Free homework help for students!

When you go to the library, you may think silence is golden.

And it is at the Collier County Public Library system, but there is also room to make some noise, have a snack and some fun after students do their homework.

The Library system offers two homework centers to assist students after school.

“Our mission is to go into qualified census tracts, which are lower-income communities in Collier County, in order to address some educational disparities that predate and were exacerbated by the pandemic,” said Andrew Meyer, “and so we did that by creating homework centers.”

Meyer heads up the homework help centers, which first opened last year.

“We know during COVID there was a lot of isolation, a lot of online learning and trying to make things work as best they can,” said Kim Spina, Library Manager – Technical Services. “The kids here can gather. They’re able to be with one another outside of the actual codified school setting where they can engage and talk and have a snack. They’re getting help with homework, but it is a more casual, fun setting.”

The centers operate Monday through Wednesday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Golden Gate branch, and on Tuesday to Thursday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Immokalee.

Current and retired teachers as well as paraprofessionals assist K-12 Collier County students with their educational needs.

“Our staff is amazing. We have bilingual staff who are fluent in English and Spanish at both locations,” stated Meyer. “We have amazing resources, computers, games, crafts, snacks for kids.”

“We’ve worked on homework with the kids. We’ve looked at it [homework], and the kids are happy, and then we say, ‘How about playing a game, having a snack and sitting down to play an educational game for half an hour,'” added Catherine Cowser, Director of the Collier County Public Library system.

“I know that a lot of kids have parents who are working, and so this is kind of a great opportunity for the kids after school to have a safe place to come,” said Meyer.

And parents, there is no registration requirement, no signup and no cost to you. They will accept any student K-12 who walks through the door.

The program is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Treasury, Under Federal Award Number 596000558, and Collier County Community and Human Services Division.