A to Z Resources

OLPL is pleased to offer you a huge variety of databases to research your area of interest and find great resources. Click on the large title to jump to the database. Click OFFSITE when accessing from outside the Library. TUTORIAL is provided when a database offers instructional help. Click on the LETTER INDEX to quickly jump to databases with that letter.

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Access World News

Explore this newspaper archive and stay informed on local, national and international topics, people and events in areas such as business, health, education, jobs and careers, political and social issues and more. Features a wide variety of credible, vetted news sources from around the world to around the corner, including Chicago Tribune, Southtown Star, and Chicago Sun-Times. Also available remotely 24/7 on any device.  l  OFFSITE LINK  l  TUTORIAL

African News Sources

Explore and stay informed on international topics, people and events in from hundreds of credible, vetted news sources spanning Africa, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa and more. Available remotely 24/7 on any device.

Ancestry.com Library Edition (ProQuest)

Unlock the story of you with sources like censuses, vital records, immigration records, family histories, military records, court and legal documents, directories, photos, maps, and more. l TUTORIAL

Asian News Sources

Explore and stay informed on international topics, people and events in from hundreds of credible, vetted news sources spanning Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines and more. Available remotely 24/7 on any device.

AtoZdatabases

AtoZdatabases is the premier Reference, Research, Marketing, Mailing Lists/Sales Leads, and Job-Search Database. The database includes 30 million business & executive profiles, over 240 million residents with interests, hobbies and lifestyles information, over 7 million real-time job listings, 2 Million new businesses, over 12 million healthcare professionals, over 12 million new movers, 2 million new homeowners, and much more. The databases are ideal for sales leads, mailing lists, market research, employment opportunities, background searches, finding friends, relatives and a whole lot of other possibilities. l  OFFSITE LINK  l  TUTORIAL

AtoZ Food America

AtoZ Food America is a database unlike any other on the market today. From regional cookbooks to an exploration of ethnic culinary influences, from fun collections of historic cookbooks and television commercials to “how to” food preparation videos, AtoZ Food America has something sure to educate and entertain everyone. l  OFFSITE LINK  l  TUTORIAL

AtoZ The USA

AtoZ the USA is the most comprehensive database for U.S. information on the market today. With the option to explore the country as a whole, or research a specific state or one of five US territories, AtoZ the USA will give you in-depth access to a broad range of topics. l  OFFSITE LINK  l  TUTORIAL

AtoZ World Culture

AtoZ World Culture is the most comprehensive country cultural database on the market today. Featuring in-depth information on 175 countries, AtoZ World Culture will give your patrons a level of insight into each country that cannot be found anywhere else. l  OFFSITE LINK

AtoZ World Food

AtoZ World Food is a food culture and traditional recipes database for 174 countries. AtoZ World Food dramatically increases the scope of what libraries can offer their patrons, while reducing costs at the same time. l  OFFSITE LINK  l  TUTORIAL

Auto Repair Source (EBSCO)

Powered by the automotive experts at MOTOR, Auto Repair Source provides the most accurate, authoritative and up-to-date service and repair information for thousands of domestic and imported vehicles. All content comes from the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and includes step-by-step repair information, diagrams, maintenance schedules, parts and labor estimates, service bulletins and recalls. l  TUTORIAL

Beanstack

Beanstack is a year-round reading program. Use Beanstack to participate in OLPL’s summer and winter reading programs. Beanstack lets you track the books or minutes you read, log activities, and more.  l  TUTORIAL

Brainfuse HelpNow

Free online tutoring and so much more for students of all ages. l  OFFSITE LINK  l  TUTORIAL

Brainfuse JobNow

Free career assistance and so much more to help you land the job of your dreams. l  OFFSITE LINK  l  TUTORIAL

Brainfuse VetNow

Free online resources for veterans including live experts, resources on VA benefits, live job coaching, resume lab and skill tests. l  OFFSITE LINK  TUTORIAL

Business Source Premier (EBSCO)

Access full-text articles for 2300+ journals including Harvard Business Review, Industrial & Labor Relations Review, Journal of Management Studies, and Journal of Marketing Research. l   TUTORIAL

Chicago Record Information Service

Record Information Services has provided public record data to the Chicagoland area for 20 years. We collect data directly from government offices throughout Cook County, the collar counties, and beyond. l  OFFSITE LINK

Chicago Sun-Times Historical Archive

Research Chicago history through the Chicago Sun-Times Historical Archive Collection with coverage from 1929 through current. Study trends, issues, events, advertisements, companies and more through historical and current full newspaper pages, full-text articles and content only published online. Available remotely 24/7 on any device.

