Online Resources

Temporarily available from home - simply enter your library card on the landing page to gain access!

With over 1.2 billion records, AncestryPlus is one of the most comprehensive online databases of genealogical and local history research available. (Blank charts & forms)

Ciber-libros para ciber-niños.

All the resources found in Encyclopaedia Britannica, plus special online learning materials for students, in grades K-8.
Search Tips

Search Tips

In-depth looks at people who have shaped our world.  World leaders, sports stars, popular icons, writers, legends of the old west, and many more.

Find information on topics related to business, education, government, health, politics and more from a variety of news media including newspapers, blogs, videos and web-only content including: the Beacon News (1997-Current), Chicago Sun-Times (1986-Current), Courier-News (1997-Current), Daily Herald (1995-Current), the Kane County Chronicle (2004-Current), and the St. Charles Republican (2009-2014).

More than 200 country-specific reports of every sovereign country recognized by the United Nations, plus several foreign dependencies and U.S. territories like the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Also includes information about each U.S. state and Canadian province as well. (Guided Tour)

(Encyclopedia Britannica for ages 6-12.)
Enciclopedia de Britannica para estudiantes de 6 a 12 años de edad.

10,000 biographies of famous people from around the world. More than 2,000 illustrations.

More than 6,000 illustrated articles of people, places, and events in American history.

Illustrated biographies written especially for beginning and striving readers.

This resource for middle school students and above explores the historical context and consequences of 30 defining moments in United States history, such as the Battle of Gettysburg, the Great War and the Jazz Age and the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Each event is treated in detail and supplemented with primary source documents, timelines, biographies, reading lists, glossaries, and photographs.

500 articles on Greek and Roman mythological figures with more than 300 illustrations.

This American History resource includes e-books from Scholastic’s Cornerstones of Freedom series. Each is paired with nonfiction videos and links to related websites. Topics include: Revolutionary Era, Our Democracy, Westward Expansion, Immigration, Slavery and the Civil War, Economy, the 20th Century, Today’s World and War.

UXL Newsmakers
Covers prominent personalities active on the current scene, including people making headlines in all fields.

Search Tips.

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Canadian Provinces
Provides information on Canada's provinces and territories

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Foods and Recipes of the World
Provides foods and recipes from 70 countries and culture groups worldwide -- from Algeria to Zimbabwe.

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Mexican States
Presents profiles of the 31 states and the Distrito Federal (federal district) of Mexico.

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Nations
Presents profiles of 193 countries of the world.

Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations
Presents easy-to-understand information on 200 countries and dependencies from around the world.

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Physical Geography
Includes information on physical properties and characteristics of nearly 200 countries. Designed specifically for students in grades 5-12.

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States
Presents profiles of the 50 states of the nation, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US dependencies.

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities
Students will find everything they need on 50 cities from all over the world.

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cultures
An easy-to-use, systematic guide to the history and current status of more than 290 cultural groups outside the United States.

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Holidays
Written for students in middle and high school. Offers information on familiar holidays as well as Children's/Youth Day, Festivals of the Dead, Cinco de Mayo, Bastille Day, Kwanza, Yom Kippur and many others.

