Digital tutoring and so much more: Library offers Brainfuse to patrons
LINCOLNTON – Imagine having access to an online tutor, a writing lab, special games to teach skills, a language lab, or the ability to ask questions and receive expert replies. Interested in learning how to play chess? Check. Studying for your GED? Looking for a job and need resume help? A veteran needing help filling out forms or job search help? The Lincoln County Public Library has you covered with access to Brainfuse. Best of all, it’s all free to library patrons. All you need is a library card.
Brainfuse provides virtual learning solutions for schools, libraries, colleges, and universities. Brainfuse tutors are screened, trained, and managed directly by Brainfuse. They’re recruited from a diverse tutoring pool and include a mix of professional tutors, retired instructors, graduate students, and college faculty members. Only tutors with proven backgrounds in tutoring/teaching in their respective fields are hired by Brainfuse. Over 80% of tutors have a master’s degree or a Ph.D. in their field.
Brainfuse can be accessed through the main library website, (https://www.lincolncounty.org/986/Library). From the side bar, pick live tutoring, job seeking and veteran support. Log in with your library card and pin number.
All children in Lincoln County have access to the live tutoring, skills building, language lab and other tools through their virtual library card. Live HELPNOW Tutors are available from 2 through 11 p.m. Students can ask questions of experts and get an answer within 24 hours. Through the tutoring software, past sessions are recorded and can be reviewed at a later date. There’s also a whiteboard that students can use to work through math problems and then share their work with their teachers or tutors. There’s also an option for students to collaborate on projects in a Zoom-like environment.
The SkillSurfer section offers mind exercises, skills for all levels of school from elementary on up to college. There’s also FASFA assistance and college entrance prep tests available. In addition, computer, and technology skills as well as research and presentation skills and adult learner resources are offered.
“One of the main reasons why we invested in this was for students who may be struggling due to the pandemic,” Library Director Jennifer Sackett said. “It’s a great resource for summer learning and home-schooled families. We want to make sure that everybody who’s could benefit from this knows about it.”
In the language lab, there’s help for both French and Spanish which includes games, quizzes, flashcards and spoken pronunciations. Access to a native speaker is available during the tutoring hours. Unlike the other tutors where it’s all done online, for the foreign language section, it’s possible to actually speak to the tutor through the software to work on pronunciation.
Tutors will not give the answers to problems or do homework for students. Instead, they help the students work through the problems they may be having with the subjects.
In the JobNow section, there’s live resume help, resume resources, a resume lab, job interview coaches, interview tips, unemployment assistance, career assessments, job resources, and eParachute to discover college majors and careers that may match the job seeker’s skills and interests.
Finally, in the VetNow section, there’s access to an expert to learn more about eligible VA benefits and community resources, live job coaching, and a resume lab, all geared towards veterans.
Anyone at the library is happy to help users navigate this system which is all free to library patrons. It can be done at home online or in the library. For more information or to get a library card, call the library at (704) 735-8044 or stop into any branch.