Chicago Sun-Times Collection

Explore Chicago history through local news, events and people with the Chicago Sun-Times Collection. Search current and archived issues with full-color newspaper pages, full-text articles and content only published online. Available remotely 24/7 on any device.

Chicago Tribune (ProQuest)

1985 to current   l  TUTORIAL

Chicago Tribune Historical Archive

1860 to 1984 l  OFFSITE LINK TUTORIAL

Chiltonlibrary.com

ChiltonLibrary provides access to repair, maintenance, and service information on most cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs on the road today. This resource offers detailed content to simplify even the most complicated tasks.

Consumer Health Complete (EBSCO)

Consumer Health Complete supports the information needs of patients and fosters an overall understanding of health-related topics. This resource provides content covering all key areas of health and wellness, from mainstream medicine to the many perspectives of complementary and holistic medicine. l   TUTORIAL

Consumer Reports

Product ratings and reviews. Consumer Reports is the world’s largest nonprofit product-testing organization and has been helping subscribers find better, safer products for 80+ years. Consumer Reports accepts no outside advertising and no free test samples, and employs shoppers and experts to buy and test the products reviewed.
Consumers’ Checkbook: Reviews of local services  l   TUTORIAL

Consumers’ Checkbook

Consumers’ Checkbook is a nonprofit organization that provides unbiased ratings, undercover price research, and consumer advice on local service providers — from auto mechanics and plumbers to dentists, veterinarians and much more. l  OFFSITE LINK TUTORIAL

Core Collections

Core Collections is a comprehensive guide that helps you build and maintain well-rounded collections of nonfiction and fiction books. Each Core Collection contains authoritative recommendations that are vendor and publisher neutral, and all titles are chosen by expert librarians.

CreativeBug

Enjoy unlimited access to over 1,000 online art and craft classes, plus patterns, templates, and recipes. Topics include art & design, sewing, quilting, paper, knitting, crochet, food & home, jewelry, holiday & party, and classes for kids. l  OFFSITE LINK  l  TUTORIAL

Culturegrams

CultureGrams™ is a leading reference for concise and reliable cultural information on the countries of the world. With world events increasingly affecting our lives, it’s more important than ever to educate students about the world around them, and for college students and business people to stay up-to-date. l  OFFSITE LINK  TUTORIAL

EBSCO Discovery Services

The EBSCO databases provide a wealth of information across a variety of disciplines, for users of all ages. You can access full-text articles or citations from thousands of journals, magazines, newspapers, and reference texts. This discovery platform will allow you to search multiple databases at once including Academic Search Premier, MasterFile Premier, and Primary Search. For full list of EBSCO products see below   l  TUTORIAL

EBSCO SOAR IL - State provided databases

Fold3 Library Edition (ProQuest)

Distributed by ProQuest, Fold3 Library Edition by Ancestry provides convenient access to a growing collection of US military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served. It contains millions of records from world-class archives, many of which are exclusively available on Fold3. l   TUTORIAL

Gale in Context: Biography

Discover the world’s most influential people by searching narrative biographies, news, magazine, and multimedia content. Access code for outside library use: Shibboleth

Gale Presents: Udemy

Gale Presents: Udemy is an online learning platform for adults who want to improve work-related skills or further develop a personal interest. Users can search through more than 4,000 continuously updated, on-demand video courses across 75 categories in business, technology, design, and more. All courses are taught by world-class instructors and offer a tailor-made learning experience for those who want to learn new technologies and skills to stay competitive in a changing workforce. Access code for outside library use: oak73791  l  TUTORIAL

Gale Virtual Reference

Explore this database of encyclopedias and reference sources within the Gale eBooks platform. For multidisciplinary research. l  TUTORIAL

HeritageHub

Explore your family history with the premier collection of U.S. obituaries and death notices for in-depth genealogical research from 1704 – today. HeritageHub helps you easily identify relatives, uncover new information and potentially unknown family members. Includes deep coverage from all 50 states, hard-to-find content from the mid 1900’s, and original obituary images. Access is available 24/7. l  OFFSITE LINK TUTORIAL

HeritageQuest (ProQuest)

HeritageQuest Online combines digital, searchable images of U.S. federal census records with the digitized version of the popular ProQuest Genealogy & Local History collection and other valuable content. l  OFFSITE LINK  l  TUTORIAL

History Reference Center (EBSCO)

Covering both U.S. and world history topics, History Reference Center is a full-text database featuring historical reference books, magazines, journals and thousands of primary source documents. l  TUTORIAL

hoopla

hoopla is a groundbreaking digital media service offered by your local public library that allows you to borrow movies, music, audiobooks, ebooks, comics and TV shows to enjoy on your computer, tablet, or phone – and even your TV!  hoopla is like having your public library at your fingertips. Check out 6 instant items and 8 flex items per month! l  TUTORIAL

