As council libraries continue to provide online resources for the community, demand for Your Tutor, a free online tutoring service available through council libraries, has more than doubled in the past 12 months.

The tutoring service provides help with English (including writing essays), Maths, and science, and is so popular with young students council libraries had to purchase extra minutes to meet demand in July, October and November.

Some 1288 tutorials were used in 2016, up from 557 tutorials in 2015.

Maths was the subject students asked for the most help with, with 474 tutorials recorded, followed by English, with 422 tutorials used and 178 requests for help with writing essays.

Council’s Group Leader of Connected Communities, Ms Julie Vaughan, said the increase in the use of the free online tutoring system was evidence that council was meeting the educational needs of the community, especially young people.

"We are seeing more and more young people, including senior high school students and TAFE students, using Your Tutor in order to get help with their studies, which improves their chances of finding employment and succeeding in the workplace,” Ms Vaughan said.

“Students in Year 12 used the service the most, with 755 tutorials, and TAFE and university students were next, with 233 sessions used.”

A student who used Your Tutor said the service saved her from ‘the walk of shame’ with her maths teacher and helped her managed questions she “thought I had no chance of doing.”

Council’s Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, said he was thrilled Coast students were utilising council’s libraries services.

“Council is committed to providing educational resources for young people so they are well equipped to enter the workforce,” Mr Reynolds said.

“Your Tutor is available for literacy and numeracy subjects as well as essay checking all through the school holidays, from 6pm to midnight from Sunday to Thursday.”

Council reminds parents with children about to return to school that normal services covering all subjects will resume on 29 January and to make sure their children can access this free council library service.

Your Tutor is also trialling a quiz module for students relating to NAPLAN for primary school students.