Skokie Public Library subscribes to a number of Web-based services (databases) which are available to users of the Library. Some are available from home and some are for use in the Library only. Resources available from home will require authentication as a Skokie Public Library cardholder. Please review carefully our acceptable use policy for these resources.
Denotes resources suitable for students in elementary and middle grades
Librarians & Educators' Professional Databases A to Z, available to users of the Library, are primarily used by Skokie Public Library staff for collection development.
Web resource 
Available with Skokie Public Library card 
Available in Library only
A
African American Song
African American Song contains more than 50,000 tracks of music representing jazz, blues, gospel, and other forms of African American musical expression. The collection contains recordings by the top names in the history of black American music.
ALLDATA Online
ALLDATA Online contains automotive diagnostic and repair information for
foreign and domestic cars and trucks. It covers models produced from
1982 to the present. Diagrams and specifications are provided for all
systems. Recall notices and estimates of repair costs are also included.
Skokie
Public Library's guide to this database
Ancestry Library Edition
This subscription service of the Ancestry.com website provides complete access to hundreds of online genealogical databases which include census and military records, birth and marriage records, immigration information, and much more.
Article First from OCLC FirstSearch
An index of articles from nearly 12,500 journals with over 9,000,000 records covering topics in business, science, humanities, medicine, science, technology and popular culture. Partial full text is available; coverage is from 1990 to the present.
Atomic Learning
Atomic Learning consists of thousands of short tutorials covering over
ninety of the most common software applications in use today. Each tutorial
section is only a minute or two in length and focuses on how to perform a
specific task.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
Auto Repair Reference Center from EBSCO
Auto Repair Reference Center contains step-by-step procedures written specifically for the do-it-yourselfer, but is comprehensive enough for professional technicians. Coverage of approximately 25,000 vehicles stars as far back as 1954.
B
Biographies Plus Illustrated from Wilson
Biographies Plus Illustrated includes in-depth, full-text profiles of newsmakers and figures of prominence from a wide range of fields with coverage of people from ancient times to the present.
BooksInPrint.com
This comprehensive database contains listings of over five million in-print
or forthcoming books, audiobooks, and videos/DVDs, many with summaries and
reviews.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
Britannica Global Reference Center
Britannica Global Reference Center provides access to encyclopedias and other reference resources in the Chinese, French, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish languages.
Britannica Online
Retrieve content from Encyclopædia Britannica and Britannica Concise Encyclopedia as well as media, websites, and videos. Magazine articles are also available.
C
Chicago Sun-Times via NewsBank
The full text of articles written by Sun-Times reporters in all editions of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1986 to the present. Pictures, graphics, advertising, and classified advertisements are not included in this database. Obituary articles are included but death notices are not.
Chicago Tribune via NewsBank
The full text of articles in all editions of the Chicago Tribune from 1985 to the present. Pictures, graphics,
advertising, and classified advertisements are not included in this
database. Obituary articles are included. Death notices are included
from July 1, 2000 to the present.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
Chicago Tribune Historical Archive via NewsBank
This growing electronic collection contains Chicago Tribune front pages,
obituaries, death notices, and selected articles about major events
published in the newspaper between 1849 and 1977.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
Chicago Tribune Historical Archive via ProQuest
Search the complete text of the Chicago Tribune from 1849 to 1986 for PDF
images of original articles which include photographs, drawings, and
advertisements.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database available
Children's Literature Comprehensive Database
Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD) contains an extensive array of information about children's books, video and audio recordings, film strips, and other children-focused media. The database contains more than 130,000 critical reviews of thousands of children's books, ranging from the earliest baby board books to novels and nonfiction for young adults, and an average of more than 1,500 new reviews are added to the database monthly.
Classical Music Library
More than 12,000 pieces of classical music are available in the Classical Music Library for patrons to listen to on computers. Music is searchable by multiple fields including work, genre, composer, and instrument, as well as by keyword. Background information is available on the composer, genre, and piece.
