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Individual Databases
Use these resources at any Chicago Public Library location or from home, school or work with a Chicago Public Library card.
Chicago Sun-Times/SouthtownStar »
Find articles from the Chicago Sun-Times from 1986 to the present and the SouthtownStar (formerly the Daily Southtown) back to 2004.
CQ Researcher plus Archive » teen pick
CQ Researcher offers authoritative background essays on the topics making today's headlines. In addition, older reports going back to 1923 offer users the ability to track how debates have changed over time. This is an excellent starting place for students working on assignments requiring them to take a position on a topic or for anyone wanting straightforward overviews of the issues confronting our society.
CQ Weekly »
CQ Weekly provides detailed updates on the activities of the U.S. Congress. Written for laypeople (as opposed to political insiders), the weekly online magazine helps readers keep up with the latest legislative proposals as well as the voting records of their legislators. Historical coverage is available back through 1983.
Government, Law and Politics Reference Collection »
Search sources such as the Gale Encyclopedia of American Law, Encyclopedia of the American Constitution, National Survey of State Laws and Governments of the World. The collection includes several works (for example, Checks and Balances: The Three Branches of American Government) written especially for students.
Government Printing Office Monthly Catalog »
The Government Printing Office (GPO) Monthly Catalog helps users find publications of the U.S. government, including congressional reports, hearings, debates and records; materials produced by the federal courts and documents issued by other federal agencies. The database includes only short descriptions of each document, though most are available for use in the Government Publications Department at the Harold Washington Library Center and many are available for free online. Coverage begins in 1976.
Illinois Legal Aid »
Illinois Legal Aid (Spanish) » en español
Find information, including forms, to help you understand and solve legal problems. The site also provides listings of free legal clinics and attorney referral services.
ProQuest Magazines & Journals »
ProQuest Magazines & Journals (Research Library) helps one find magazine and journal articles on a wide range of topics. It covers over 2,600 magazines and journals; the complete text of the articles is available for about 60 percent of these. Included are popular magazines, magazines for professionals of all types and scholarly journals. Titles include Current History, Foreign Affairs, National Journal and Political Science Quarterly.
ProQuest Newspapers »
Find articles from hundreds of newspapers and newsfeeds from around the world. Papers covered include the Chicago Defender, Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald (Arlington Heights), State Journal Register (Springfield), New York Times, Washington Post, Globe and Mail (Canada), The Times (London), The Times of India and Daily Yomiuri (Japan). Coverage varies by title, with full text for some titles available as far back as the 1980s.
Thomas »
Thomas, a service of the Library of Congress, provides information about the activities of the U.S. Congress. Find the text of legislation along with summaries and status, voting records, the Congressional Record, committee reports and legislative actions on presidential nominations and treaties.