A free tutoring program that launched at Bellevue's Lake Hills library 25 years ago reached record numbers in 2025.

The King County Library System's Study Zone program, which pairs K-12 students with volunteer tutors for homework help, logged 13,328 student visits, 553 volunteers and 12,378 tutoring hours across the system last year, according to KCLS.

The program marks its 25th anniversary in September.

Study Zone started in September 2001 with three pilot locations: Auburn, Lake Hills and Federal Way.

It has since expanded to 38 KCLS branches. KCLS says it was one of the first library systems in the country to use volunteer tutors rather than paid mentors for homework help.

Annie Poyner, the KCLS project specialist who coordinates Study Zone, was hired in 2001 to build the program and has run it for its entire 25-year history.

"Part of Study Zone's success is its longevity," Poyner said.

The program adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, moving online and adding Reading Buddies, Tutors and Math Club. It has stayed hybrid since, offering both in-person sessions at library branches and online access.

That online option keeps students connected beyond the school year. The program does not track where students log in, but Poyner said some students shared their locations during summer 2026. One logged in from a camping trip. Another connected from a hospital bed. Others joined from a trip to Cambodia and the back seat of a car.

"The kids are really engaged; they want to keep progressing," Poyner said.

KCLS plans to add more locations for Reading Buddies, Tutors and Math Club, though the library system has not named specific new sites or a timeline. The Lake Hills branch lists Study Zone Tech Tutors on its current schedule. Families can find all locations and sign up on the KCLS Study Zone page.