Library

CONTACT INFORMATION: Office: 8:00–4:30 M–F. Branch hours vary. Please call your branch's direct line with account and eBook questions.
703-324-3100 TTY 711
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 324
Fairfax, VA 22035
Jessica Hudson
Director

Seven Tips for a Successful School Year

Did you know the library can help students study, write reports and do homework? Let us be your partner in academic success! Use these seven tips to maximize your learning this school year with services and resources available for free from Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL).

Tip #1 - Get support and guidance from library staff.

a girl in a gray shirt with black hair in a pony tail stands at the library info desk talking to a library staff member behind the desk You are not alone at the library — or wherever you are with internet access or a mobile device! Library staff are trained to help students find legitimate information sources in branch and online, including historical newspapers, speeches, reference databases, trusted websites and more.

Tip #2 - Take advantage of free tutoring sessions.

While the library does not provide tutoring services, we can connect you with them — including virtual and in-branch sessions!

  • a man and boy both wearing masks sit at a table discussing an assignment on a piece of paperBrainfuse HelpNow, a new FCPL resource available beginning Sept. 1, 2021, provides live, online tutoring and homework help for students in grades K-12. Tutors are available to meet virtually in English and Spanish every day after 4 p.m. A library card is required to use HelpNow outside the library.
  • Students in grades K-6 can also sign up for GIVE tutoring sessions hosted in multiple branches weekends throughout the academic year. High school student volunteers with Growth and Inspiration through Volunteering and Education (GIVE) provided the tutoring.
Tip #3 - Access 24/7 homework help online.

The library's Homework Resources guide is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to help you find free resources to explore new ideas and get help with homework topics.

a young man sits at a library desk with two laptops open in front of him and a hand held pensively to his chin

a shelf in the Virginia Room library holding rows of local yearbooksTip #4 - Find books, magazines and newspapers.

Whether you’re studying classics, history, current events or any other subject, with a library card you have at your fingertips more than 2.3 million items in the library's collection of digital and physical materials.

Tip #5 - Check out library items with just your name — and no fines!

FCPL provides all Fairfax County Public Schools students in pre-K through grade 12 with a fine-free public library virtual account called a Library Equity Access Pass (LEAP). All you need is your name to check out physical materials at a branch, and you can check out up to three items at a time for six weeks each.

Tip #6 - Use library resources to prep for fall SATs and ACTs.

Several different online sources offer test preparation for SAT, ACT, AP and SOL exams. Start with LearningExpress Library for a wide range of options (library card required).

a young woman wearing a mask points over the shoulder of another young woman wearing a mask and sitting at a library desktop computerTip #7 - Access free Wi-Fi and computers.

Whether you have your own device or not, simply log in to do just about any online research and project preparation needed for school assignments.

  • Bring your own laptop, tablet or mobile device and connect to free Wi-Fi from inside any branch and even from outside many of them. As of April 2021, all public branches without parking garages have expanded exterior wireless access.
  • Can't bring your own hardware? Use ours! The library offers more than 400 public computers at our branches, all equipped with Microsoft Office apps, internet access and printing and scanning capabilities.
Fairfax Virtual Assistant