Columbia Granger's Poetry
An index to over 90,000 poems in anthologies with the full text of 8,500
classic poems and quotations from 1,500 additional poems. Allows full
text, author, title, first line, and subject searching.
Contemporary World Music
Contemporary World Music contains recorded music from every continent from genres such as reggae, worldbeat, neo-traditional, world fusion, Balkanic jazz, African film, Bollywood, Arab swing, and jazz. It also includes other traditional genres such as Indian classical, fado, flamenco, klezmer, zydeco, gospel, gagaku, and more. Music from Contemporary World Music can be listened to on your computer but cannot be downloaded.
Corporate Affiliations
The Corporate Affiliations database provides corporate hierarchies,
directory, financial, and personnel information on nearly 200,000 of the most
prominent parent companies and their affiliates, subsidiaries, and
divisions.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
CQ
Researcher
CQ Researcher covers current and controversial issues of the day with
complete summaries, insight into all sides of the issues, bibliographies,
and more.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
Credo Reference
Credo Reference is a giant online library that provides access to a wide
selection of reference books. This resource includes encyclopedias,
dictionaries, thesauri, and books of quotations, not to mention a range of
subject-specific titles covering everything from art to accountancy and
literature to law.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
CultureGrams Online
CultureGrams provides country reports that deliver a perspective on daily
life and culture, including the background, customs, and lifestyles of the
world's people. Individual reports cover 187 countries and all fifty United
States.
D
Drug Facts & Comparisons
Drug Facts & Comparisons is a source for information on medications. It provides drug information, interactions, information on herbal and non-prescription medications, and patient medication handouts. Searches by drug name or medical condition are accepted.
E
eLibrary
General information resources with magazine articles, book chapters,
pictures, maps, and news transcripts. Coverage varies by source.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
Encyclopedia Americana Online
Encyclopedia Americana Online provides access to entries on over 45,000
topics from this well known encyclopedia. Maps, pictures, and tables are
included along with links to current articles from magazines and reliable
websites on the topic searched.
ERIC from OCLC FirstSearch
ERIC (Educational Resource Information Center) contains journal articles and reports on the topic of education from 1966 to the present. Coverage includes adult, career, and vocational education; information and technology assessment and evaluation; language and linguistics; teacher education and much more.
Europa World Plus
Europa World Plus provides authoritative, current, and analytical information about countries and international organizations of the world. Entries for each country or organization include narratives on history and economy along with extensive directory listings for government, business, and press contacts. It is also possible to create comparative statistical tables for countries of the world using this product.
F
Factiva.com
A database that provides full text access to over six thousand news wires,
newspapers, magazines and journals. Includes many specialized trade
journals, international business resources, and sources such as the Chicago
Sun-Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times. Coverage varies by source.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
G
Gale Virtual Reference Library
Gale Virtual Reference Library is a database of more than two hundred full text reference sources for research. Areas covered include Arts, Biography, Business, History, Literature, Medicine, and more. At one time, these reference materials were accessible only in print form from within the Library, but are now available online.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
General Reference Center from InfoTrac
An index of popular magazines from 1980 to the present, many of which are full text. With a
straightforward, keyword search interface, this database is often the best
place to start a search for articles.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
Grolier Online Kids
Grolier Online Kids is a kid-friendly version of Grolier Online Passport. Search The New Book of Knowledge, Encyclopedia Americana, Lands and Peoples Encyclopedia, and The New Book of Popular Science from one place with just a click! “This day in history,” current news, and an educator section are also available.
H
HeritageQuest Online from ProQuest
HeritageQuest Online contains census data, family records, and local histories. This collection assembles extant U.S. federal censuses, family genealogies, tax lists, city directories, land and probate records, birth, marriage, and death records, genealogical and local history serials, and more. A listing of all the publications in HeritageQuest’s Genealogy and Local History collection for Illinois is also available.
