Don't know much about history? Don't know much biology?

Don't worry. Be smart and make a new school year resolution to use the many resources available through our 21st century savvy Howard County library system.

Back in the 1960s when I was in high school, students typed term papers with a trusty bottle of White Out beside them in case of mistakes, and had to sit in the library reference room because texts couldn't leave the premises. Today's computer-accessorized students don't understand how good they've got it.

And the A+ partnership program the library began with the school system six years ago this September takes that technology up a notch by providing the county's students with a powerful resource -- making sure the knowledge they need to succeed can be accessed and the help they may need to further their understanding of that knowledge doesn't hit a glitch once they leave the classroom for the day and return home.

One of these programs is the Live Homework Help, offered for free online, from real tutors. Help is available, from 2 p.m. to midnight and covers all grades, Kindergarten through college.

And it's easy. Students can go to www.hclibrary.org and click on the tab Students and Teachers which brings them to a page headlined by the A+ Partners in Education initiative. To the left of that is a box where the student can click on Homework Help.

Click on Live Homework Help and the student is asked to provide the barcode information from their library card and select a subject and grade level. This information opens the connection to a live tutor, in an online classroom and the interaction begins.

The student can chat with the tutor, share files and work together on an interactive white board. A picture of the online classroom can be accessed on the Web site for parents who wish to see just how the technology works.

Another interesting resource is AskUsNow!, featuring 24/7 access to an information specialist, who can help your student sail through the Internet searching for the reference materials they need for say, a science project or book report. This service is now available in Spanish as well.

By the way, the databases available today can boggle the mind of 20th century students such as myself. When I think back to how much effort it took to gather the information for a 10-page paper on Mary Shelley, I'm glad that the kids of today aren't quite like we were when it came to study habits.

Some of the databases online are Access Science, a great place to find ideas for that science project, or take advantage of the Literature Resource Center for your own paper on the author of "Frankenstein."

Newspaper articles are also easily accessible as well as full-text journal articles for in-depth research.

The toughest time I had as a student was in math class. I would joke I had an old math mind in a new math world and I passed that gene onto my daughters. By the time my oldest was doing fifth-grade math, I wasn't much help. How great it would have been to click onto the K-5 Math Resource section and be able to check out the problem solving strategies section or number relationships and computation sections for first grade; it even breaks subjects down by quarters so your child gets helps all through the school year, right from the start.

Another great tool I wish I had when my girls were in school is the Learning Express Web site where students can take online practice tests in academic and career-related areas, including ACT, SAT, and GED tests as well as nursing, real estate and military entrance exams.

This site also offers help with resume writing and tutorials on math and writing skills and help in preparing for the citizenship exam. A personal username and password is necessary to keep track of what tests you've taken and to keep track of your progress.

Back-to-school time really is the most wonderful time of the year, for the student eager to learn new things and grow intellectually.

And there's no better place to be to achieve that goal, than right here, right now, in 21st century Howard County. As for your library card -- don't leave school without it.

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