By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – One of the time-tested methods of aiding a child who is struggling in school is through tutoring. The intensive, one-on-one sessions can be very effective, but unfortunately, they can be very expensive as well.

A new offering of the St. John the Baptist Parish Public Library System offers all the benefits of a personal tutor without any of the cost usually associated.

Area residents will have the opportunity to get help with their classes through Tutor. com, an online tutoring tool.

Offered through the state library system, the free service provides a live — via computer — one-on-one tutor in a wide variety of subjects.

“It’s a live tutor,” said Roberta August, library supervisor. “The tutors help them walk through the process.”

To take advantage of the service, students can access the site either at the library or remotely, provided they have a St. John library card.

To access the site remotely, users can visit www.stjohn.lib.la.us. There they can click the link to the state library site. Another link will take them to Tutor.com.

Tutors are available in math, science, social studies and English for fourth- through 12th-grade students. They can also help with many standardized tests and lower level college courses.

Students can access tutors 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the tutor will remain in the session as long as help is needed.

Free demonstrations are available at all parish branches.

Tutor.com took the place of Brainfuse’s HelpNow!, which was only accessible for a few hours in the evening. It joined other online academic help sites available through the library such as Learning Express, which offers practice tests for everything from the ACT to the U.S. Citizenship Test.