Hoover's Online
Hoover's Online provides basic contact information for over twelve million
companies, with detailed reports for more than 40,000 of them. Information
is available for industries and competitors.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
K
Kids Search from EBSCO
Search for articles and pictures in this kid-friendly database
especially for students in kindergarten through 5th grade. Subjects
include animals, art and music,
geography, health, news, language arts,
math, science, social studies, and sports.
L
Lands and Peoples
Encyclopedia
An encyclopedia of countries, cultures, and geography designed for students
in fifth grade and above. Includes "Global News Desk," "Electronic Atlas," "Focus:
North America," "Culture Cross," "Passport to Fun," and "L&P Almanac."
LearningExpressLibrary.com
Based on official tests, LearningExpressLibrary.com provides online practice
examinations for the SAT, ACT, ASVAB, GED, and Civil Service careers, along
with Adult Basic Skills quizzes covering reading, grammar, and math.
Tests are scored immediately and evaluations highlight strengths and
weaknesses. Software tutorials for Microsoft Office programs are also available.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
LegalForms from
Thomson Gale
Provides a wide selection of state-specific (and multi-state) legal forms across the most popular legal areas. Includes real estate contracts, wills, pre-marital agreements, bankruptcy, divorce, landlord/tenant, and many others. Also included is a comprehensive attorney state directory and a dictionary of legal definitions explained in laymen's language.
Lit Finder
Lit Finder is a comprehensive database with thousands of full text poems, stories, essays, plays, and speeches. Author biographies and pictures, story explanations, extensive search and browse capabilities, and a children's literature section are included.
Literature Criticism Online
Literature Criticism Online provides access to essays of literary criticism. The essays are often presented in their full format, though some are excerpted. Essays are from the following reference sets beginning with the volumes published in 2007: Contemporary Literary Criticism, Poetry Criticism, Shakespeare Criticism, Short Story Criticism, and Twentieth Century Literary Criticism. Skokie Public Library has volumes in these series prior to 2007 in print format in the Literature Reference area on the first floor of the Library.
Literature Resource Center
Literature Resource Center provides access to biographies, bibliographies,
and critical analyses of authors and their writing from every age and
literary discipline. This database includes the full text of
information on more than 120,000 novelists, poets,
essayists, journalists, and other writers, with in-depth coverage of 2,500
of the most-studied authors.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
Live Homework Help™
Live Homework Help™ is an online tutoring service that connects students
with expert tutors. Children and young adults from 4th grade through
junior college can log in to Live Homework Help™ to work with a tutor on
math, science, social studies, and English problems. The service is available from 2:00 to 9:00pm Central Standard Time,
seven days a week. Live Homework Help™ en Español is available Sunday
through Thursday from 2:00 to 9:00pm. All tutoring sessions are guided
by the tutor and last approximately twenty minutes.
M
MagillOnLiterature
MagillOnLiterature is an online source for critical analyses and brief plot
summaries of the most studied works in the history of literature.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
Marquis Who's Who on the Web
Marquis Who’s Who on the Web features comprehensive profiles on over one million of the most accomplished individuals from all fields of endeavor. Search by name, gender, occupation, geography, hobbies and interests, religion, and much more. This database provides access to current biographies of all individuals who have appeared in Marquis Who's Who print titles since 1985. An online segment called "Who’s Who in American History" includes biographies from the Who Was Who in America volumes covering 1607-1985. Searches may be conducted combining up to fifteen criteria to create targeted lists of results.
MEDLINE from OCLC FirstSearch
From the National Library of Medicine, an index of article summaries and
citations from 3,500 medical journals. Links to some full text
articles are available; coverage is from 1965 to the present.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
Morningstar.com Library
Edition
Morningstar.com Library Edition provides access to information on stocks and
mutual funds for potential investors and researchers. Reports include
Morningstar Star ratings and the opinions of stock and fund analysts. Funds
and companies can be searched by name or ticker symbol and lists can be
generated by customized screening criteria.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
N
netTrekker
netTrekker is a special search engine geared for students from kindergarten
through high school. It searches over 180,000 educational websites to
find information, and includes interactive timelines and a "Famous Person
Search." For teachers, lesson plans and state-specific learning
standards are also available.
