eResources

Academic Search Main Edition

Discover full-text scholarly content for major college courses. Designed specifically for academic institutions, Academic Search Main Edition provides full-text and peer-reviewed journals from nearly 1,900 full-text journals and nearly 1,300 full-text peer-reviewed journals. Subjects covered include biology, chemistry, engineering, physics, psychology, religion and theology, and more!

Access World News (via NewsBank)

Access World News is a comprehensive resource that includes a variety of news publications worldwide. These sources include major national and international newspapers, as well as local and regional titles, newswires, blogs, web-only content, videos, journals, magazines, transcripts, and more. Access World News is updated daily to keep you informed of current issues and events, and it includes deep archives that provide background information on important topics, enabling you to trace an issue or event over a period of time to help foster critical thinking skills.

Ancestry.com Library Edition (In-Library Access)

Ancestry.com is the world's largest online family history resource, home to billions of historical records, millions of family trees, and much more. It's also the world's leading network of businesses dedicated to helping everyone discover, preserve, and share their family history. Use this link for in-library access only.

AP Newsroom

View the greatest events in world history with photographs, audio sound bites, video, and graphics, for over 185 years. Over 3,000 photos/images/sound bites/graphics added daily, including audio and visual snapshots.  

AtoZ World Culture

Curious about the world? AtoZ World Culture has you covered. With AtoZ World Culture, information about world history, cultures, languages, foods, religions, and much more is just a click away. With 174 Country Culture Guides covering more than 60 topics each, AtoZ World Culture offers a breadth and depth of content unmatched by any other resource. What will you learn today?

AtoZ World Food

Explore food culture and traditional recipes from around the world. It’s a movable feast in a digital cookbook!

Auto Repair Source

Discover the most accurate, authoritative and up-to-date service and repair information for thousands of domestic and imported vehicles. All content comes from the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and includes step-by-step repair information, diagrams, maintenance schedules, parts and labor estimates, service bulletins and recalls.

Black Freedom Struggle in the United States

Features select primary source documents (1,600 documents) related to critical people and events in African American history. By centering on the experiences and perspectives of African Americans, it is hoped that this collection imbues the study of Black history with a deeper understanding of the humanity of people who have pursued the quest for freedom, and the significance of movements like Black Lives Matter.

BookBrowse

BookBrowse is your guide to exceptional books, providing all you need to know about the books that matter.
Bookbrowse is a curated resource of the best contemporary fiction and non-fiction, emphasizing books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. BookBrowse provides in-depth reviews and "beyond the book" articles, hand-selected read-alike recommendations for thousands of books and authors, the ability to browse by genre, time period, setting, and a wide range of themes, previews of notable books publishing soon, and extensive resources for book clubs.

BookFLIX

Watch videos and read books about Animals and Nature, Earth and Sky, People and Places, ABC's and 1, 2, 3's, Family and Community, Music and Rhyme, Adventure, and more. Enjoy read aloud with words highlighting and interactive games. Some films and books are available in Spanish too!

Books, Movies & More in a PA Library (Access PA Catalog)

Search a single catalog reflecting the holdings of over 1,500 Pennsylvania libraries and their combined collections of over 41 million books, audio materials, reference materials, movies, and much more. Please use our Interlibrary Loan Request Form to request an item found through this catalog.

BrainFuse HelpNow

Online learning, test prep, and homework help service, including live one on one assistance

BrainFuse JobNow

Online learning, including job coaching, resume assistance, interview practice, and adult learning including GED prep, U.S. Citizenship prep, and MS Office Essential Skills Series. Also includes Spanish-speaking support.

BrainFuse LearnNow

Online learning, including school, college, career, computers, ESL, and lifelong learning. Also includes test preps.

Britannica Reference Center

Get free access to 3 comprehensive databases, including the Encyclopædia Britannica • Thousands of magazine and journal articles directly related to search topics • More than 24,000 primary sources • Merriam-Webster Dictionary in English/Spanish, plus audio pronunciations • 90,000 images, videos, and audio clips • Subject browse, from animals and the arts to science and math • Biography browse • 129,000 of the Web’s best sites related to search topics

Britannica School PreK-5th

Britannica School PreK - 5th is a comprehensive informational text source for younger learners pre-K to grade 5. It includes encyclopedia articles, images, videos, and magazine articles. There is a Britannica Fundamentals section for children Pre-K through grade 2. Tools such as a world atlas, virtual tours, country comparisons, etc., allow learners to explore geography and animal kingdom topics. A Britannica Fundamentals provides materials for children Pre-K through second grade.

Britannica Young Adults

Explore how-to documents for book reviews, presentations, research papers, and science reports. Get free access to 3 comprehensive databases, including the Encyclopædia Britannica • Thousands of magazine and journal articles directly related to search topics • More than 24,000 primary sources • Merriam-Webster Dictionary in English/Spanish, plus audio pronunciations • 90,000 images, videos, and audio clips • Subject browse, from animals and the arts to science and math • Biography browse • 129,000 of the Web’s best sites related to search topics

Consumer Reports

Full access to Consumer Reports' entire online database.

