org/business). Sign up for a free virtual one-on-one help session with a librarian who will help you access the information, resources and skills you need to kick off your dream venture.
We also offer free access to the Foundation Directory Online, the industry’s best grant-seeking database, on any library computer (you can also access it through your personal laptop when using library Wi-Fi). Got a legal question? Book a free 30-minute legal consult for help with questions related to starting a 501(c)(3), incorporation, patents and more. (These are popular, so you may have to join a waitlist or check back for more available sessions.) Check our business calendar for upcoming programs and workshops.
Dive into arts and culture. Fall is a great time to book a free outing at some of the city’s most popular institutions through our Museum Pass program, including the Seattle Japanese Garden, which has just been added as a partner and is especially stunning in the fall.
Attend a free author event at the library, including a playful new series with Seattle author Amy Hirayama, which kicks off with a night of comedy Sept. 24. Or gear up for November, aka National Novel Writing Month, by attending a writing event or a poetry potluck. You can also consider applying to be a resident of the Eulalie and Carlo Scandiuzzi Writers’ Room, which provides a space for writing (with views!) at the Central Library and other support. Applications open in late fall.
Finally, here’s an incentive to get to know library resources around the city. In honor of Library Card Sign-Up Month, we’ve just published 27 collectible postcards — one for each SPL branch — that highlights the art, architecture, collections and programs that make each location special, from a seed library at the High Point Branch to music practice rooms at the Central Library. Visit each library location to pick up a postcard and get a branch stamp. (The University Branch is currently closed for renovations, but its postcard can be picked up at a nearby branch.) You’ll get to know your city and your neighborhood libraries better!
This column was originally published in the Seattle Times and reprinted on The Seattle Public Library’s blog with permission.