Kanopy

Kanopy is an award-winning video streaming service providing access to more than 30,000 independent and documentary films ─ titles of unique social and cultural value from The Criterion Collection, The Great Courses, Media Education Foundation, and thousands of independent filmmakers. l  TUTORIAL

Legal Information Reference Center (EBSCO)

Available in a unique, user-friendly interface, Legal Information Reference Center offers everyday users the necessary tools and detailed how-to instructions covering a wide range of legal issues. A majority of the full-text legal reference books are provided through Nolo, the nation’s oldest and most respected provider of legal information for consumers and small businesses.

Literary Reference Center (EBSCO)

Literary Reference Center is a rich full-text literary database covering all genres and timeframes. It includes thousands of synopses, critical essays, book reviews, literary journals and author biographies, plus full-text classic novels, short stories and poems. l   TUTORIAL

LOTE4Kids

LOTE4Kids is our new online database of digital books in World Languages, that allows kids to enjoy the magic of books in LOTE (Languages Other Than English). Each book also comes with English translations to help kids learn languages. LOTE4Kids has over 4,500+ digital picture books in 70+ languages, with new books and languages released each month – helping libraries to engage immigrant, refugee, and multilingual families in their communities. LOTE4Kids now has an App. The secure, ad-free mobile App can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.

Mango Languages

Mango offers a wide variety of foreign language courses for OLPL cardholders, as well as English as a second language. Mango provides multiple learning opportunities such as audio, verbal repetition and international language films. l  OFFSITE LINK  l  TUTORIAL

MasterFILE Complete (EBSCO)

MasterFILE Complete offers the largest collection of popular full-text magazines, reference books and other highly-regarded sources from the world’s leading publishers. Covering virtually every general interest subject area, it also includes an extensive collection of photos, maps and flags. l  TUTORIAL

Media on Demand – Libby by OverDrive app

Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines to read on your phone or tablet using the Libby app by OverDrive. You can even send and read your borrowed ebooks to your Kindle ereader (U.S. only)! It’s free and easy to get started for new users and a streamlined experience for current OverDrive app users. Learn more at overdrive.com/apps/libby/. If you currently use the legacy OverDrive app and need assistance, visit https://help.overdrive.com.

eBooks, Audiobooks, and Magazines  l  TUTORIAL

Get the app: overdrive.com/apps/libby/. If you currently use the legacy OverDrive app and need assistance, visit https://help.overdrive.com.

·         Libby’s minimum iOS version is now iOS 10. To use Libby on an iOS device, users are required to update their device’s operating system to iOS 10 or newer. These are the steps to help iOS users update their operating system version.

·         The legacy OverDrive for Mac desktop app is only supported on macOS versions 10.12.1 through 10.14.

·         Users on legacy web browsers may experience issues loading libbyapp.com or your OverDrive website and should upgrade to a newer browser version, if possible.

For more information and troubleshooting tips, check out Libby Help and OverDrive Help.

 

Middle East News Sources

Explore and stay informed on international topics, people and events in from hundreds of credible, vetted news sources spanning Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and more. Available remotely 24/7 on any device.

Miss Humblebee’s Academy

Miss Humblebee’s Academy is a fun, interactive, and award-winning, online kindergarten-readiness learning solution for children ages 3 to 6. With hundreds of lessons in Math, Science and Social Studies, Language and Literacy, Art, and Music, the curriculum increases in difficulty as the user progresses through the program. Miss Humblebee’s Academy assess cognitive skills at regular intervals for measurable improvement toward kindergarten readiness and offers a developmental observation checklist allowing parents to review and record social and emotional growth as an additional condition of preparedness. Parents can track their child’s learning outcomes through weekly progress reports that are emailed and available online 24/7. l  Access code for outside library use: oak73791

Morningstar

Morningstar is a Chicago-based investment research firm that compiles and analyzes fund, stock, and general market data. l  OFFSITE LINK  l  TUTORIAL

MyHeritage Library Edition

The MyHeritage Library Edition features over 8 billion primary historical records from the United States, Europe, and other regions, with coverage starting from the 16th century. Often accompanied by true document images, these records illuminate historical realities across a wide variety of regions.

