For many families, tutoring can feel out of reach — costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month just to help a child pass a class or stay on track. Not everyone can pay those fees, and that’s where the library comes in. At Josephine Community Library, that support is now available online from home through a service called Brainfuse HelpNow.
With a library card and an internet connection, residents in Josephine County can connect to free online tutoring, homework help, and study tools for students in grades K–12 and college. Through Brainfuse, live tutors are available 24/7 to support learning in math, reading, and more. Many of the tutors are certified instructors or former teachers.
Library staff have found that Brainfuse works especially well for middle and high school students, who can read instructions on their own and use the chat tools comfortably. For elementary students, especially early readers, the service may require an adult to help them navigate the website and content. Brainfuse currently does not include an audio or “read aloud” option, which makes it less accessible for children or adults who are still learning to read.
Every Brainfuse session is with a real person — not a chatbot. Just like a traditional tutor, the Brainfuse tutors guide students to understand the work rather than doing it for them.
Our Williams library branch supervisor, Amber Guient, has used Brainfuse with her son, Ezra, who is now a junior in high school. Like many parents, she reached that moment when it felt impossible to help him with his math when he was in the eighth grade. “He was frustrated,” she said. “And that’s where it all falls apart — when you realize you don’t know everything anymore.”
Amber tried Brainfuse. They uploaded a photo of his homework, selected his grade and subject, and connected with a live tutor within minutes. “They were looking at the homework on the screen together,” she explained. “You don’t have to let your kids down or get upset because you can’t help with geometry — you can offer them this tool.”
Her son used Brainfuse for both algebra and geometry — and he passed both classes. “The chat tool works great, and asking questions was really seamless for my high schooler,” Amber said. “For math especially, the tutor got him to work the problem out long form and stayed with him until he understood.”
Between the Pages is a monthly column written by Kate Lasky, library director for Josephine Community Library since 2009. To send comments or questions, email klasky@josephinelibrary.org.
BY KATE LASKY
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GRANTS PASS DAILY COURIER | October 2025