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Our patrons are always at the heart of what we do at the Jersey City Free Public Library. We provide basic literacy instruction to individuals who need more literacy skills, taught by a passionate team of trained professionals and staff.
| Fall Semester Registration: | July and August |
| Spring Semester Registration: | December and January |
The Jersey City Free Public Library offers four education tracks to achieve your goals.
- English Language Acquisition Classes (ESL)
- Civics and Citizenship Classes (USCIS)
- Reading Help (Adult Basic Literacy)
- High School Equivalency (GED)
To get started as a student or volunteer instructor, download Skype and create a free account. Log into Skype and speak to a representative with the link provided below.
Every course comes with full support through:
Please review the linked PDFs for registration information.
Income documentation must be recent and must present the entire annual household income in US Dollars (USD) for everyone living at your New Jersey address. There is no limit to the income your entire household makes, but it must be proven with official documentation regardless of the amount.
After you have reviewed our downloadable PDF files, please complete the eligibility form for the program you wish to join. If the eligibility form is closed, registration is closed.
- English Language Acquisition (ESL) is our program for adult, non-native speakers who want to improve their English reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.
- Citizenship classes are for adult green card holders who want to become US citizens and need extra help to prepare for their US citizenship test and interview. (Requires a good English test score).
- Reading help classes are for adult, native English speakers who need to improve their literacy skills.
- High School Equivalency (GED) classes are for adults who need to obtain a high school diploma.
Current students (students who have taken classes within the past school year) are required to update all document information once (or more) during the school year and complete forms to re-register on Skype. We have plenty of online resources for our current students on a our course materials website:
To become a tutor for the Literacy Program, complete the Volunteer Tutor Eligibility Form. Review the Tutor Registration Process PDF before completing the form.
Please note: If you do not have any experience in teaching or tutoring, you will be required to complete an online training from Intakes to Outcomes:
All tutors will be given instructions on using Skype (used for communication, updates, classes, etc.) and Google Sheets (used for reporting attendance and goals met).
Please contact us at literacy@jclibrary.org if you have any other questions:
Mission Statement
To provide one-on-one and small group literacy instruction to adult learners who want to improve their lives.
Vision
Adult learners will improve their literacy skills and obtain high school diplomas, obtain better jobs, or become United States citizens.
Philosophy
We believe that an individual’s literacy is critical to the enjoyment and protection of political, economic, and social freedoms, which support our democratic society.
History
The Jersey City Literacy Program is a department of the Jersey City Free Public Library, 472 Jersey Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07302. The Jersey City Free Public Library was incorporated in 1889. The Jersey City Literacy Program was founded in 1986 by the Board of Trustees for the purpose of providing basic literacy instruction to individuals who had little to no literacy skills. Literacy trainers provide training to volunteers who express an interest in helping adults improve their lives.
About
The Adult Literacy Program is fueled by the collective communication and enthusiasm of our students, instructors, and staff in our Skype community.
By improving their English and basic literacy education, our students will be able to obtain jobs and apply to community colleges or technical programs that would lead to greater opportunities since we focus on the practical application of skills in the real world.
The Jersey City Free Public Library Adult Literacy Program is an award-winning affiliate of LiteracyNJ and an accredited member of ProLiteracy, which provides meaningful instruction to adult learners. It is regarded highly by program leaders in the adult literacy network in New Jersey because of our outstanding service to students for 30+ years. Our instruction is on par with the local community college. Our volunteer instructors and staff are well trained and they care deeply about our learners. We do not offer simple language classes. We provide high-quality instruction that enables adult learners to function in society. We are very proud of the services we offer and the achievements our students have achieved over the years.
If you have any questions or are interested in enrolling, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
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