Brainfuse

Brainfuse is an online resource provider for homework help and tutoring, career services, veteran support, and more. Brainfuse offers innovative services designed to meet patron needs. Users decide how they want to acquire a skill or grasp a concept, and Brainfuse gives them the tools to master it.

The State Library contracts with Brainfuse to offer Iowa libraries access to the following online resources:

• HelpNow: homework assistance and live tutoring service for patrons of all ages (note: HelpNow is only available to Iowa public libraries at this time).
• JobNow: one-of-a-kind career assistance that covers all major aspects of job hunting.
• VetNow: helps veterans and their families understand and apply for eligible benefits.

One feature that sets Brainfuse apart is the live tutoring, job coaching, and veteran support available during most afternoons and evenings. Patrons can access these services after clicking the library’s Brainfuse link and creating an account. Once a patron selects a live service, an online whiteboard automatically launches and patrons are able to communicate in live, online sessions with expert tutors, job coaches, or veteran navigators. 

HelpNow

HelpNow is a unique tutoring, homework help, and studying suite designed to assist patrons of all ages to succeed. HelpNow features include:

• Live on-demand tutoring with multiple languages supported
• Online writing lab that can connect with live writing experts
• Foreign Language Center with a powerful vocabulary builder
• 24/7 Question Center provides explanations of concepts, not answers
• Adult Learning Center to meet the unique needs of adult learners
• SkillSurfer Learning Library with unlimited access to self-paced learning through lessons, video tutorials, and practice tests on a wide range of subjects
• Summer Skills Camp, Flashbulb Flashcards, cloud storage options, and more!

JobNow

JobNow bridges the divide by connecting users with experienced career coaches and vast resources to assist them during all stages of their job search. JobNow features include:

• Live job coaching (available daily from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. CST)
• eParachute, a Brainfuse partnership offering an online resource created by What Color is Your Parachute? author Richard Bolles
• Curated resume resources including templates, samples, and more
• Interview preparation and practice
• Build skills in the Adult Learning Center, where patrons can access the High School Equivalency test prep, US Citizenship test prep, Microsoft Office support, and more.

VetNow

VetNow offers tailored support to veterans and their families. VetNow features include:

• Live support with a veteran navigator (available Monday to Friday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. CST)
• Assistance navigating the VA and benefits veterans are eligible for from local, state, and federal programs
• Help with transitioning to civilian employment and translating military skills for civilian jobs
• College preparation and support through a full suite of academic tools

Brainfuse HelpNow is offered to Iowa public libraries at no cost and is funded through the State Library's federal appropriation from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The State Library provides Brainfuse JobNow and VetNow at no cost to Iowa public and academic libraries through a state appropriation from Iowa Workforce Development.