The library provides digital resources for your research needs. The resources below are extensive and arranged by subject area. Please browse the complete listing below.
Thanks to the Office of the Secretary of State and the Illinois State Library for their generous support
in supplying these valuable resources to libraries across the state of Illinois.
General Research
Learning Express Public Library
- LearningExpress Computer Skills Center
Help patrons and students learn the fundamentals of computers, the internet and popular software applications a user-friendly e-learning platform that contains more than 100 self-paced video tutorials.
- LearningExpress Job and Career Accelerator Center
Gives job seekers the tools they need to explore careers, find open positions, apply for jobs, and get hired. Find information on careers, interest assessments to match individuals with ideal career paths, and tools to create professional resumes and cover letters.
- LearningExpress Library Complete
Supports those looking to improve core academic skills, pass a high school equivalency test, prepare for college, explore careers, join the military, study for occupational certification tests, become a U.S. citizen and much more. Contains practice tests, interactive tutorials, e-books, articles, and flashcards.
- LearningExpress PrepSTEP Academic
Resources designed to support success in higher education and preparation for today’s workforce.
PrepSTEP Academic is packed with tutorials, practice tests, e-books and high-stakes test preparation for self-guided skill building, career preparation and workforce readiness.
- LearningExpress PrepSTEP High School
Provides online access to a unique and extensive collection of academic, college preparation and career-related tutorials, practice tests, articles, e-books, and flashcards. It includes tools for academic skill-building, college and career exploration, college admissions test preparation, military exploration and preparation, workplace skills development and more.
Explora – Arts, biography, business, current events, geography and culture, health, history and social science, science and math.
EBSCO eBooks High School Subscription Collection – Give students, educators, and administrators on-the-go access to popular e-books. This robust collection includes a selection of classic literary works, important historical documents, and general reference materials.
Academic Search Elite – Designed for academic institutions. Comprehensive, multi-disciplinary resource of scholarly research. Coverage on a wide range of topics. Includes peer-reviewed full text resources for subjects such as adult education, environmental chemistry, higher education, public health, and more.
ERIC: Education Resources Information Center – Index of journal articles, books, theses, curriculum guides, conference papers, standards, and guidelines on a wide range of education topics. Sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences of the U.S. Department of Education.
Library & Information Science Source – Journals and periodicals that help librarians and researchers keep pace with the latest trends in the field.
MAS Complete and Reference eBook Subscription – Designed for high school libraries and offers coverage of popular high school magazines and reference books. Wide range of subjects offered including art, history, sports, and music. Over 1,000,000 photos, maps, and flags. Full text magazines include Discover, US News & World Report, Scientific American, and more.
The eBook Subscription encompasses a rich selection of titles covering a broad range of general reference subjects, including biography, careers, language arts, literature, government, math, science, current events, and social-emotional health.
MasterFILE Complete and Reference eBook Subscription – Broad collection of popular full-text magazines and reference books. Magazines include People, Better Homes and Gardens, TIME, and Newsweek. Covers subjects including business, health, education, fitness, sports and leisure, personal finance, general science, multicultural issues, DIY, and fashion. Also includes photos, maps, and flags.
The eBook Subscription contains reference books covering a broad range of general reference subjects, including biography, history, architecture, literature, cooking, health and wellness, science, self-help, religion, current events, sports, travel and more.
LITERATURE/EDUCATION
Novelist – A searchable database of fiction and non-fiction titles.
Contains information on over 260,000 fiction and readable nonfiction titles. Features lists of award-winning books, book discussion guides, Read-a-Like recommendations, and complete series information. Including reader ratings and reviews. Create your own reading wish list.
Literary Reference Source and eBook Subscription – Full-text literary database covering all genres and time periods. It includes thousands of synopses, critical essays, book reviews, literary journals, and author biographies, plus full-text classic novels, short stories, and poems.
The eBook Subscription contains a broad range of literary-related subjects with selections including literary criticism, study guides, and classics such as Emma, Dracula, and Frankenstein.
Book Collection: Nonfiction – Designed for public libraries, thousands of books cover core subject areas as well as information on careers, health, sports, adventure, technology, life skills and more.
eBook Subscription Public Library Collection
Under Construction
Inkie.org is a suite of resources – available to everyone in Illinois at no charge – that supports local authors with online creation and publishing tools and allows readers to access locally-produced content no library card required.
Library Catalogs
SILC – Statewide Illinois Library Catalog The Statewide Illinois Library Catalog, known as SILC, is Illinois’ first all-inclusive statewide union catalog that integrates WorldCat and the Illinois Library Systems’ local consortia OPACs to provide both shelf status and interlibrary loan capabilities in a single searchable interface. From a single WorldCat record, users will be able to link to a local shared catalog record to see if and where an item is available for loan.
Science/Health
Science Reference Source and eBook Subscription – Provides full text for hundreds of science magazines, journals, reference books and high-quality videos on subjects such as biology, chemistry, earth & space science, the environment, life science, physics, and wildlife. The database also contains science experiments, curriculum-aligned lesson plans, and a vast image collection.
The eBook Subscription encompasses a rich selection of titles covering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Alt HealthWatch – Provides information on complementary, holistic, and integrated approaches to healthcare and wellness. Sources include journals (some peer-reviewed) and reports.
