HelpNow! powered by Brainfuse

HelpNow! powered by Brainfuse via The Buena Park Library District
Curriculum: Learning, Education, and Test Preparation
Suitable for High School

Annotation: HelpNow! is an educational homework and test center that provides help via online tutors.

Summary: HelpNow! offers expert services via online tutors aimed towards high school students, among others. This database offers services within each main learning category: expert help, self-study, and collaborative tools. The different services they offer are: homework help, skills building, 24/7 help center, foreign language lab, and a writing lab that is split between live writing assistance and intensive writing lab. There are also study tools such as test preparation and mobile flash cards. The main subjects that the database covers are: math, science, social studies, english/language arts, writing assistance, reading comprehension/grammar/vocabulary skills building, english literature, and spanish language help. All tutors are trained and certified via Brainfuse. Their hours of availability are Monday through Sunday, 1:00 P.M to 10 P.M. PST.

Critical Evaluation: It's quite odd that the Buena Park Library District hosts/pays for two databases (HelpNow! and Learning Express) that are quite similar. The only difference is that HelpNow! is more interactive, dealing with live tutors. Other than that, its goal is to help students learn and prepare. Its interface is very simple, with every major learning category split up in different colors. There are sub-genres of different subjects inside each learning category. The online tutors were more than helpful, even citing where they found their information. They were quick to respond and courteous as well. For those who want instant gratification, work well with technology and interactions, than this database is much aimed for that demographic than the similar, but overall lower value of Learning Express. The fact that the Buena Park Library District has so many databases aimed towards its younger patrons makes a statement that the library cares for each of its demographics and hopes that its younger patrons continue coming back when they are adults.