A-Z Resources

Get help understanding the plays, novels, poetry and short stories most read by students.

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

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

Search hundreds of newspapers and other news sources. Papers include the Chicago Sun-Times, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Kansas City Star, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Peoria Journal Star and State Journal-Register. Find additional newspapers in ProQuest Newspapers (Global Newsstream).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Powered by the automotive experts at MOTOR, Auto Repair Source provides library users with accurate, authoritative and up-to-date “do-it-yourself” service and repair information for thousands of domestic and imported cars, SUVs, vans and light trucks.

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.

General encyclopedia articles, images, maps, videos and more in Spanish for upper-elementary and high school students as well as adults.

BEACON is a centralized resource for Illinois youth and families seeking services for behavioral health needs. It’s common for young people to struggle with behavioral and/or mental health challenges. Please know you are not alone, and neither is your child. We are here to help.

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.

Provides thousands of unique and reliable full-text biographies, including the complete full text of Biography and Biography Today. In addition to keyword search, users can locate biographies by subject occupation, activity, nationality, gender, birthplace and more.

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.

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.

Browse the American Library Association's monthly magazine for readers of all ages. Each issue features a different genre as well as general book recommendations.

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.

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. Recommended for grades two and up.

• Get personal feedback on your resume within 24 hours from an online writing coach.
• Get help with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and Word, including resume templates.
• Prep for the high school equivalency exam and the U.S. citizenship test.

Offers entrepreneurs over 700 actual business plans to use as models in developing their own.

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.

Search public records by name or address. Covers a wide variety of records from select Illinois counties: real estate transactions, business licenses, evictions, arrests, etc.

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

ChiBizHub connects new and existing Chicago businesses to business resource providers. 

Full text, including display and classified advertisements, of this nationally significant African American newspaper from 1910 to 2010. (To search for articles in this paper from 2011 to present, use Black Newspapers or Illinois Newsstand.)

Learn to use a computer to do almost anything.

Full text of the Chicago Examiner from 1908 to 1918.

Photographs from Chicago Public Library's special collections. View photos of Civil War artifacts, Millennium Park's construction, Mayor Harold Washington and Chicago neighborhoods. Search the Chicago Examiner newspaper and playbills from Chicago's early theaters.

Articles from the Chicago Sun-Times from 1986 to the present.

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

• Chicago Sun-Times (1986 to the present)

Search or browse page images (as you would on microfilm) of the Chicago Sun-Times back to October 10, 2018. Earlier page images are available on physical microfilm at Harold Washington Library Center.

Full text of all articles in all editions and sections (including the RedEye) of the Chicago Tribune from 1985 to present.

Full text of the Chicago Tribune, including classified and display advertisements, from 1849 to 2015.

Sign up for free water testing.

Full text of more than 4,000 U.S. newspapers from 1756 to 1963. Chicago-area papers are The Broad Ax, an African American newspaper digitized from 1895 to 1927; The Day Book, E.W. Scripps' experiment in advertisement-free newspaper publishing digitized from 1911 to 1917 and The Chicago Eagle, a publication with a strong focus on municipal political affairs digitized from 1889 to 1922.

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.

Reviews, ratings, recommendations, and buying advice for thousands of products and services.

Information on the lives and writings of current authors, as well as those no longer publishing but who were active within the past 50 years.

COPA, Chicago's independent police oversight agency, is part of Chicago's public safety reform efforts. File a complaint against a member of the Chicago Police Department and review cases and summary reports of COPA investigations.

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.

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.

Listings for 59 million U.S. business locations and 310 million consumers. Search businesses by name, location, industry and size; search consumers by location, estimated income, interests and shopping habits.

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.

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. 

Find digital photographs, maps, oral histories, personal letters and more from libraries, archives and museums across the United States.

Articles from general-interest magazines and scholarly journals. Search two separate databases (MasterFILE Complete and OmniFile Full Text Select) covering more than 3,500 publications.

Features robust searching capabilities suited for complex research, but remains intuitive for novice users.

Encyclopedia articles in Spanish for students in grades two through five.

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.

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.

Topic-based browsing of 6 EBSCO databases for elementary school-aged students.

Topic-based browsing of 42 EBSCO databases for high school-aged students.

Topic-based browsing of 5 EBSCO databases for middle school-aged students.

Topic-based browsing of 18 EBSCO databases for public library patrons.

Locate archival collections and digital images from archives and libraries with Chicago history collections.

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.

Search for free or reduced cost community resources including mental health services.

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.

Find encyclopedia articles in a variety of subject areas from more than two hundred reference titles.

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

Set up a GotResumeBuilder account to use this quick and convenient resume builder. Chicago Public Library cardholders can upgrade their account to premium and download or print their resume.

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.

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.

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.

Covering topics in U.S. and world history from the earliest civilizations through the 21st century, History Reference Source is a research database containing full-text journals, magazines, reference books and thousands of primary source documents. It also includes a companion e-book collection with reference books from top educational publishers and university presses.

