NY Public Library Offers Free Tutoring While Schools Are Closed

NEW YORK, NY — The New York Public Library is partnering with an online tutoring service to provide city students homework help and one-on-one chat sessions with tutors while city schools are closed due to the outbreak of new coronavirus, library officials announced this week.

The library launched its new online tutoring services Tuesday with a company called Brainfuse. All library card holders can access free instructional videos, educational activities and a chat service with Brainfuse's tutors between 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily, library officials announced.

"Remote learning requires a different set of skills for teachers, students and their caregivers. We therefore decided to curate the e-resources we thought would be most helpful, not only to support student learning in digital school, but to support teachers in integrating quality, engaging materials into their online teaching, and provide families with fun activities to learn and play together during an otherwise stressful time," Maggie Jacobs, NYPL director of educational programs, said in a statement.

New Yorkers can sign up for a New York Public Library card through the library's e-reading app SimplyE. Brick-and-mortar library branches are closed indefinitely due to the spread of coronavirus.

New York City students began remote learning this week after schools were shut down in early March to help curb the spread of coronavirus in the city. The shift presents challenges to many students who relied on schools for meals and also to students without access to computers.