Contemporary Authors

Discover biographical and bibliographical information on more than 160,000 of today's most influential authors.

Creativebug

Creativebug has thousands of award-winning art & craft video classes taught by recognized design experts and artists. By signing up for Creativebug, you’ll enjoy unlimited access to thousands of online art and craft classes. Watch our classes anytime, anywhere. Since our classes never expire, you can start and stop projects at your own pace. No pressure, just possibilities! Exclusively available to PCL home library patrons and non-paying residents. .

Cricket Media Collection

This collection includes hundreds of e-books from renowned family publisher Cricket Media. It can help build strong literacy skills in students from grades pre-K to 8 by offering digital access to award-winning, short-form fiction and nonfiction titles. This unique e-book collection explores a wide range of subjects to help young readers explore and expand their worlds.

Digital Public Library of America (DPLA)

DPLA connects people to the riches held within America’s libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural heritage institutions. All of the materials found through DPLA—photographs, books, maps, news footage, oral histories, personal letters, museum objects, artwork, government documents, and so much more—are free and immediately available in digital format. The cultural institutions participating in DPLA represent the richness and diversity of America itself, from the smallest local history museum to our nation’s largest cultural institutions.

Driving-Tests.org

We've partnered with Driving-Tests.org to offer free online test prep for students preparing for their PA driving tests! Choose from several different permit tests, written specifically based on the state DMV materials. No library card number or personal information is needed! This resource is also great for anyone looking to brush up on their knowledge of PA’s traffic laws or interested in getting their motorcycle license.

E-Books (EBSCO)

Select from over 16,000 eBooks from the world's leading publishers across all major subject areas. Perform full-text searches of a single eBook, search thousands of volumes simultaneously, browse topic categories, or read eBooks directly online.

Elementary

Elementary students in kindergarten through grade five will find age-appropriate content covering a broad range of educational topics such as animals, arts, geography, health, literature, people, social studies, technology, etc.

Gale E-Books

Explore encyclopedias and specialized reference sources on a variety of topics from history, government, environment, math, and more!

GreenFILE (EBSCO)

This comprehensive e-resource draws on the connections between the environment and a variety of disciplines such as agriculture, education, law, health and technology.

High School

Secondary school students will have access to age-appropriate content from magazines, journals, newspapers, reference books, and engaging multimedia covering a wide range of subjects, from science, history, and literature to political science, sports, and environmental studies.

Hoopla

Exclusively available to PCL home library patrons and paying non-residents. hoopla is a groundbreaking digital media service that lets you borrow ebooks, audiobooks, movies, music, comics, and TV shows to enjoy on your computer, tablet, phone, or TV. (See “supported devices” list here). With no waiting, titles can be streamed immediately or downloaded to phones or tablets for offline enjoyment later. Learn about ebooks in our News blog here.

Kanopy

Exclusively available to PCL home library patrons and non-paying residents. Kanopy is the top video streaming service for high-quality, thoughtful entertainment. Discover movies, documentaries, foreign films, classic cinema, independent films, and educational videos that inspire, enrich, and entertain. We partner with public libraries and universities to offer an ad-free experience accessible on your TV, mobile phone, tablet, and online—all for free with your library card. Features: Catalog Ticketing System: Borrowers get 25 tickets each month. The tickets used vary based on the release date. For example, a movie may cost two tickets and can be borrowed for three days. Whole TV Series: A season may cost five tickets for a two-week borrowing period. Perks: Unlimited borrowing from the Children’s Collection!

Libby

Libby, the improved reading app brought to you by the same people as OverDrive. Borrow and/or download ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more from your local library for free! View our quick start guide to using ebooks here.

LOTE4Kids

LOTE4Kids is an online library database offering thousands of digital picture books in 100+ Languages Other Than English (LOTE), designed for children to enjoy books in their native language or learn new ones. It includes audio-picture books, English translations, and sign language options.

Mango Languages

Mango offers language courses with adaptive learning technology for learning centered around you. There are over 70 world languages and more than 20 English courses. This database also includes specialty courses that cover a range of culturally specific topics, downloadable lessons for offline access, study reminders to stay on track, and more! Visit the website or download the app today to start your language adventure. Exclusively available to PCL home library patrons and non-paying residents.

Middle School

Discover reliable and trusted information on a variety of topics to support middle school student research for government, U.S and world history, geography, literature, sciences, and social issues.  Middle School offers cross-curricular content aligned to national and state standards, and presents material organized into a highly visual and topic portal approach to quickly find answers.

Morning Call (via NewsBank)

A searchable database for local, full-text Morning Call newspaper articles from 1984 to the present. This database now also provides full-image versions of published editions of the paper from November 2019 to today.

MyHeritage Library Edition

This multilingual family history research database includes billions of historical documents from 48 countries, millions of historical photos, public records, indexes, and additional resources that span the past five centuries.

New York Times

Access the New York Times from anywhere!

