Enthusiastic, patient adult volunteers are needed to tutor learners in the Santa Barbara Public Library System’s free Adult Literacy Program.
Tutors help local adults learn basic skills, build work readiness, study for the citizenship exam, help their children, and achieve personal and career goals.
The library system will offer a nine-hour training course for new tutors in August. The three-day workshop will take place 5:30-8:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 7-9. All three sessions are required.
Training is free of charge and meets in the Adult Literacy Center on the main floor of the Central Library, 40 E. Anapamu St.
Trained tutors work once or twice a week with another adult, providing assistance with reading, writing, English and more. Volunteers must be able to make a six-month commitment to tutoring after completing the training course.
Pre-registration is requested; call 564-5619 or contact Literacy@SantaBarbaraCA.gov to register.
The library’s Adult Literacy Program has helped thousands of local adults since 1987.
Volunteers provided some 7,000 hours of instruction in the past year, helping other community members read more confidently, prepare to return to school, be able to read to their children and help them with homework, and prepare for better careers.
The Santa Barbara Central and Eastside libraries seek volunteers for Youth Services’ Homework Help Program to work with children in kindergarten through sixth-grade.
Adults and teens interested in volunteering must attend a training session 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, in the Island Room of the Santa Barbara Central Library, 40 E. Anapamu St., or 4-6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Room at the Eastside Library, 1102 E. Montecito St.
Volunteers are asked to work a minimum of two hours a week assisting children with reading and/or homework.
Teen volunteers earn community service hours for their time, must be at least 14 years old, and maintain at least a B grade-point average. Volunteers age 18 and older must complete a background check/livescan and a TB test through Partners in Education.
Shifts are available 3:30-6:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 2:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Central Library; and 3:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday and 2:30-5 p.m. Thursday at Eastside Library.
To sign up for the training call 962-7653 or email Karla Centeno at KCenteno@SantaBarbaraCA.gov.
Every school year, 460 students come through the program. On a typical day, the program serves 35-40 children and their families.
Information about Santa Barbara Public Library System locations, hours, events and programs is available at SBPLibrary.org. All library programs are free and open to the public.
— Molly Wetta for city of Santa Barbara.