Quick Search
Individual Databases
Unless otherwise noted, these resources are available at all Chicago Public Library locations and from home, school, or work with a Chicago Public Library card.
AP Images »
Looking for a photo of a famous person or event? Find newspaper photos from the late nineteenth century to the present as well as other images from the Associated Press (AP), an agency that supplies photographs, news articles, etc., to newspapers throughout the world. You'll also find charts, graphs, timelines, and maps (More Media > Print Graphics) that are great for reports or presentations on contemporary issues.
*Amazing Animals »
From the African bat-eared fox to the zebrafish, find concise descriptions of over one thousand animal species, including what they eat, where they live, and more. Recommended for elementary school students or anyone needing clear photographs and quick facts about common or exotic species.
*CultureGrams »
Find information about places around the world and close to home. *CultureGrams: Kids Edition includes information about countries and territories and the people that live there. *States Edition includes information about the 50 states. Provinces Edition covers the 13 Canadian provinces and territories.
Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos » en español
The Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos offers encyclopedia articles in Spanish for students in grades two through six. The encyclopedia's list of articles may be browsed in English as well as Spanish, though the articles are entirely in Spanish.
*KidQuest Magazines »
Find magazine articles from an online collection created especially for elementary school students. Most articles are taken from magazines for children.
Kids Reference Collection »
This online collection of encyclopedias and other reference books contains overview articles on countries, drugs, fashion, food, history, government, people (biographies), religion, science, television, and the U.S. and Mexican states.
LearningExpressLibrary »
LearningExpressLibrary allows one to practice taking standardized tests like high school entrance exams. It also provides special "diagnostic" exams in math and reading that help one figure out what areas of these subjects he or she needs improvement in.
When registering, use your library card number as your username.
NoveList K-8 »
People of all ages can find picture books, easy readers, chapter books, or books for teens by picking what types of people should be in the story, what happens in the story, and where and when the story takes place. Users can look up a book they've enjoyed in the past and find others similar to it. NoveList K-8 also includes lists of award-winning titles or titles of a particular type (for example, mysteries).
SIRS Discoverer »
Find magazine and newspaper articles as well as other documents specially selected for elementary school students. A kid-friendly search screen makes locating articles easy.
World Book for Kids »
Find short, easy-to-read introductions to thousands of topics as well as maps, pictures, games, word definitions, and more. Based on the World Book Student Discovery Encyclopedia, this online encyclopedia is a great fit for students in grades two through five.
World Book for Students »
World Book for Students (World Book Online Info Finder) offers more than 40,000 encyclopedia articles, as well as an online atlas, an online dictionary, research tools, and more. Recommended for students in grades three and up.
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