- General sites and reference sources
- Writing a research paper
- Finding magazine and newspaper articles
- Language and literature
- History
- Biography
- Science and mathematics
- Internet search tools
- Special Library services
NEW! Niles North and Niles West textbooks
are now available for in-Library use!
Get one-to-one help with your homework online!
When working on homework assignments, there's no better place than the Library. When you need help, don't hesitate to ask! You can ask a librarian in the Library, by phone, via email, or online.
The Web can be a great source of information, but remember, Web sources are not all of equal value, accuracy, and authority. Questions to Ask When Evaluating Websites will help you to distinguish among sources.
For more sources that may be helpful when doing homework assignments, see Skokie Public Library's Research a Subject page and Homework Help on the Kid's page.
Denotes resources suitable for students in elementary and middle grades
Web resource 
Available with Skokie Public Library card 
Available in Library only
General Sites and Reference Sources
Britannica Online
Retrieve content from Encyclopædia Britannica and Britannica Concise Encyclopedia as well as media, websites, and videos. Magazine articles are also available.
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.
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
Infoplease.com
Part of the Family Education Network, this online version of Information Please almanac features a hodgepodge of interesting and valuable statistics and information.
LearningExpressLibrary.com
Based on official tests, this database provides online practice
examinations for the SAT, ACT, ASVAB, GED, and othe standardized examinations.
Tests are scored immediately and evaluations highlight strengths and weaknesses. LearningExpress also offers basic skill building quizzes, job and career resources, computer software tutorials, as well as many helpful eBooks.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database.
World Book Online
This online version of the popular World Book encyclopedia is
good for students and valuable as a general guide to all fields of learning.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
Writing a Research Paper
CiteMe
With this WorldCat app on Facebook, you can type in a title, author, subject, or ISBN and get a formatted citation for the book.
Internet Public
Library TeenSpace: A+ Research & Writing
Learn how to research and write a paper using library and Internet resources. A special section called Citing Sources includes information on how to cite print and electronic resources in a bibliography.
WorldCat
With WorldCat, you can create lists, build a bibliography, and more!
Finding Magazine and Newspaper Articles
Use the Magazine and Newspaper Locator to find databases containing a specific journal title or to locate titles by subject area.
Chicago Sun-Times via LexisNexis Library Express
Search for articles from the Chicago Sun-Times from 1992 to the present. The full text of most articles is available but there is no access to pictures, charts, ads, or death notices.
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.
eLibrary
The general information resources in eLibrary include magazine
articles, book chapters, pictures, maps, and news transcripts.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
Factiva.com
This multilingual provider of news and business information includes
full text access to over 6,000 news wires, newspapers, magazines, and
journals. The site also includes many specialized trade journals,
international business resources, and publications such as the Chicago
Sun-Times, Wall Street Journal, and New York
Times. In addition to English, Factiva.com can be viewed in Dutch,
French, Italian, and Spanish.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Language and Literature
Literary Research 101 from Skokie Public Library
Use this helpful Skokie Public Library guide to print and online resources when you are doing literary research. The guide includes sources for literary criticism, information on authors, summaries and texts of literary works, and information on how to cite your sources.
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
MagillOnLiterature from EBSCOhost
This research database features 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 36 guided language learning courses, including 22 foreign language and 14 English as a Second Language [ESL] courses. The courses are divided into twelve complete courses of over one hundred lessons each, and 24 “basic” courses geared toward travelers or those interested in learning at beginners' level. Users can register to track their progress on the Mango site or simply select the “Start Learning” option to begin without registering.
OED Online
The online version of the Oxford English Dictionary, which
covers the language from the earliest times to the present day, explains the
current meanings of words and their development through time.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
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.
History
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.
Chicago Metro History Education Center
This site includes information on the current Chicago Metro History Fair and much more.
Library
of Congress Country Studies
More than one hundred countries and regions are featured in this database developed by the Library of Congress. Information includes a description and analysis of the historical setting and the social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of countries throughout the world.
Researching the 20th Century: Useful Materials for Decades Projects
This Skokie Public Library bibliography lists chronologies, timelines, yearbooks, video recordings, and other resources for students working on decades projects.
Biography
Biography and Genealogy
Master Index
Search this online index to find books that contain biographical information
on notable people.
Skokie Public Library's guide to this database
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.
President's Hall
Courtesy of the White House, this website provides biographical information on the presidents and first ladies of the United States.
Science and Mathematics
HowStuffWorks
Created by author and former professor of computer science Marshall Brain, this site provides explanations of how many things work, including VCRs, web pages, and smoke detectors.
Purplemath
Get help with algebra and even some precalculus. There are worked-out examples, explained clearly, for each topic.
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.
Internet Search Tools
netTrekker
netTrekker is a special search engine geared for students from kindergarten through high school. It searches over 180,000 educational websites to find information, and includes interactive timelines and a "Famous Person Search." For teachers, lesson plans and state-specific learning standards are also available.
Special Library Services
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.
Email
Email your questions to our reference staff -- anytime!
High School Textbooks Available in Adult Services from Skokie Public Library
A selection of Niles North and Niles West textbooks are available for in-Library use. Check this list and then stop at the Adult Services Reference Desk on the second floor to borrow what you need.
Instant Message (IM) a reference librarian
Chat with a librarian from Skokie Public Library live online during Library business hours using your chat program or through the Library's chat box.
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.
Telephone Reference
Call Skokie Public Library's Reference Desk at 847.673.3733.
Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 9:00pm
Saturday from 9:00am to 6:00pm
Sunday from 12:00noon to 6:00pm