Search Tips

• American Revolution Reference Library
  Supplies in-depth information about the American Revolution that students need for class assignments and reports.
• American Civil War Reference Library
  Offers comprehensive and wide ranging research. Especially for students in grades 6-12.
• UXL American Decades
  This resource documents contemporary American social history.
• Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-Bottoms: Pop Culture of 20th-Century America
  Covers the popular culture of the 20th Century and first decade of the 21st Century.
• Cold War Reference Library
  Covers the Cold War period between the Western powers and the Communist bloc from the end of World War II through 1989.
• Colonial America Reference Library
  Comprehensive information on the Colonial American period
• Constitutional Amendments : From Freedom of Speech to Flag Burning
  Provides the history and social context of the amendment process, covering each of the 27 amendments.
• Crusades Reference Library
  Covers everything from the First Crusade (1095-99) through the Ninth Crusade (1271-72).
• French and Indian War
  Contains historical overviews, biographical entries and primary source material on the French and Indian War. Designed for students.
• Great Depression and the New Deal Reference Library
  Covers the failure of the U.S. economy and its gradual recovery, with special attention to the New Deal, as well as the global situation, including the rise of Hitler.
• Industrial Revolution Reference Library
  Covers the ideas and social turmoil that marked this transition as well as the machines, manufacturing processes and energy sources that spurred it on.
• Korean War Reference Library
  Covers the Korean War by exploring the major topics and events related to the period.
• Middle Ages Reference Library
  Covers the different civilizations and peoples of Medieval times.
• Middle East Conflict Reference Library
  Provides an overview of the people, events and documents that are key to understanding the region.
• U·X·L Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes
  Provides detailed studies of tribes from all over the United States and Canada.
• Renaissance and Reformation Reference Library
  Covers everything from Luther's Revolt to the writings of Shakespeare.
• Roaring Twenties Reference Library
  Chronicles and illustrates a time of great social change in everything from fashion to music to politics.
• Spanish American War
  Covers the underlying causes of the Spanish American war, the battles, and the resolution of the conflict with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.
• Terrorism Reference Library
  This volume explores the roots and evolution of terrorism, covering the nature of contemporary terrorism and terrorist organizations.
• U.S. Immigration and Migration
  Chronicles waves of immigration to the United States from the earliest times through the period from 1820 to 1930 -- up to the present day.
• Vietnam War Reference Library
  Research the Vietnam War from every angle.
• War in the Persian Gulf Reference Library
  Triggered by its invasion of Kuwait, Iraq was pitted against a 32-nation coalition of forces commanded by Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, whose air attacks led the way for a ground war that met with success in less than four days.
• Westward Expansion Reference Library
  Features volumes dedicated to events, people and insightful primary sources that present an objective yet entertaining look at frontier life.
• World War I Reference Library
  Covers major topics related to the period, including the roots of the war; causes of U.S. involvement; the Espionage Act and Sedition Act; weapons of mass destruction; and more.
• World War II reference library
  Provides background and information on major topics about the World War II period.

Search Tips

• Grzimek's Student Animal Life Resource
  This resource book covers the animal kingdom.
• U·X·L Encyclopedia of Biomes
  Includes entries on land and water biomes, and covers climate, vegetation, animal life, food web, plant and animal adaptations, endangered species, human effects on the biome, and more.
• Endangered Species
  Covers the many species threatened by extinction, including amphibians, birds, crustaceans, fish, insects, mammals, mollusks, reptiles, and more.
• Experiment Central: Understanding Scientific Principles through Projects
  Includes 97 chapters with nearly 300 science experiments, and covers nine key science curriculum fields; astronomy, biology, botany, chemistry, ecology, food science, geology, meteorology and physics.
• UXL Encyclopedia of Landforms and Other Geologic Features
  Focuses on the physical and geological aspects, structure, and features of 48 of the earth's landforms. Written for middle school students.

General interest articles on current events, science, entertainment, the arts, etc.

Search Tips

Articles on medicine, nutrition, diseases, public health, alcohol and drug abuse and fitness. (Guided Tour)

Authoritative reference content, magazine and journal articles, primary sources, videos, audio podcasts, and images. Covering a vast array of people from historically significant figures to present-day newsmakers, it’s continuously updated to ensure researchers have access to the very latest information.

Get live, one-to-one, Illinois-aligned, skill-building, homework and test preparation help for everyone, from kindegartners to adults. English as a second language and Spanish foreign language assistance are included, as well as Microsoft Office help and Career Resources. Available seven days a week, from 2PM-11PM with 24-hour access to Writing Lab, SkillSurfer and more.

Includes genealogies, local histories, primary source materials and genealogical and local history serials, including PERSI. An ongoing project, this database continues to grow and includes materials from all over the world.

Has patterns, articles, and information on everything from amateur radio to knitting to woodworking.

St. Charles, Kane County and Illinois local history documents, maps and photos.

