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
Web resource 
Available with Skokie Public Library card 
Available in Library only
A
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
American History in Video
American History in Video provides an online collection of over 5,000 videos available for the study of American history. The collection features documentaries and series from The History Channel®, A&E Network®, and Biography Channel®. Several types of videos including documentaries, newsreels, and public affairs programs have been chosen to provide a well-rounded collection for historical study. Text transcripts of the videos are available and searchable. A tool is included that allows users to make video clips and and link to them from a multimedia presentation.
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 Training
Atomic Training contains short videos explaining specific tasks in many of the most popular software applications in use today.
The videos may be watched in sequence like a course, or watched individually to learn a specific part of a program.
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
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.
BusinessDecision from CIVICTechnologies
BusinessDecision is a reporting and mapping service that combines extensive consumer household, market segmentation, and demographic data with GIS mapping technology. Use this product to locate potential customers, identify new store locations, evaluate competitors, or focus marketing efforts.
C
CAMIO
CAMIO — Catalog of Art Museum Images Online — contains about 95,000 works of fine and decorative art from leading museums around the world. The scope of the collection ranges from 3000 BCE to the present, representing premiere examples of Asian, African, Latin American, and Western art. Difficult-to-find contemporary art is one of its strengths. The content includes high-resolution images of photographs, paintings, sculpture, decorative and utilitarian objects, prints, drawings and watercolors, jewelry and costumes, textiles, books, installations, and architecture — plus audio-video and mixed media. Benefits of the interface include downloading high-resolution images, the ability to email images and metadata for further study, and fast, powerful, Web-based searching. All content is rights-cleared for educational use.
Career Center from Tutor.com
Career Center is organized into sections on Career Help, GED Preparation, Citizenship, and Back to School. The Career Help section includes resources to help write resumes and cover letters. Resumes and cover letters can be uploaded and evaluated by career experts using ProofPoint. ProofPoint is available from 3:00 to 10:00pm only.
The Careers College
The Careers College is a job search education and career resource center. The portal blends online educational learning modules, job search tools, and complementary career resources to help you navigate the job search process and land the ideal job. The site has sections on Conducting the Job Search, Preparing for Job Interviews, Resume Templates, and more.
Chicago Tribune – 1849 to the present via ProQuest
Search the complete text of the Chicago Tribune from 1849 to the present day. Content from 1849 through 1987 is available as images of the original newspaper so photographs, death notices, cartoons, and advertisements are present and searchable along with article content. Text versions of articles and obituaries only are available from 1987 to the present.
Chicago Tribune Digital Microfilm via ProQuest
This resource provides full image content of the Chicago Tribune beginning in 2008. The content is not searchable, but is browsable. Use the Chicago Tribune – 1849 to the present via ProQuest or www.chicagotribune.com if you want to find the date and page of a particular article. You can then use this Digital Microfilm version to see the article as it appeared in the newspaper.
When connected to the Digital Microfilm site, choose the "Title Select" link to select the Chicago Tribune. There is a lag of a few months until the images appear in this product. The full image of the Chicago Tribune from the current week is available in NewspaperDirect PressDisplay.
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.
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.
Consumer Health Complete from EBSCOhost
Consumer Health Complete includes the contents of more than 250 health reference books, reports, pamphlets, images, and videos. It also contains the text of more than 550 health related journals and magazines.
ConsumerReports.org from EBSCOhost
ConsumerReports.org contains information that enables consumers to make better purchasing decisions on the products they are shopping for. The site provides ratings and reviews, recommendations, and buying advice. Additional information includes brand reliability and user reviews, plus news, blogs, forums, and video content. Searchable sections include Cars, Home & Garden, Electronics, Babies & Kids, Money, Food, and Health.
Consumers' Checkbook
Consumers' Checkbook evaluates the quality and prices of local service firms and stores, such as auto repair shops, plumbers, dentists, banks, and insurance companies. Chicago-area companies are rated by users and evaluated by Checkbook staff. Consumers’ Checkbook/The Center for the Study of Services is an independent, nonprofit consumer organization founded in 1974 with the help of funding from the U.S. Office of Consumer Affairs.
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.
