Databases
Classroom Help
Start Researching | Grades K-5
Explore reliable articles on a variety of topics such as biographies, geography, science and health. Explora Primary features topic overviews that provide students with a starting point for research and several other tools to help them with their homework.
Start Researching | Grades 6-12
Research reliable articles on a variety of academic topics such as history, current issues, business and government. Explora Secondary features a simple search that quickly delivers relevant results and other features that make research work easier such as citation styles.
Get Tutoring Help
Tackle difficult homework problems, get assistance writing your paper and study for the SAT. HelpNow is an all-in-one tutoring service that features live expert tutors on multiple subjects, practice tests on all levels of math, reading, and writing, as well as study session features so you can work with friends in private virtual study rooms.
Navigate Academic and Career Skills
Plan for your future career, prepare for college, learn how to succeed in high school and more. LearningExpress platforms provide a comprehensive selection of educational resources—including interactive tutorials, practice exams, flashcards, articles and e-books—for basic skills mastery, academic success, job preparation, and career advancement.
Get Career and Study Tips
Find the best PhD program for psychology, get advice on how to create a study plan, learn about accommodations, scholarships and best colleges for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, and more. Intelligent provides carefully constructed guides on a variety of topics, including ranked college lists (both in-person and online), student finance strategies, career prep, and hardware and software recommendations for students with disabilities.
Entertainment
Stream Movies & TV
Stream more than 30,000 independent and documentary films, as well as television show. Kanopy has films from The Criterion Collection, BBC Studios, The Great Courses, Media Education Foundation and thousands of independent filmmakers. Kanopy also includes a dedicated Kid’s Channel which includes amazing content for children, including Sesame Street.
Learning Something New
Have fun taking a course on the science of natural healing, America during the Guilded Age, or an everyday guide to beer. With over 700 subject matter specialists hailing from the best universities and institutions, The Great Courses is bound to have a lesson series that will spark your need for knowledge. All courses are available for free through Kanopy.
Job Skills
Take Free University Level Courses
Take courses from major universities on a wide range of subject areas, including - Biology, Computer Science, Finance, Humanities, Social Sciences and more. Coursera partners with more than 200 companies and universities to provide online learning where you can earn certificates and take part in degree programs. Fill out the form to get started.
This program for California residents has a limited number of paid all-access seats available
Get Career & Reintegration Help
Sometimes it is hard to ask for help. Brainfuse VetNow lets you connect anonymously with a veteran to get help figuring out VA benefits and other services: whether it’s tackling a resume, writing a cover letter, navigating the VA system, or adjusting to a civilian career.
Empower Yourself
Learn new skills, connect with others and unlock new life experiences. GetSetUp has a catalog of over 500 live classes in a variety of languages to help individuals 55+. Class topics range from: Technology (computers, smartphones) Physical Health (exercise, healthy cooking), Mental Health (stress, meditation, dementia), Social Health (book club, gardening, pets) an Vocational Health (resume writing, interviewing).
Learn a New Skill
Learn in-demand skills from real-world industry experts. Linkedin Learning (formerly Lynda.com) offers unlimited access to over 100,000 high-quality, current, and engaging training programs on almost any program imaginable, including business software like Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) design applications such as Adobe's Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, etc.) and more.
Achieve Digitally Literacy
Test and build your computer skills in key areas. Northstar Digital Literacy offers online assessments and courses for people with no, low, or limited technology skills in both English and Spanish. Get help meeting basic computer digital literacy standards such as using email, Microsoft Word, Google Docs, social media and career search skills.
These resources / this resource is available thanks to funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.
Get a Leg Up on Employment
Create a professional resume, explore jobseeking tips for individuals experiencing homelessness, and learn about job trends through regularly updated studies and surveys. ResumeBuilder provides you with the tools to overcome all your employment roadblocks, like a machine learning engine that analyzes resumes and job descriptions to create a resume-matching profile.
Research and Reference
Navigate Legal Issues
Get everyday “how-to” instructions on addressing business law, financial planning, family law, property & real estate and more. The Legal Information Reference Center provides more than 310 full-text publications and thousands of legal forms, many of which are provided through Nolo, the nation's oldest and most-respected provider of legal information for consumers and small businesses.
Research Reliable Resources
Full-text magazines, reference books and other highly-regarded sources from the world's leading publishers, all at your fingertips. Ebsco’s Discovery Service will help you find information on any topic via a simple search system.
Challenge Your Worldview
Get a personal guide to debating, developing arguments, writing position papers, and developing critical thinking skills. Points of View Reference Center helps you get a view from across the aisle with essays that include a series of questions and additional material to further discussion.
Get Reliable Health Information
Learn about everyday consumer health care such as ageing, substance abuse, diseases, pregnancy, obesity, and more. Consumer Health Complete provides convenient access to easily understandable health and medical information that you can search and browse within medical encyclopedias, popular reference books, and magazine articles.
Find Reliable Medical Information
Learn about your medications, symptoms and causes, human genetics, healthy recipes, and more. MedlinePlus is an online health information resource for patients and their loved ones, serviced by the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world's largest medical library, and a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Make Informed Purchases
Get in-depth analyses, ratings and reviews, and recommendations on a wide range of products and services such as cars, electronics, fitness, food, baby’s health and more using EBSCO’s discovery service. Consumer Reports is an independent, non-profit organization that uses rigorous research, consumer insights, journalism and policy expertise to help users make informed purchases.
Find Your Next Book
Created especially for people who love books, NoveList Plus is the premier online database for reading recommendations, available through libraries around the world. Helping readers of all ages find just the right book to read, this comprehensive source of popular and professional book information includes expert recommendations, reviews, articles, lists and more.
Find Your Next Book | K-8
Created especially for children and the adults who work with them, NoveList Plus Kids is an online database of reading recommendations which encourages reader success. Featuring an easy-to-use interface, kids can use NoveList Plus Kids to find just the right books for their reading levels and interests, while parents, teachers and librarians can use it to find valuable teaching resources that will engage young readers.
Feed your Curiosity with Wonderopolis
Wonderopolis is a place where natural curiosity and imagination lead to exploration and discovery in learners of all ages. Explore new ideas, ask your own question, and learn about specific topics like Earth Day and what is a Mariachi Band. Each day, Wonderopolis will pose an intriguing question—the Wonder of the Day—and explore it in a variety of ways.
Save Money, Save The Planet
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) produce the Fuel Economy Guide to help car buyers choose the most fuel-efficient vehicle that meets their needs. Check out what the benefits are of using more fuel-efficient vehicles and compare passenger vehicle data dating back to 1984
Do-it-Yourself
Repair your Car at Home
Learn engine component locations, how to inspect your timing belt, the correct type of lubricant for your transmission, and much more. Auto Repair Source is powered by the automotive experts at MOTOR and provides the most accurate, authoritative and up-to-date service and repair information for thousands of domestic and imported vehicles.
Language Learning
Learn Language the Natural Way
Test your fluency, both literally and vocally, and unlock the ability to speak to anyone in their native language. Rosetta Stone provides an intuitive and interactive learning experience that matches images with words and measures the accuracy of your spoken pronunciations, available on a wide variety of devices including smartphones.
Click on “Launch” below and use your Library Card and PIN # to both create a Rosetta Stone account and log in. To use the Rosetta Stone app on your mobile device, download the app before going through the “Launch” steps. To log in through the mobile app, log in as a “Workspace and School” account and enter s3542910 as the Workspace ID.
Click on “Video Tutorial” below for more detailed instructions on how to get started.