With the year winding down and National Scholarship Month underway, Johnson County Library is stepping up to help families, students and local nonprofits plan for the future. The library’s free online resources make it easier to find college funding, prepare applications and locate grant opportunities.

College‑planning support for students

Through a partnership with Brainfuse, library patrons can access a suite of academic services:

• Live tutoring – real‑time help with coursework and questions.
• Writing Lab – submit essays, including scholarship essays, for feedback within one business day.
• FAFSA assistance – get guidance on completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
• SkillSurfer – study resources and test‑preparation materials.
• Language Lab – live help learning Spanish.
• eParachute – explore college majors and career paths based on personal interests.
• LEAP – build a customized learning plan.
• Flashbulb – create and share flashcards, tests and learning games.
• MEET – collaborate with classmates in virtual study rooms.
• Brainwave – record video notes for later review.

All services are free after creating a Learning Account on the Brainfuse website, and patrons can also use the mobile app for on‑the‑go support.

Tools for choosing a college and finding scholarships

Patrons can turn to Peterson’s Test & Career Prep, which lets users search nearly 4,200 accredited colleges, filter by personal priorities and compare schools side‑by‑side. The same platform offers a searchable scholarship database, allowing students to filter by award amount, eligibility and deadline.

Grant‑search resources for nonprofits

Nonprofit organizations can use Candid’s database, accessible on library computers, to search nearly 30 million grants and 2 million nonprofit profiles. The tool helps groups identify potential funders, review transparency seals and access sample fundraising documents such as cover letters and budget proposals.

How to access the resources

All library tools are available for in‑library use only. Visitors can use a public computer or connect their own device to the JoCoLibrary public Wi‑Fi network. For more information, see jocolibrary.org or ask a librarian for assistance.

Original reporting: Johnson County Post (Overland Park) — read the source article.