The Library's Literacy Program serves adults and children interested in improving their skills—reading, writing, comprehension, vocabulary, and basic math.
What to do to get started?
- Contact your local Library’s Literacy Office to sign up at (352) 334-3929
How it works
- This program is completely confidential
- All materials are free
- You set the goals, and a volunteer tutor will help you attain those goals
- Tutoring is free
- Tutoring sessions are held at each of the Alachua County Libraries
- You and the volunteer tutor agree on when you meet
How Do I Sign-up?
If you are interested in enrolling into our literacy program, fill out this form to work with a tutor.
The Literacy Program Needs Volunteer Tutors
If you would like to get involed with helping someone in your community, this is your opportunity to become a literacy tutor. You need to be at least 18 or older and able to donate at least one hour per week to assist a new learner
What does it mean to be a volunteer literacy tutor? You have the potential to be a great tutor if you are:
- Patient
- Must have high school diploma or equivalent (G.E.D.)
- Creative
- Adaptable / Flexible
- Realistic
- Organized and Accountable
This volunteer-based program offers one-on-one tutoring. Tutor and adult/child learners meet weekly at their local library and have access to student workbooks, adult/child literacy materials and other library resources. The adult/child learner, with the guidance of the tutor, sets learning goals and the pace to achieving them. Becoming a literacy tutor is a wonderful experience. For more information about being a literacy tutor, see the Volunteer Literacy Tutor Job Description.
Students are of all ages and races, they are both women and men, and come from all economic or social backgrounds. They may have completed the K-12 education system or left before graduation, but did not acquire skills for one of several reasons—a childhood illness that resulted in long absences from school, an undiagnosed learning disability, domestic abuse that distracted them from lessons, frequent changes in schools, or the need to leave school to work.
Share the joy of reading and volunteer today
Tutor Training
The initial 8-12 hour training will introduce new tutors to the techniques used in tutoring and will cover a range of topic from the various core materials used in tutoring to designing a lesson plan. The training also offers you the opportunity to meet fellow tutors and understand how to fit into the county-wide program and what is expected of you.
Every attempt is made to schedule training in convenient locations and times are set depending on space and volunteer availability. Attendance is mandatory.
The following indicates the general focus of the training:
- Program Orientation / Introduction to working with a student
- Listening / Speaking skills development
- Reading / Writing skills development