Current Biography Illustrated
Current Biography Illustrated provides access to over twenty thousand biographical profiles of celebrities, politicians, business people, writers, actors, sports figures, artists, scientists, and many other notable figures and newsmakers from the 1940's to the present. The biographies, compiled from Current Biographies magazine, average 2,500 words each.
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Early World of Learning from World Book Online
Early World of Learning offers stories, games, and activities to help early learners build vocabulary, comprehension, phonics, and reading skills. Content includes narrated stories with word-by-word highlighting, interactive games, interactive reference materials for beginners, and more.
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.
eSequels
eSequels helps identify the books in a series. It can be searched by author, title, character, location, subject, or keyword. Each title has a short summary included.
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
Financial Ratings from Weiss
Financial Ratings from Weiss contains independent ratings of the financial stability of banks, credit unions, and insurance companies. A Medigap buyers guide recommends companies and gives prices customized to the age and place of residence of the person entering the data.
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Gale Directory Library
Gale Directory Library provides access to the full content of 15 reference directories. Find information on business and media entities including consultants, distributors, tradeshows, brands, market share, and more.
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 Gale
General Reference Center provides access to an integrated set of general interest sources with coverage from 1980 to the present: magazines, newspaper articles, children's magazines, almanacs, encyclopedias, dictionaries, reference books, and more. It contains more than 1,000 fulltext titles specifically selected for public libraries.
Skokie Public
Library's guide to this database 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
J
JSTOR
JSTOR provides access to articles from over 600 academic journals covering the arts, sciences, and business. Issue dates range from historical to current. All articles are presented in full image, appearing exactly as they did in the original journals.
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
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
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.
View brief tutorials on finding sample contracts and business forms at the Skokie Business Portal.
LexisNexis Library Express
LexisNexis Library Express provides access to over 6,000 news, business, and legal sources. The news coverage includes deep backfiles and up-to-the-minute stories in national and regional newspapers, wire services, broadcast transcripts, international news, and non-English language sources. The Company Dossier module includes detailed company and financial information. This product also provides access to federal and states court cases back to 1789.
Please note: The Legal section is only available to in-Library users.
Literature Criticism Online — Something About the Author
Find information on authors and criticism of their works by cross-searching these two literature archives. These award-winning and long-standing literature series are delivered in an easy-to-use 24/7 online format that matches the exact look and feel of the print originals.
Literature Resources from Gale
Research authors and their works, literary movements, and genres. Search across several major literature databases to find the full text of literary works, journal articles, literature criticism, reviews, biographical information, and overviews.
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 3:00 to 10:00pm Central Standard Time,
seven days a week. Live Homework Help™ en Español is available Sunday through Thursday from 3:00 to 10:00pm. All tutoring sessions are guided
by the tutor and last approximately twenty minutes. There is a limit of five sessions per week per Skokie Public Library cardholder.
Lynda.com Online Learning Library
Lynda.com Online Learning Library provides users with access to over 800 video training courses in computer related topics such as Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Word, iMovie, or Twitter.
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
Mango Languages
Mango Languages provides access to a great variety of guided language learning programs, including foreign language and English as a Second Language (ESL) courses. Users can register to track their progress on the Mango site or simply select the “Start Learning” option to begin without registering. Use Mango to pick up a few phrases, or learn the basics of conversation in languages from Arabic to Vietnamese.
MasterFILE Premier from EBSCOhost
MasterFILE Premier contains full text articles from nearly 1,700 periodicals covering general reference, business, health, education, general science, multicultural issues, and much more. This database also contains the full text of more than 500 reference books, over 107,000 primary source documents, and an image collection of over 592,000 photos, maps, and flags.
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
Mergent Online
Mergent Online provides access to reports and information on thousands of publicly traded companies from the United States and around the world. A unique feature is the availability of information on inactive companies, including historical daily stock prices.
Mergent WebReports
Mergent WebReports allows you to access a vast archive of corporate and industry related documents. WebReports contains more than 180,000 documents covering over 100 countries and industries. The "Company Search" section gives current reports on major companies. "Corporate Manual Search" retrieves reports from the Mergent/Moody’s manuals from the current year back to 1909. "Municipal Manual Search" retrieves reports on cities and towns in the United States that have issued municipal bonds over the years.