1. Click here to redeem an access code to redeem an access code. Your code will auto-populate. Click “Redeem.”
2. You will need to either register for a free account or log in to your existing account.
3. After receiving confirmation that your access code is valid, you will have complimentary access to The New York Times and any relevant apps for 24 hours.
4. Once your access code expires, you can simply repeat Step 1 to redeem another code.

1. Ensure you are using the library’s Wi-Fi connection. Visit nytimes.com using any device.
2. Go to the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Click on “Log in” to create a free account or log in to your existing account.*
3. You now have full access to all news journalism on nytimes.com while logged in at the library.

News

Browse and read full-text newspapers from more than 2,300 major U.S. regional, national, and local newspapers, plus leading titles from around the world, or search articles instantly by title, headline, date, author, newspaper section, or other fields. News also includes thousands of images, radio and TV broadcasts, and transcripts.

NewsBank

NewsBank consolidates current and archived information from thousands of newspaper titles, as well as newswires, web editions, blogs, videos, broadcast transcripts, business journals, periodicals, government documents and other publications. We current have access to two of their premiere databases: Access World News and America's Obituary and Death Notices. Look for these resources' listings above to learn more about them.

PA Online Learning

PA Online Learning is a FREE growing collection of tutorials on how to use software, social media, and library resources, such as POWER Library! Explore now and check back later to see how it grows! Selecting the link will take you directly to PA Online Learning.

PA Photos & Documents

Explore 700,000 images of Pennsylvania photographs, postcards, manuscripts, oral histories and documents.

ParentTV

ParentTV offers thousands of on-demand parenting videos and courses, with content designed to support those who care for children from pregnancy through teenage years. ParentTV works with leading psychologists, pediatricians, mental health specialists, nutritionists, occupational therapists, and parenting educators worldwide. Search for and find videos on general parenting, play, behavior, child development, mental health, sleep, nutrition, technology, and more. Most videos are under 10 minutes long and can be accessed on your computer, smartphone, or tablet. You can also watch in Arabic, Cantonese, Hindi, Mandarin, and Spanish.

Pennsylvania Job Resources

Discover job resources for Pennsylvania job seekers and employers. These Pennsylvania government provided resources are designed to help you find a good career, review job openings, and match you with employers.

Power Search

Search many of the Gale e-resources available in POWER Library in one place! Find articles and information from Academic OneFile, General OneFile, InfoTrac Newsstand. Employers across the state are in need of hiring thousands of critical roles. View job opportunities here.

ProQuest E-Book Central

This resource includes 112 titles on diversity, equity, and inclusion and covers subjects such as business, education, fine arts, history, political science, social science, juvenile literature, and sports and recreation.

Salem Online

History - primary sources and more. Literature - critical insights, reviews in Magill's literary annual from 1977-present. Science careers database. Health - searchable heathcare database featuring McGills Medical Encyclopedia

Science Reference Center

Perform research from hundreds of full text science encyclopedias, reference books, periodicals, and other reliable sources. View more than 280,000 high-quality science images from sources such as UPI, Getty, NASA, National Geographic and the Nature Picture Library.

Science Reference eBook Collection

Explore science from over 230 full-text eBooks! This collection of reference titles covers a wide variety of topics such as animals, biology, climate change, computing, engineering, experiments, life science, nature, oceans, physical science, and weather.

SIRS Discoverer

This database covers areas including history, health, language arts, math, science, social studies, and technology. All newspaper, magazine, and reference book content is 100% full text, editorially-selected and indexed from over 2,200 reliable, high-quality global sources, including 400 full-text nonfiction books and around 300 full-text book chapters from publishers such as Britannica, World Book, Rosen Publishing Group, Enslow, and ReferencePoint Press.

Small Engine Repair Reference Center

Find detailed repair guides for all types of small engines. Offers assistance in providing routine maintenance (tune-ups, brake service) as well as extensive repairs such as engine and transmission disassembly. Search by product type, brand, model/engine type, specific area of model/engine type and model numbers.

Teacher Reference Center

This e-resource for teachers provides indexing and abstracts for 280 peer-reviewed journals.

Transparent Language Online

Whether you’re a true language-learning beginner, dusting off your old high school Spanish, or eager to tackle your tenth language—Transparent Language Online will help you get started and stick with it. Please note that you must create an account in Transparent Language to track your progress. If you do not want to create an account, select 'Continue as Guest' on the login screen.

TrueFLIX

Learn about people, places, nature, history, and science from videos and eBooks on topics such as American Indians, Ancient Civilizations, Farm to Table, The Civil War, Continents, The Thirteen Colonies, U.S. Government, Disasters, Earth Science, Experiments, Extreme Science, Nature, and many more. Best for elementary school-age children.

Wall St Journal Digital Access

Access The Wall Street Journal from anywhere! Simply click here to fill a form and fill in this form. You’ll get a link to create your account, and you can start using wsj.com immediately. Your access will be available for the next 3 days. After 3 days, simply come back and click the above link again (you can bookmark it, or fill the form in again) and login as an existing user with the same username and password you originally created. Note: For Parkland home library patrons only. You are not permitted to share your login information with any person under any circumstances.