“Elves” on Standby to Help NV Students, Job-seekers
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December 21, 2009
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Live "elves" are available for students and job-seekers who need help during the holidays. They are online tutors who are standing by seven days a week to assist Washoe County schoolkids who need to complete holiday homework, and Nevadans who need help getting back to work.
Brenda Baxter, collection development librarian with the Washoe County Library System, says those who need to turn in papers at the start of the New Year can submit them first to one of these live, online tutors.
"A student can use the service to correct grammar, to suggest paragraph structure, additional information that could be included. Essentially, the student has the paper edited before they ever turn it in to their teacher."
Tutors don't do the work for the student, says Baxter, but can help them work through problems and make suggestions. The help is available to everyone at all 12 branches of the Washoe County Library System, and on the Web to patrons with a valid library card.
The tutors also are available seven days a week for Nevadans who are trying to get back to work for the New Year, she adds.
"Our tutors will work with them online, in a live session, to help them develop their resume. We'll help them brush up on skills that might be part of the job interview, or part of the job testing process."
Both for job-hunters and students, Baxter says the free online help is live and available every day from 3:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m., in English and in Spanish.
"When we're looking for a tutor, sometimes explaining complicated math problems, or English construction - it's more comfortable in their own language."
These elves don't just work during the holidays, she adds. Thanks to federal and state grants, the tutors will be available for the entire year through the Washoe Country Library System. Learn more at www.tutor.com.
(from 3 p.m. - 11 p.m.)