How do I use the research databases?

Ancestry.com

Ancestry.com is the world’s largest online family history resource. Access hundreds of years of history in billions of historical documents and millions of historical photos from all over the world. 

Ancestry.com offers access to a vast collection of historical records, including census data, birth and death certificates, military records, immigration records, and more. It's a valuable resource for individuals interested in exploring their family history and gaining insights into their roots. It can be accessed on the Research Databases page of the Library’s website.

View a tutorial on Ancestry.com

Book Connections

Book Connections offers an exclusive, ever-growing, vetted collection of instructional materials about children's and young adult books and authors. Identify exceptional books that reflect diverse cultural experiences, interests, and ability levels. Obtain resources paired with book titles that further reading enjoyment, contextual knowledge, and educational relevance. Share resources with easy-to-use flyers, emails, texts, embeddable links, and social media.

It's particularly valuable for educators and parents looking to find engaging and educational books for young readers. It can be accessed on the Research Databases page of the Library’s website.

ChiltonLibrary

ChiltonLibrary provides access to repair, maintenance and service information on the most popular cars, trucks, vans and SUVs on the road today, as well as many new vehicles. This continuously updated resource provides step-by-step repair procedures, troubleshooting guides, diagnostic trouble codes, photos, illustrations, diagrams, and multimedia (videos and animations) to simplify even the most complicated tasks.

It is a valuable resource for individuals looking to perform maintenance or repairs on their vehicles. It covers a wide range of makes and models, providing a comprehensive source for automotive repair and maintenance information. It can be accessed on the Research Databases page of the Library’s website.

View a tutorial on ChiltonLibrary

Gale LegalForms

Gale LegalForms is an online legal resource that provides access to a wide range of legal documents and forms. Take the law into your own hands and create accurate, reliable legal documents with no hassle with Gale LegalForms. It offers Indiana-specific “attorney forms” – officially approved forms actually used by law firms. Many of the forms and documents are available in Word and Adobe format so you just need to simply “fill in the blanks.” It can be accessed on the Research Databases page of the Library’s website.

View a tutorial on Gale LegalForms

HeritageQuest Online

HeritageQuest Online is a comprehensive treasury of American genealogical sources—rich in unique primary sources, local and family histories, and finding aids. 18th Century or 20th Century. European or Native American. Farm or Factory. East Coast or West Coast. Where does your American past begin? Discover the amazing history of you with HeritageQuest Online. It delivers an essential collection of genealogical and historical sources—with coverage dating back to the 1700s—that can help people find their ancestors and discover a place’s past.

HeritageQuest Online is a valuable tool for both beginners and experienced genealogists seeking to uncover details about their family heritage. It can be accessed on the Research Databases page of the Library’s website.

View a tutorial on HeritageQuest Online

INSPIRE

INSPIRE is Indiana's Virtual Online Library. INSPIRE is a collection of online academic databases and other information resources that can be accessed by Indiana residents. INSPIRE includes full-text magazine and journal articles, websites, pamphlets, images, almanacs, full-text historic newspapers, multimedia, library catalogs and much more. In most cases, INSPIRE provides cover-to-cover indexing and abstracts of all articles that appear in every periodical with the exception of some newspapers. Only letters to the editor, advertisements, and some images are excluded for copyright reasons.

INSPIRE is freely available to all residents of Indiana and is accessible from any internet-enabled device. It is a valuable resource for students conducting research, educators, and individuals seeking reliable and authoritative information across various subjects. It can be accessed on the Research Databases page of the Library’s website.

NoveList

Created especially for people who love books, NoveList is the premier online database for reading recommendations. 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. It can be accessed on the Research Databases page of the Library’s website.

View tutorial on NoveList

Reference Solutions

Reference Solutions is the number 1 source of information on businesses and people specifically designed for small business owners, marketing professionals, researchers and job seekers. Reference Solutions helps users create marketing plans, conduct competitive analysis, raise funds and locate people.

Reference Solutions is a valuable tool for various purposes, including market research and business development. It can be accessed on the Research Databases page of the Library’s website.

View a tutorial on Reference Solutions

World Book Online

World Book Online is an engaging, verified, and trustworthy digital resource for grades pre-K through high school. It is a suite of online research tools that includes encyclopedia articles, primary source collections, educator tools, student activities, educational games, pictures, audio, and video, complemented by current periodicals and related Web sites.

World Book Online is commonly used by students, educators, and researchers as a reliable and accessible source of information. It can be accessed on the Research Databases page of the Library’s website.

View a tutorial on World Book Online