Access five resources on specific aspects of history:

• African-American History Online
• American History Online
• American Indian History Online
• Ancient and Medieval History Online
• Modern World History Online

Search all five at once or browse them individually. Each includes articles from reference works, primary sources, biographies, timelines, images, and maps, charts and tables. Recommended for grades six and up.

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.

Contains detailed "how to" instructions and creative do-it-yourself ideas that meet the interests of nearly every hobby enthusiast.

Through a collection of comprehensive full-text content, this database provides detailed, user-friendly “how-to” information covering a variety of do-it-yourself home improvement and repair projects.

Access audiobooks, music, movies, television and eBooks.

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.

Search and download high-definition, color fire insurance maps, including Sanborn maps, real estate atlases, plat books and other historical maps. Additional 20th-century fire insurance maps can be found in Illinois Sanborn Maps.

Information to help you understand and solve legal problems. Find useful forms, listings of free legal clinics and attorney referral services.

Includes the Chicago Sun-Times, Daily Herald (Arlington Heights), News-Gazette (Champaign), Pantagraph (Bloomington), Peoria Journal Star and State Journal-Register (Springfield).

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

Create lists of new homeowners, new businesses, recent foreclosures, etc. based on public records from select Illinois counties.

Digitized fire insurance maps for the state of Illinois, including over a hundred volumes for the city of Chicago. If looking for a location in Chicago or a nearby suburb, start with the Chicago Sanborn Maps Index and note the series (1894-1897 or 1905-1951) and volumes for the neighborhood or suburb. For 19th-century maps, use Illinois Fire Insurance Maps online instead.

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.

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.

Older issues of more than 2,000 scholarly journals in a wide range of interest areas. Coverage begins with the first issue, but recent issues are not included. Recent issues of some of these journals are available in EBSCO Magazines & Journals.

Videos and practice exercises to help with math, science, history and more.

Articles from magazines for elementary school students.

Contains more than 100 self-paced video tutorials. Learn skills including computer fundamentals. Recommended for high schoolers and up.

Explains the complex world of law and legal matters of all kinds. It includes exclusive full text for many top consumer legal reference books, as well as thousands of legal forms.

Take online video courses to learn business, software, technology and design skills. Videos are available in multiple languages. (App users: After opening the app, click Sign In. When asked for your email, enter chipublib in all lowercase letters and click Continue. Then log in with your library card and PIN.)

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

Learn a new language. For ages 3 through 6.

Lessons in 70+ languages, including English.

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

Find answers to health questions, including overviews of conditions and diseases, information on staying healthy, drug information and the latest news from the world of medicine. MedlinePlus in Spanish is also available.

Analysis of stocks, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and markets.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Full text of over 180 historical Illinois newspapers, including Chicago Daily News, The Inter Ocean, News Journal and The Daily Herald.

Look up a fiction or nonfiction book you like and find others similar to it..

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.

eBooks, audiobooks and magazines for adults, teens and kids.

Materials also available in Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Korean and Polish.

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.

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.

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.

Online version of the Physicians' Desk Reference, a drug information source for physicians and others who write prescriptions. For articles written for consumers/patients, consult the articles in the Drugs & Supplements section of MedlinePlus.

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.

Contains resources that present multiple sides of issues. This database provides content that can help students assess and develop persuasive arguments and essays, better understand controversial issues and develop analytical thinking skills.

Emmy-Award winning Project Rainbow seeks to impact the lives of every family and child in Cook County through learning initiatives, relevant resources and immersive experiences — "we pave the path for curious minds to dream bigger and strive for a future without limits." By curating and creating free early childhood and family oriented educational programming Cook County’s first-ever mobile app provides a gateway to Chicago’s world-class institutions.

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.

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.

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.

Full-text information from leading nursing and related publications.

Search a wide variety of business content, from newspapers, magazines and journals, to company and industry reports, to eBooks and videos.

Search a large collection of magazine and newspaper articles in one step. ProQuest One Search searches ProQuest Newspapers, ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health, and ProQuest One Business.

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.

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

Contains full-text, science-oriented content geared for students' research needs. Recommended for grades six and up.

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

Full text of many top consumer small business reference books, as well as tools to understand and address a wide variety of small business topics. Includes business videos,
case studies, help and advice, a start-up kit, and tips for writing business plans.

Provides detailed, user-friendly repair guides for all manner of small engines, from motorcycles and ATVs to generators and outdoor power equipment.

Register your phone number so first responders can help you faster in an emergency.

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.

Statistics from hundreds of U.S. government and nongovernment sources.

Tax Prep Chicago is an initiative of the City of Chicago that enables qualified Chicagoans to access free income tax return services at sites located throughout the city.

Learn how to file an application for a patent or trademark.

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.

Several historic White and Yellow pages, including several from Chicago.

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

Articles from the nation’s financial newspaper of record back to 1984.

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.

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.

More than 40,000 encyclopedia articles, as well as an online atlas, online dictionary, research tools and more. Recommended for grades three and up.

Discover which of Chicago Public Library's magazine and newspaper databases includes the full text of a journal or article that you're looking for.

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.

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.