diff --git a/src/helpers.rs b/src/helpers.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f03517a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/helpers.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+use std::{
+    cell::RefCell,
+    collections::{HashMap, HashSet},
+    rc::Rc,
+};
+
+use crate::{
+    common::HybridBinarizer,
+    multi::{GenericMultipleBarcodeReader, MultipleBarcodeReader},
+    BarcodeFormat, BinaryBitmap, BufferedImageLuminanceSource, DecodeHintType, DecodeHintValue,
+    DecodingHintDictionary, Exceptions, MultiFormatReader, RXingResult, Reader,
+};
+
+pub fn detect_in_file(
+    file_name: &str,
+    barcode_type: Option<BarcodeFormat>,
+) -> Result<RXingResult, Exceptions> {
+    detect_in_file_with_hints(file_name, barcode_type, &mut HashMap::new())
+}
+
+pub fn detect_in_file_with_hints(
+    file_name: &str,
+    barcode_type: Option<BarcodeFormat>,
+    hints: &mut DecodingHintDictionary,
+) -> Result<RXingResult, Exceptions> {
+    let img = image::open(file_name).unwrap();
+    let mut multi_format_reader = MultiFormatReader::default();
+
+    if let Some(bc_type) = barcode_type {
+        hints.insert(
+            DecodeHintType::POSSIBLE_FORMATS,
+            DecodeHintValue::PossibleFormats(HashSet::from([bc_type])),
+        );
+    }
+
+    if !hints.contains_key(&DecodeHintType::TRY_HARDER) {
+        hints.insert(DecodeHintType::TRY_HARDER, DecodeHintValue::TryHarder(true));
+    }
+
+    multi_format_reader.decode_with_hints(
+        &mut BinaryBitmap::new(Rc::new(RefCell::new(HybridBinarizer::new(Box::new(
+            BufferedImageLuminanceSource::new(img),
+        ))))),
+        &hints,
+    )
+}
+
+pub fn detect_multiple_in_file(file_name: &str) -> Result<Vec<RXingResult>, Exceptions> {
+    detect_multiple_in_file_with_hints(file_name, &mut HashMap::new())
+}
+
+pub fn detect_multiple_in_file_with_hints(
+    file_name: &str,
+    hints: &mut DecodingHintDictionary,
+) -> Result<Vec<RXingResult>, Exceptions> {
+    let img = image::open(file_name).unwrap();
+    let multi_format_reader = MultiFormatReader::default();
+    let mut scanner = GenericMultipleBarcodeReader::new(multi_format_reader);
+
+    if !hints.contains_key(&DecodeHintType::TRY_HARDER) {
+        hints.insert(DecodeHintType::TRY_HARDER, DecodeHintValue::TryHarder(true));
+    }
+
+    scanner.decode_multiple_with_hints(
+        &mut BinaryBitmap::new(Rc::new(RefCell::new(HybridBinarizer::new(Box::new(
+            BufferedImageLuminanceSource::new(img),
+        ))))),
+        &hints,
+    )
+}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index c80d6cc..6e63618 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -93,3 +93,6 @@ pub use multi_format_writer::*;
 
 mod multi_format_reader;
 pub use multi_format_reader::*;
+
+// Simple methods to help detect barcodes in common situations
+pub mod helpers;
\ No newline at end of file