The New Book of
Knowledge
An encyclopedia of reference and current events for students third grade and
above. Includes articles, news, special features, a news archive, web links,
homework help, a world history time line, dictionary, and thesaurus.
The New Book of Popular
Science
An online encyclopedia of science, medicine, and technology designed
especially for children and students. Divided into several sections:
SciCopedia, NewsBytes, SkyWatch, Ask Pop Sci, SciZone, Mind Benders,
SciFiles, and the Grolier Internet Index.
NewspaperDirect PressDisplay
NewspaperDirect PressDisplay allows instant online access to over 250
newspapers, from more than 55 countries in 33 languages and all in full page
format. Most newspapers are available the day they are published with a
60-day backfile available online.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
NoveList
NoveList is a guide for fiction readers of all ages and allows
readers to find new authors and titles by searching for similar authors,
subjects, or award winning titles. NoveList contains full text
reviews.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
NoveList K-8
NoveList K-8 is a guide to fiction especially for children
from kindergarten through 8th grade. Find
favorite authors, book titles, or series, or find something new by
searching for similar authors, subjects, or award-winning titles.
O
OCLC FirstSearch
A collection of sixteen databases indexing books, Internet sites, reference
book entries, computer software, films, and other materials. Database
topics cover business, education, medicine, academic topics, government
publications, popular periodicals, and more.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
Oxford English Dictionary
Online
An historical dictionary of English, covering the language from the earliest
times to the present day; shows not only the current meanings of words, but
also traces their development through time.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
P
PsycARTICLES
PsycARTICLES® contains more than 25,000 full text articles from over forty
journals published by the American Psychological Association and allied
organizations. Coverage includes general psychology and specialized
basic, applied, clinical, and theoretical research in psychology.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
Public Records Electronic Database
This database contains local public filings of new businesses, new
homeowners, home foreclosures and sales, and bankruptcies in the Illinois
counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
R
ReferenceUSA
A directory with information on over 12 million U.S. businesses and 120
million U.S. households, as well as 1.3 million Canadian businesses and 12 million Canadian households. A special HealthCare section provides additional information on doctors, dentists, and medical offices.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
S
Safari Books Online
Safari Books Online offers access to the full content of over 1,600 books primarily in the field of computing and information technology. You can search the electronic versions of books from leading publishers such as O'Reilly, Sams, Microsoft Press, Que, and IBM.
Salem Health
Salem Health brings online access to Salem Press’ bestselling Magill’s Medical Guide. In its printed form, the current edition of the Guide has grown to five volumes and 3,500 pages. The Guide is a perfect mix of accessibility and depth, providing general readers with an authoritative reference source that helps bridge the gap between medical encyclopedias for professionals and popular self-help guides. It is an up-to-date and easy-to-use compendium of medical information suitable for student research as well as use by general readers, including patients and caregivers.
Searchasaurus
Search by keyword or browse by subject for articles from magazines, newspapers, and encyclopedias. Subjects include animals, art and music, health, history, people and places, science and math, sports, and stories. A dictionary, encyclopedia, and picture collection are also available. Designed for students in kindergarten through 8th grade.
SIRS Discoverer
This database is designed for student researchers with articles and graphics
from more than 1,200 U.S. and international magazines, newspapers, and U.S.
government documents. Articles are selected for their educational
content, interest, and level of readability.
Skokie Newspaper Index
The Skokie Public Library online newspaper index contains citations to articles which appeared in the Skokie Review (1984 to the present), The News (1980 to 1984, when it ceased publication), and Life: Skokie edition (1980 to October 2004, when it ceased publication). A print newspaper index located in the Library’s Reference Department contains citations to articles in The News from 1960 to 1980 and Life: Skokie edition from 1977 to 1980. For the full text of articles, visit the Library or contact the Reference Desk by email or phone at 847.673.3733. The full text of articles in the Skokie Review may be available in the Skokie Review databases below.