Health Source: Consumer Edition – Subjects include fitness, nutrition, diabetes, aging, women’s health, children’s health, and more. Information comes from magazines, books, Clinical Reference System reports, and pamphlets.
Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition – Provides researchers, allied health professionals, nurses, and medical educators access to scholarly journals on many medical disciplines. Provides indexing, abstracts, and full text for hundreds of nursing and allied health journals, many of which are peer reviewed.
Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection – Covers a broad range of subjects in the fields of psychology, behavioral sciences, and related disciplines. For psychologists, counselors, researchers, and students.
Religion & Philosophy Collection – Hundreds of full-text journals and magazines covering many religious and philosophical topics, including world religions, religious history, political philosophy, and philosophy of language.
Biography
Biography Reference Center and eBook Collection – More than 390,000 biographies. Includes complete full text run of Biography Today and Biography Magazine as well as thousands of narrative biographies.
The eBook Collection is designed for public libraries, thousands of books cover core subject areas as well as information on careers, health, sports, adventure, technology, life skills and more.
History/Politics
History Reference Source and eBook Collection – Covering topics in U.S. and world history from the earliest civilizations through the 21st century, this database contains full-text journals, magazines, reference books and thousands of primary source documents.
The eBook Subscription contains a rich selection of historical titles, covering global topics from the ancient world through today.
Newspaper Source Plus – Includes millions of articles from newspapers, newswires, and news magazines. Offers television and radio transcripts and ongoing daily updates from popular news sources. Newspapers include St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Washington Post, USA Today, and more.
Points of View – Presents multiple sides of over 500 issues. Helps students assess and develop persuasive arguments and essays, better understand controversial issues, and develop analytical thinking skills.
Ethnic Diversity Source and eBook Subscription – This full-text database is a dedicated resource covering the culture, traditions, social treatment and lived experiences of different ethnic groups in America.
The eBook Subscription is a groundbreaking collection includes over 6,000 high-quality e-books on the topic of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
LGBTQ+ Source – LGBTQ+ Source is the definitive database for LGBTQ+ studies. It provides scholarly and popular LGBTQ+ publications in full text, plus historically important primary sources, including monographs, magazines, newspapers, and videos. It also includes a specialized LGBTQ+ thesaurus containing thousands of terms.
Auto/DIY/Home Improvement
Auto Resources
Small Engine Repair Source – Repair guides for small engines and routine maintenance (tune-ups, brake service, etc.). Also includes guides on extensive repairs such as engine and transmission disassembly. Coverage includes lawn mowers, motorcycles, tractors, and snowmobiles. Information on more than 25 years of engine models, with new and updated content added regularly.
Fuel Economy Guide – Published yearly by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Evironmental Protection Agency, the Guide features information on fuel economy, annual fuel cost, and emissions for new model year cars, sport utility vehicles, and light trucks.
Auto Repair Source – Repair information and schedules, diagrams, parts and labor estimates, service alerts, and recalls. Covers thousands of domestic and imported vehicles.
Hobbies & Craft Source and eBook Subscription – Subject areas include arts & crafts; games & electronics; models; needlework; outdoors & nature; and scrapbooking & paper craft.
Home Improvement Source – Includes maintenance, remodeling, electrical work, plumbing, wood projects, outdoor improvements, decorating, home & garden, etc. Includes more than 130 reference books.
Business/Legal Resources
Business Source Elite and eBook Subscription – This database provides full-text coverage of top business, management and economics journals and periodicals. These valuable publications cover topics such as accounting, banking, finance, international business, marketing, sales and more.
Equip students and faculty with access to thousands of e-books dedicated to the study of business.
Professional Development Collection – Specialized information for librarians, teachers, and education researchers.
Regional Business News – Regional business publications for the United States and Canadian provinces from 1990. Includes newspapers, radio and television news transcripts, trade publications, magazines, and newswires.
Small Business Source and eBook Collection – Covers all aspects of starting and operating a business. Includes information on accounting, human resources, management, marketing, tax, and more. State-specific information included.
Legal Information Source – Thousands of legal forms by topic including Bankruptcy, Divorce, Name Changes, Wills & Estate Planning and more. Most of the full text legal reference books provided through NOLO.
Legal Source – A scholarly resource of current issues, studies, and trends of the legal world. For attorneys, educators, businesspeople, law librarians, students, and paralegals.
Illinois Legal Aid illinoislegalaid.org Free legal information and court forms for those who cannot afford a lawyer. Browse our legal topics, or get a legal aid referral. Chat button available for real time help selecting court forms and other information.
Illinois Court Help: (833) 411-1121 Launching 5/17/21 this service is only available via text or phone with channels for web chat or email to be developed later. This resource is a guide for those going thru the courts process at present. It can assist you in filing court forms and better understand court rules and procedures. General and county specific information can be provided. This service was developed by the Illinois Courts.
Illinois Access to Justice: atjil.org Resources to help advance access to justice for self-represented litigants and limited English litigants in Illinois. Access to forms, e-filing guides and tips for appearing in court by phone or video is included.
Cypress Resume An Online resume builder that lets you create professional-quality resumes in three quick and simple steps.
BROWSE >
BROWSE >
Product ratings, reviews, recommendations, videos, brand reliability and buying advice. Browse individual issues. Includes Consumer Reports on Health.
