We offer a range of free online resources. Use them for your research, learning, and information needs.
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Catalogs & Book Reviews
Library's Catalog
Look through the library's selection
NoveList Plus
Reviews, recommendations and discussion guides. Search 120,000+ works of fiction and non-fiction.
NoveList K-8 Plus
NoveList Plus, just for kids and teens.
Online Book Clubs
Excerpts of popular books via email, Monday through Friday. Choose by genre from twelve different clubs.
WorldCat Discovery
A world-wide catalog of books and other materials.
Consumer Information
Consumer Health Complete
Health and wellness content from mainstream medicine as well as perspectives from complementary, holistic and integrated medicine.
ConsumerReports.org
Ratings, reviews and buying advice for thousands of products and services.
Regional Business News
Full text for nearly 100 regional U.S. and Canadian business publications.
eBooks/Streaming Movies/TV
Hoopla
Stream movies, TV shows, music, audiobooks through your web browser. Download to your mobile device.
Kanopy
A film and documentary streaming service with over 30,000 offerings including foreign and classic films, and PBS documentaries.
Media On Demand (Overdrive)
Downloadable ebooks, audiobooks and streaming video. Mobile app available.
Overdrive (Media on Demand)
Downloadable ebooks, audiobooks and streaming video. Mobile app available.
Encyclopedias
Explora K-5
Topic overviews to jump-start your research, citation help, primary source documents, news articles and videos. For primary students.
Explora 6-12
Topic overviews to jump-start your research, citation help, primary source documents, news articles and videos. For secondary students.
World Book
Online version of the encyclopedia, plus access to all World Book study and research products.
Genealogy
Ancestry, Library Edition (in library use only)
Remote access to Ancestry is no longer available
HeritageQuest Online
Research materials for tracing family history.
Learn a Language
Hoopla Language Learning Materials
eBook, audiobooks, and streaming videos accessible through your web browser. Download to your mobile device.
Legal Information
Cook County Law Library
Print and electronic resources for legal needs.
Legal Information Reference Center
Full text Nolo legal reference books and state-specific legal forms.
Newspapers
Newspapers.com
Newspapers.com is the largest online newspaper archive consisting of 515 million+ pages of historical newspapers from 12,100+ newspapers from around the United States and beyond.
Online Training
CreativeBug
Creativebug offers online video arts and crafts workshops and techniques. Learn how to paint, knit, crochet, sew, screen print, and more.
DigitalLearn
Learn how to use a computer and its programs.
Universal Class
Over 500 free online continuing education classes. Self-paced, non-credit, personal and professional development.
Hobbies and Crafts Reference Center
This database offers detailed "how-to" instructions and creative ideas to meet the interests of virtually every hobby enthusiast.
Kanopy Great Courses
A film and documentary streaming service with over 30,000 offerings including foreign and classic films, and PBS documentaries.
Research a Topic
Academic Search Premier
Indexing and abstracts for more than 8,500 scholarly journals, many peer-reviewed and full text articles.
Chicago Historical Tribune
Get access to old Chicago Tribune newspapers. Use your library card # to login.
Consumer Health Complete
Health and wellness content from mainstream medicine as well as perspectives from complementary, holistic and integrated medicine.
ConsumerReports.org
Ratings, reviews and buying advice for thousands of products and services.
EBSCOhost
Access to all EBSCO Reference Centers listed on this page, plus Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, MEDLINE, ERIC, and more.
Explora K-5
Topic overviews to jump-start your research, citation help, primary source documents, news articles and videos. For primary students.
Explora 6-12
Topic overviews to jump-start your research, citation help, primary source documents, news articles and videos. For secondary students.
Gale Biography in Context
Biography In Context is a biography database covering over 4,500 famous people from the historical to the current, with source materials in both print and multimedia formats.
History Reference Center
Access to historical documents, photos and videos, as well as full-text articles from books and periodicals.
Home Improvement Reference Center
How-to information for home maintenance, remodeling, electrical work, decorating, outdoor improvements, plumbing, wood projects.
Literary Reference Center
Literary criticism, author biographies, short stories, poetry, book reviews and more.
MasterFILE Premier
Full text for periodicals dating back to 1975 and covering virtually every subject area of general interest. Primary source documents and an image collection.
Newspapers.com
U.S. news from local, regional and national sources.
World Book
Online version of the encyclopedia, plus access to all World Book study and research products.
Resume Help
Test Prep
Hoopla
Test Prep e-books through your web browser. Download to your mobile device.
Illinois Driver Permit Practice Tests
Tests for auto, motorcycle and CDL plus FAQs about Illinois Driver's Licenses.
Media On Demand (Overdrive)
Test Prep e-books and audiobooks through your web browser. Download to your mobile device.