A-Z Resources

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2-1-1 Metro Chicago

211 Metro Chicago connects you to the help you need for childcare, employment, food assistance, health care, housing, legal and immigration issues, substance use, transportation, utilities assistance and more. There are three ways to connect:

  • Dial 211 from any cell phone or landline to speak with a live Resource Navigator
  • Text your zip code to 898211 to text with a live Resource Navigator
  • Visit 211metrochicago.org
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A

ABCmouse.com Learning

Young learners, ages 2 and up, can play and learn with 3,500+ interactive books, educational games, puzzles and other learning activities.

Found In: Only available at Chicago Public Library


American National Biography Library Card Required.

Biographies of more than 18,000 deceased American men and women from all eras and walks of life, as well as selected non-nationals who had a profound influence on American history. Each article ends with a bibliography to guide you in further research.

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Ancestry Library Edition

U.S. and U.K. census records and indexes, the Social Security Death Index, World War I draft registration cards, Civil War service records, immigration records and many more sources for genealogical research.

Found In: Only available at Chicago Public Library

ArchiveGrid

An index of personal papers, organizational records and more housed at archives throughout the world, including Chicago Public Library, Evanston Historical Society, Newberry Library and University of Illinois at Chicago.


Art Index/Art Index Retrospective Library Card Required.

An index of articles back to 1929. Full text is available online for some recent articles (1997-present). Find earlier articles in the print journal collection in the Harold Washington Library Center's Visual and Performing Arts Department.

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ARTbibliographies Modern Library Card Required.

An index of journal articles, books, essays, exhibition catalogs, doctoral dissertations and exhibition reviews covering all forms of modern and contemporary art with entries back to 1974. Most of the titles included in the index are available in the Harold Washington Library Center's Visual and Performing Arts Department.

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Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals Library Card Required.

An index of articles on architecture and design. Coverage begins in the 1930s, with selected journals indexed back to the 1860s. Most of the titles included in the index are available at the Harold Washington Library Center.

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Biography (Gale in Context) Library Card Required.

Biographies of more than half a million people from all periods of history and from every geographical region. Search for a specific person by name or use the Person Search to create lists of people based on nationality, ethnicity, occupation, gender or date of birth or death. Recommended for grades six and up.

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Black Newspapers Newspaper Library Card Required.

Articles from a number of African American papers, including the Afro-American (Baltimore/Washington, D.C.), Chicago Defender, Los Angeles Sentinel, Michigan Chronicle (Detroit) and New York Amsterdam News.


Booklist Online Library Card Required.

Expert advice on great fiction and nonfiction reads from the editors and reviewers of Booklist. Read the latest reviews and columns or search for reviews by topic, audience, date, etc.

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Books in Print Library Card Required.

Publisher-verified information on all U.S. books in print. Find in-print and forthcoming books, and books declared out-of-print or out-of-stock since 1979.

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Brainfuse: Homework Help Learning Library Card Required.

Get help with your homework online from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Get expert help with:

  • Writing assignments
  • Math, science and social studies subjects
  • Spanish homework
  • English as a second language lessons

Available in English and Spanish for early elementary through advanced college prep students. Practice tests (including ACT/SAT), a writing lab, video content and other resources are available 24/7.

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C

Cell-Ed Learning

An app with self-guided mini-lessons on essential life and work skills including English and Spanish Language Learning, citizenship preparation, digital skills, business skills, personal finance and reading, writing and math. Lessons take as little as 3 minutes and are available 24/7. Assigned learning coaches help users achieve their goals.

No library card required, use PIN 3491. Download the app or create an account online at gocelled.com.

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CHI 311

Find information about City of Chicago services, request non-emergency services or report non-emergency issues.

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ChiBizHub

ChiBizHub connects new and existing Chicago businesses to business resource providers

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Chicago Sun-Times Collection Newspaper New! Library Card Required.

Research Chicago history through the Chicago Sun-Times Historical and Current Collection with coverage from 1929 through current. Study trends, issues, events, advertisements, companies, and more through historical and current full newspaper pages, full-text articles and content only published online.

Historical Archive

  • Chicago Sun-Times (1929 - 1985)  
    • Daily Times (1929 - 1947)
    • Chicago Sun (1941-1948)
    • Chicago Sun-Times (1948-1985)

Current Collection

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Congress.gov

Information about the activities of the U.S. Congress. Find text of legislation, as well as summaries and status, voting records, the Congressional Record, committee reports, and legislative actions on presidential nominations and treaties.

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CultureGrams Library Card Required.