More information about the Skokie Newspaper Index is available online.
Skokie Obituary Index
The Skokie Public Library online obituary index contains citations to obituaries which appeared in The News (1960 through 1984), Skokie Review (1981 to the present), and Life: Skokie edition (1980 to October 2004). For the full text of obituaries, visit the Library or contact the Reference Desk by email or phone at 847.673.3733. The full text of obituaries in the Skokie Review may be available in the Skokie Review databases below.
More information about the Skokie Newspaper Index is available online.
Skokie Review via NewsBank
Full text of selected articles in editions of the Skokie Review from 1995 to the present. Pictures, graphics, advertising, and classified advertisements are not included in this database. Obituary articles are included.
Smithsonian Global Sound for Libraries®
Smithsonian Global Sound for Libraries® includes recordings by American folk icons such as Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Pete Seeger, and countless influential others. The collection also encompasses great performances of traditional music from virtually everywhere in the world.
STAT-USA/Internet
A database from the United States Department of Commerce that provides information on business, trade, and the economy. It is divided into two sections: "State of the Nation" which focuses on economic indicators for the United States and "Globus/NTDB" which deals with international trade.
Statewide Illinois Library Catalog from OCLC FirstSearch
The Statewide Illinois Library Catalog (SILC) is Illinois' first all inclusive statewide union catalog of library holdings. It allows users to scope to regional groups within Illinois such as "Chicago North Suburbs" or "Chicago and Suburbs," as well as by type of library. Users are able to link directly to most of the individual library catalogs directly from the SILC interface, allowing them to check whether the item is actually available.
Study for the U.S. Citizenship Test
| Use this resource to: | ||
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Learn the answers to questions about US history and government. | |
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Practice listening to and answering the history and government questions. | |
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Practice listening to and answering questions about your N-400 form application. | |
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Practice listening to and writing the dictation sentences used to test your ability to write in English. | |
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Receive bilingual help in Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Cambodian, and Urdu until you are ready for the English only exercises. | |
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Read translated versions of the one hundred questions in Arabic, Bosnian, Chinese, French, Hmong, Russian, Spanish, Somali, and VietNamese. |
T
TeachingBooks.net
TeachingBooks.net offers easy access to audio excerpts of book readings by authors and professional actors; book discussion guides; original movies featuring authors and illustrators at work in their studios; and links to author websites, biographies, activities, and contact information. An "Educator Area" provides thematic booklists, information about children's book awards, and links to related resources in twenty-five categories. The TeachingBooks.net content is divided equally between elementary school-aged content and middle/high school-aged content.
TumbleBook Library for Kids
The TumbleBook Library is an online collection of animated, talking picture
books, puzzles, and quizzes especially for children. Stories are adapted
from existing picture books and can be enjoyed in English, Spanish, or
Chinese languages.
TumbleTalking Books Collection
TumbleTalkingBooks is an online collection of over three hundred full length
audiobooks which you can listen to from any computer with an Internet
connection. Titles are arranged in the general categories of Fiction,
Non-Fiction, Classics, Children, and Read-Along. You can browse titles in these
categories or further narrow your search by subcategory. No special software
or listening devices are needed.
W
World Book Online
The online version of the popular encyclopedia, good for students but also
valuable as a general guide to all fields of learning. The articles
provide cross-references and links to maps, charts, audio and visual clips,
animations, Bubble Views (360-degree virtual tours), websites, magazine and
newspaper articles, or other World Book articles and sections of articles
related to the article topic.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
WorldCat from OCLC FirstSearch
This electronic catalog contains more than 35 million books, sound
recordings, videotapes, computer software titles, musical scores, and
magazines owned by local libraries and libraries around the country and the
world.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database