Mango offers access to over 70 foreign language courses and 20 ESL courses as the only personalized, adaptive language-learning experience that provides the tools such as real-world conversations, voice comparison, listening and reading activities, personalized review system, culture notes, and Mango Movies. Mango can be accessed at the library, remotely, or even on-the-go with apps for iPhone® and Android™. Guided Tour

The largest, most comprehensive American dictionary currently available in print or online, built on the solid foundation of Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged and containing new and revised entries while staff are actively engaged in creating an entirely new edition of the Unabaridged.

Full-text database providing popular middle school magazines and reference books. Covering subjects such as history, current events, science and sports, it also includes thousands of biographies and primary source documents, plus over a million photos, maps and flags.

(Encyclopaedia Britannica Online) The most comprehensive encyclopedia in the Spanish language, with articles, photos and images, maps and tables. La enciclopedia más comprensiva de la lengua española, con los artículos, fotos e imágenes, mapas y tablas.

Contains National Geographic Kids magazine 2009-present (3 month embargo), 200 National Geographic Kids books, and 500 kid-friendly and downloadable images.

Find 45,000 classical sheet music titles. Some titles may be transposed online.

Comprehensive collection of reliable news sources from local newspapers to national newsmagazines, plus America’s Genealogy Bank.

Search for picture books through chapter books by author, title, series name or subject.

• Includes helpful educator’s tools.

The access point for renowned Grove Art Online and other Oxford art reference resources, covering all aspect of visual arts from prehistory to the present day. Includes biographies of artists and select images of art.

Guided Tour

Search Tips

PebbleGo Biographies, PebbleGo Earth and Space and PebbleGo Social Studies are resources designed especially for students in grades K-3. They include photographs, videos and educational games.

Find information on all US states, with curriculum-connected content for grades 3-6. Link to American Indian tribes based in each state, with historical and current data. Learn more with videos, state songs and regional recipes.

Designed for elementary school libraries, Primary Search is a full-text database providing popular children’s magazines, easy-to-read encyclopedic entries and a vast image collection. Students can learn about a variety of topics, including endangered species, famous musicians, fitness and space exploration.

You can learn 146 languages, including the largest ESL curriculum on the planet. Simply use your library card number to create an account and start learning through a variety of vocabulary exercises, quizzes, culture and business notes, and grammar review. You can learn on your desktop computer or install the app for iPhone® and Android™ on your mobile phone. Also includes lessons for 3 to 6 and 7 to 12 year-olds.

Search Tips

Online literacy resource that pairs classic fictional video storybooks with related nonfiction eBooks. Reinforces core reading skills and introduces students to a world of knowledge and exploration.

• Includes helpful educator’s tools.

Incorporates Grolier Online databases, including Amazing Animals, America the Beautiful, American Heritage Children’s Dictionary, American Heritage Children’s Thesaurus, Lands and People, New Book of Knowledge and New Book of Popular Science. 

Presents a broad range of scientific disciplines through extensive essays, videos, diagrams, definitions, biographies, and experiments.

A highly-engaging, interactive, curriculum-driven digital resource with reading levels for students in grades 4 through 9. Includes videos, experiments and information on careers in science. 

Robust selection of Graphic Novels, Enhanced Novels, eBooks, classic literature, National Geographic videos, educator resources, and audiobooks for students in grades 7-12, parents, and educators.

Search Tips

Includes: digital Scholastic True Books, links to further information in Grolier Online and websites about each topic. Non-fiction topics include: continents, ancient civilizations, U.S. government westward expansion, natural disasters, space, human body and ecosystems.

Search Tips

A collection of animated, talking picture books and puzzles created from existing picture books, Large Print chapter books and classic children's books. There are also books in Spanish and French.

A collection of animated, talking math picture books, lesson plans, and quizzes for grades K-6.

The authoritative source of bibliographic and publisher information on more than 300,000 periodicals of all types from around the world.

Provides genealogists, researchers and scholars with online, easily-searchable first-hand accounts and unparalleled coverage of the politics, society and events of the time. Coverage from 1877 to 2001.

Start here for background research on any topic. Articles are updated with current events information, useful links on the Internet, a monthly calendar of important dates and a Today in History feature.