Information on countries and territories including customs, lifestyles and social conditions. Elementary school students, try the Kids Edition (which covers 78 countries), States Edition (which covers the 50 states) and Provinces Edition (which covers Canada’s 13 provinces and territories). Find recipes from all countries as well as biographies of famous citizens. Photographs are available for some countries.


CultureGrams World Edition Library Card Required.

Information on over 200 countries and territories, including customs, lifestyles and social conditions. For junior high and high school students and adults. Find recipes for all countries as well as biographies of famous citizens. Photographs are available for some countries.


D


Design & Applied Arts Index Library Card Required.

An index of more than 500 journals in all areas of design, from fashion to web design, back to 1973. Find articles in the print journal collection in the Harold Washington Library Center's Visual and Performing Arts Department.

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Digital Museum Passes Library Card Required.

Online reservation system for passes and discounts for museums, zoos, and more cultural attractions. Log in with library card number and PIN to view all attractions and current offers. Available to Chicago Public Library adult cardholders in good standing. Reservations cannot be canceled after printing or downloading the digital pass. Visit the FAQ page for details. 



E



Encyclopedia of Chicago

A project of the Chicago History Museum, the Newberry Library and Northwestern University, this online version of the award-winning print encyclopedia is a first stop for research into any topic on Chicago's past.


ERIC

A guide to research published in the field of education. Search more than a million short descriptions of journal articles and other education-related publications back to 1966.

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Film & Television Literature Index Library Card Required.

An index of 300 publications, with selective coverage of 300 additional titles. For some titles, indexing begins as early as the 1940s. Find articles in the print journal collection in the Harold Washington Library Center's Visual and Performing Arts Department.



Flipster Digital Magazines eBook Magazine & Journal Library Card Required.

Read current and back issues of over 25 magazines, including The Atlantic, Better Homes & Gardens, Bloomberg Businessweek, Ebony, Entertainment Weekly, Essence, Forbes, Fortune, Parents, People, Real Simple, Scientific American, Shape, Sports Illustrated and Time.


G


Gale eBooks for Kids Library Card Required.

Find encyclopedia articles and book chapters on a variety of topics in art, health, history, music, religion, science and the social sciences.


Government Publishing Office Monthly Catalog

A catalog of publications of the U.S. government, including congressional reports, hearings, debates and records, as well as materials produced by the federal courts and documents issued by other federal agencies. Most are available in the Harold Washington Library Center's Government Publications Department, and many are available online. Coverage begins in 1976.

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GreenFILE Library Card Required.

Articles from research journals, trade magazines and consumer magazines in environmental studies. Topics include global warming, green building, pollution, renewable energy, recycling and sustainable agriculture.

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H

HeritageQuest Online Library Card Required.

Search for ancestors in the U.S. Federal Census, family and local histories and city directories, Revolutionary War records, Freedman's Bank records, genealogical periodicals and selected congressional documents and reports from the American State Papers and U.S. Serial Set.

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HistoryMakers, The Library Card Required.

The largest African American video oral history archive in the world features interviews with African Americans who have made significant contributions in American life or culture.

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hoopla eBook Library Card Required.

Access audiobooks, music, movies, television and eBooks.


I

Illinois Catalog

A catalog of items held by libraries in Illinois. Search the holdings of libraries in Chicago, Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, or all of Illinois.





Illinois Newsstand Newspaper Library Card Required.

Articles from Illinois newspapers including the Chicago Defender, Chicago Tribune, Crain's Chicago BusinessDaily Herald (Arlington Heights), La Raza, News Gazette (Champaign), and Pantagraph (Bloomington).

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Industry Overviews Library Card Required.

Find overviews, including history, current conditions and leading firms, for over a thousand industries from The Encyclopedia of American Industries, The Encyclopedia of Emerging Industries and The Encyclopedia of Global Industries.

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Issues & Controversies Library Card Required.

Overviews of current public policy issues and other controversial topics. This resource is great for students working on persuasive essays or debates, or anyone wanting authoritative background information on the issues making today’s headlines.


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Literary Reference Center Library Card Required.

Information on authors, their works and literary topics. Find author biographies, plot summaries, character information, critical essays, book reviews and overviews of literary topics.

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MEDLINE

An index of articles from more than 5,000 journals in medicine and related fields. Primarily aimed at doctors and medical researchers.

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mRelief

mRelief is a nonprofit tool that helps you sign up for food stamps. Answer 10 questions to find out if you qualify for food stamps and the best way to apply.

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Music Index Library Card Required.

An index of articles from more than 800 music periodicals back to 1975. Find articles in the print journal collection in the Harold Washington Library Center's Visual and Performing Arts Department.