Newspapers.com Library Edition (ProQuest)

Newspapers.com Library Edition is an extensive online database of 4,000+ historical newspapers from the early 1700s into the 2000s. Distributed by ProQuest into libraries, it contains a diverse blend of well-known regional and local newspapers in the U.S. and other countries. Genealogy Resource l  OFFSITE LINK  l  TUTORIAL

Novelist Plus

NoveList Plus is a Reader’s Advisory database searchable by genre, appeal, etc., aiming to inspire library patrons to find their next great book. Use it to find readalikes for your favorite books or authors! l   TUTORIAL

Points of View Reference Center (EBSCO)

Containing resources that present multiple sides of an issue, this database provides rich content that can help students assess and develop persuasive arguments and essays, better understand controversial issues and develop analytical thinking skills.l  TUTORIAL

ProQuest African American Heritage

ProQuest® African American Heritage is a groundbreaking new digital resource exclusively devoted to African American family history research. l  OFFSITE LINK 

Proquest Historical Newspapers

With ProQuest Historical Newspapers, trace the Revolutionary War rebel cause, Reconstruction after the Civil War, learn about a break-through medical discovery, the inauguration of a world leader, both world wars, the Civil Rights Movement, experiment with a tasty new recipe, laugh at a comic strip and experience the birth of freedom —all from one source. Chicago Tribune, Chicago Defender, Indianapolis Star, NY Times, Wall Street Journal   l  TUTORIAL

Science Reference Center (EBSCO)

Designed to meet every student researcher’s needs, Science Reference Center contains full text for hundreds of science magazines, journals, encyclopedias, reference books and a vast collection of images. l  TUTORIAL

Southtown Star – Daily Southtown Collection

Supports genealogical and local history research, school homework assignments and more through historical newspapers of Southtown Star and current publication of Daily Southtown. l  OFFSITE LINK  l  TUTORIAL

Valueline

Investment research on stocks & mutual funds. Online version of ValueLine, with ratings and reports for 3,500 stocks and 2,000 mutual funds, plus research on companies, industries, options, convertibles, and ETFs. l  OFFSITE LINK  l  TUTORIAL

The World Almanac for Kids by Infobase

The World Almanac® for Kids is the ideal one-stop reference resource for intermediate-level students. Erasing the line between homework support and fun exploration, it contains excellent resources for student reports and research, including extensive, up-to-date articles; videos; interactive games; science projects; and Homework Help; plus Teacher Resources with lesson plans. Kids can explore age-appropriate subjects while developing online research skills with a trusted source. l   TUTORIAL  

WorldCat Discovery

WorldCat Discovery helps people navigate their research journeys to find and get resources from your library and libraries worldwide. The service balances technical advances and ongoing research with extensive user input and testing to keep pace with your library’s changing needs. l  TUTORIAL

WorldBook

The classic World Book Encyclopedia is now available online in several different versions: kids, student, advanced, timelines, discover, Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos (Spanish), Banco de Contenidos aulaPlaneta (Advanced Spanish), and Kids eLearn (Arabic). l  OFFSITE LINK  l  TUTORIAL

WorldBook Advanced

World Book Advanced is a powerful reference tool that includes full encyclopedic and multimedia databases supplemented with online books, primary sources, website links, Back in Time articles, special reports and more. l  TUTORIAL

WorldBook AulaPlaneta

An interactive Spanish language atlas that offers thousands of maps with up-to-date information on all countries of the world for a true global perspective. Cartografía (Cartography), which provides multiple types of maps, including physical, political, population, economic, and climate. l  TUTORIAL

WorldBook Discover

Discover features articles from our World Book Discover encyclopedia. These articles are written at a lower Lexile level, helping students that may be reading below grade level, English Language Learners, or adult literacy students access the information they need. In addition, Discover helps these learners navigate the research process by providing tutorials for how to find, evaluate, and organize information as well as cite sources.  l  TUTORIAL

World Book Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos

This dedicated Spanish-language database contains videos, compare-and-contrast features, selected articles, and a visual dictionary to allow ESL students and Spanish-learners the chance to learn. Integrated with World Book Kids for parallel English-language content. l  TUTORIAL

WorldBook Kids

Developed specifically for children in grades one through four, World Book Kids is a fun way to introduce computer research skills to primary students using a strong, reliable source. … Highly recommended for students in first through fourth grades. l  TUTORIAL

WorldBook Student

Optimized for iPads, this comprehensive sites includes engaging content, built-in features, and fun tools specifically designed to make knowledge accessible and easy-to-find for all kids in elementary through middle school. l  TUTORIAL

WorldBook Timelines

Search more than 650 pre-generated timelines and 14,000 event in a highly interactive and customizable database. Investigate the chronological significance of world events and the lives of notable historical figures. Build, save, and share timeless for an authentic learning experience and integrate content easily from other World Book databases and outside sources.recommended for students in first through fourth grades. l  TUTORIAL

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