AARP volunteer Kathleen (tax advisors don’t use their last names) talks to a client who needs income tax filing advice Friday at the Bainbridge Public Library.

Helpers from AARP Foundation Tax-Aide have been hosting drop-in sessions at local libraries since early February.

The final Friday before Tax Day was a busy one at the Bainbridge library. Four counselors were assisting clients, and the waiting list had more than a half dozen others waiting for help just after 2 p.m.

The filing deadline this year is Tuesday, April 17, thanks to April 15 falling on a Sunday and April 16 being Emancipation Day, a legal holiday in Washington, D.C.

Volunteers on Bainbridge have helped a steady stream of people this tax season, and there hasn’t been a big crush of last-minute clients.

“It’s been pretty steadily busy,” said Kathleen, who has been a tax aide for the past two years. “We feel like we’ve gotten a lot done.”

(Brian Kelly | Bainbridge Island Review)