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Music Periodicals Database Library Card Required.

Identify articles of interest in the field of music. Some articles are full text. Others may be obtained from other CPL online resources or from the print journal collection in the Harold Washington Library Center's Visual and Performing Arts Department.

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National Newspapers Library Card Required.

Find articles from the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, New York TimesWall Street Journal and Washington Post.


New York Times Newspaper Library Card Required.

Articles from the New York Times back to 1980. Includes the New York Times Book Review and New York Times Magazine.




NoveList Plus Library Card Required.

Discover reading recommendations based on your favorite titles, authors, subjects and genres. Whether you read fiction or nonfiction or listen to audiobooks, you'll find your next great read/listen with NoveList Plus.

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Oxford Art Online Library Card Required.

Articles and definitions from several sources: Grove Art Online (based on the Dictionary of Art), Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, The Oxford Companion to Western Art and The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms. Scholarly and authoritative, this resource is great for background information on a wide variety of topics in art.

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Oxford English Dictionary Library Card Required.

Definitions of English words and phrases as they have been used over time and throughout the world. It aims to present the English language as it is actually used rather than how it ought to be used. Entries include pronunciations, etymologies, definitions, and quotations.


Oxford Music Online Library Card Required.

From scholarly encyclopedia articles to quick definitions, this resource is great for those studying music or those who simply want a deeper understanding of the music they listen to. Find material from The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, The Oxford Companion to Music and The Oxford Dictionary of Music.

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Performing Arts Periodicals Database Library Card Required.

Index to articles on circus performance, dance, drama, film, magic, musical theater, opera, pantomime, performance art, puppetry, television and theater. Some articles are full text. Others may be obtained from other CPL online resources or from the print journal collection in the Harold Washington Library Center's Visual and Performing Arts Department.

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ProQuest Congressional Library Card Required.

Information about contemporary policy issues, including congressional publications and Congressional Research Service reports, non-partisan policy and legal analyses written by Library of Congress staff. Especially helpful for students working on persuasive essays or debates.

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ProQuest Digital Microfilm Newspaper Library Card Required.

Search or browse page images (as you would view on microfilm) of over 40 newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Detroit Free Press, The Guardian, Indianapolis Star, New York Times, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post. Coverage for most papers begins in 2008 and ends about three months prior to the present.


ProQuest Newspapers (Global Newsstream) Newspaper Library Card Required.

Articles from hundreds of newspapers and newsfeeds from around the world, including the Chicago Defender, Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald (Arlington Heights), New York Times, USA Today, Globe and Mail (Canada), The Times (London), The Times of India and Daily Yomiuri (Japan).Find additional newspapers in America's News.

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ProQuest Statistical Insight Library Card Required.

Statistics on a wide variety of topics in publications from the U.S. government, state governments, major international intergovernmental organizations, commercial publishers, independent research organizations and universities. Microfiche of most publications is available at the Harold Washington Library Center, and many of the publications are available online.

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Science Online Library Card Required.

Encyclopedia articles, definitions, charts and illustrations, experiments, biographies and timelines. Recommended for grades six and up.

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SIRS Researcher Magazine & Journal Library Card Required.

Magazine and newspaper articles on social, scientific, health, historic, economic, political and global issues specifically chosen for upper-elementary and high school students.



Standard & Poor’s NetAdvantage

Company directory and financial and investment information from numerous Standard & Poor’s publications, including the Bond Guide, Industry Surveys, Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives, Security Dealers of North America and Stock Reports.

Found In: Only available at Chicago Public Library


U


Ulrichsweb Library Card Required.

Information on magazines, newspapers and journals published throughout the world. Based on information supplied by publishers, the resource lists publisher’s name and contact information, circulation figures, price, intended audience, advertising rates and more.


USA.gov

One-stop access to information on benefits, health, jobs and more from hundreds of government agencies, departments and programs. Available in English and Spanish.

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World Book Advanced Encyclopedia Library Card Required.

More than 40,000 encyclopedia articles, as well as an online atlas, online dictionary, research tools and more. Recommended for high school students and adults.


World Book Kids Encyclopedia Library Card Required.

Short, easy-to-read introductions to thousands of topics as well as maps, pictures, games, word definitions and more. Recommended for grades two through five.




WorldCat Discovery

Discover books and articles at Chicago Public Library--and beyond. Search the world's largest catalog, with titles from CPL as well as thousands of other libraries.

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WorldCat via FirstSearch Library Card Required.

A catalog of titles held by libraries throughout the world. The description for each title links to a list of “Libraries Worldwide” that own that title. Use this resource to discover materials beyond the Chicago Public Library.

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