A Tacoma Public Library card can now connect students with expert academic assistance—and help adults improve a résumé, prepare for an important exam or navigate a job search.
The library has added Tutor.com to its collection of free online resources, replacing its previous HelpNow and JobNow services.
Despite the name, Tutor.com offers considerably more than conventional homework help.
Students can use the service for assistance with math, science, English, social studies and writing. Its tutors can also help with advanced subjects, including AP-level classes and introductory college coursework.
That could make the service useful for everyone from an elementary student struggling with fractions to a college freshman trying to make sense of chemistry or statistics.
Writing assistance is also available for essays, reports and other assignments. Instead of simply providing answers, the service is designed to help students understand the material and strengthen the skills they need to complete their work.
The platform also includes preparation resources for the SAT and ACT, along with several other major examinations. Tacoma library cardholders can receive assistance preparing for the GED, HiSET and TASC high-school-equivalency tests, the ASVAB military-entrance exam and the U.S. citizenship test.
Graduate-school applicants can find preparation resources for exams including the GRE, GMAT, LSAT and MCAT.
The service is not limited to students.
Tutor.com’s Career Center provides private, anonymous online career coaching for adults. Cardholders can get help reviewing a résumé, conducting a job search and preparing application materials—all without paying for a commercial coaching or résumé service.
Access is available through the Tacoma Public Library website. Because Tutor.com is a subscription resource purchased by the library, users will generally need a valid Tacoma Public Library card to enter the platform from home.
The library’s educational upgrade also includes TumbleBook Library, a collection aimed primarily at preschool and elementary-age readers.
TumbleBooks offers animated picture books, audio read-alongs, chapter books and graphic novels. Some titles are available in Spanish and French, while teachers can access lesson plans and quizzes connected to selected books.
The service works on computers, Chromebooks, tablets and most smartphones. An iOS app is also available.
For families, the two platforms cover very different parts of the learning process. TumbleBooks can help younger children develop an interest in reading, while Tutor.com provides more direct academic assistance as coursework becomes difficult.
For adults, the career resources may be the more surprising benefit. Many residents probably do not think of a library card as a way to obtain private coaching or professional feedback on a résumé.
Both services are available without an additional fee. The only thing Tacoma residents need is a library card—and those are free.
Need a library card? Get one here.
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