Morningstar Investment Research Center
Morningstar Investment Research Center 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
Music Online from Alexander Street Press
Music Online contains hundreds of thousands of musical pieces for listening online. Genres from classical to jazz, from American roots to international music are represented. Liner notes and information on composers are included for most items in the collection. Users who choose to register can save playlists for repeated listening.
MUZZY Online
MUZZY Online is the fun way to learn a second language through games and interactive cartoon stories. Use Muzzy to learn English, French, Italian, German, or Spanish.
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Natural Standard
Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine contains data on complementary and alternative therapies. Included are sections on Foods, Herbs and Spices, Medical Conditions, a Symptom Checker, and a Nutrition Database. Material is compiled from contributors from more than one hundred eminent academic institutions. For each therapy covered by Natural Standard, a research team systematically gathers scientific data and expert opinions. Validated rating scales are used to evaluate the quality of available evidence. Information is incorporated into comprehensive monographs which are designed to facilitate clinical decision making. Natural Standard is impartial, and is not supported by any interest group, professional organization, or product manufacturer.
Naxos Music Library
Naxos Music Library has a collection of over 30,000 CDs that can be listened to on your computer. The music is mostly in the classical genre with a small amount of jazz and world music. Background and educational material is also included.
Naxos Music Library Jazz
Naxos Music Library Jazz offers over 22,000 tracks of jazz from over 2,300 albums. Over five hundred jazz artists are represented. The catalogs of Naxos Jazz and the 22 labels of Fantasy Jazz are included. Jazz, international jazz, blues, and R & B are included in this varied collection. Stream albums from Albert King to Zoot Sims to your computer with Naxos Jazz.
Newspaper Source from EBSCOhost
Newspaper Source provides cover-to-cover full text for more than 40 national and international newspapers, including the Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, The Washington Post, and The Washington Times. The database also contains selective full text for more than 330 U.S. regional newspapers. In addition, full text television and radio news transcripts are provided from CBS News, CNN, CNN International, FOX News, NPR, and others.
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
The New York Times via LexisNexis Library Express
Search for articles from The New York Times from June 1980 to the present. The text of articles and obituaries are included and searchable. Death notices and advertisements are not included.
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 Plus
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.
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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
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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.
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
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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.
Science Online from Facts on File
Science Online contains scientific information for students in all areas of science. Use this resource to find science experiments, videos, diagrams, articles, and biographies of famous scientists.
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.
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 (1978 to 1984, when it ceased publication), and Life: Skokie edition (1978 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 1977 and Life: Skokie edition from 1977. 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 on digital microfilm - temporarily unavailable
This resource contains the full image of the Skokie Review newspaper from July 2008 to the present. All the content is searchable, including advertisements and classified ads. Individual issues may also be browsed.
Something about the Author
Something about the Author examines the lives and works of authors and illustrators for children and young adults. The database includes over 12,000 entries and nearly 17,000 images — all delivered in an easy-to-use 24/7 online format that matches the exact look and feel of the print originals.
SRDS Media Solutions
SRDS Media Solutions provides access to three products from Standard Rate and Data Service:
Business Publication Advertising Source®
Consumer Publication Advertising Source®
Direct Marketing List Source®
The first two products provide information on consumer and trade magazines. Along with obtaining advertising rates, these directories are a good way to identify magazines targeted at a particular audience. Use the Direct Marketing product to identify suppliers of targeted mailing lists for purchase.
Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage
NetAdvantage is a comprehensive source of business and investment information that offers online access to Standard & Poor's research-related products such as stock reports, corporation records, The Outlook, dividend records, and more.
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.
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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.
V
Value Line Research Center
Value Line Research Center includes online access to Value Line's leading publications covering stocks, mutual funds, options, and convertible securities as well as special situation stocks. Get ratings and use online screening tools to find investments best suited to your criteria.
Visual Thesaurus from Thinkmap
Visual Thesaurus is an interactive dictionary and thesaurus which creates word maps that show the various meanings of a word and branch to related words. Its innovative display and thought-provoking articles encourage exploration and learning and helps users to understand language in a new way.
W
Who's Who on the Web from Marquis
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.
Wilson OmniFile Full Text Select
OmniFile is a multidisciplinary database. It contains the full text of articles from more than 1,600 publications with content from 1994 to the present.
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.