Learn Something New This Winter!
Wintertime is the perfect time to visit LVDL’s electronic resources from the comfort of your own home and try something new.
Resources
Our resources can help you write a paper, learn a language, fix a car, plan a vacation, and a whole lot more. Almost all resources are available anytime, anywhere.
If you're looking for a library service, like faxing, notarizing, or test proctoring, please visit our services page.
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data
- Weather, fishing, political maps
- NASA maps
Use it for: Gathering GIS data, preparing for travel, printing educational material and handouts
- State profiles detailing demographics, crime, cuisine, economy, education, places of interest
- Historical information and photos
Use it for: Preparing for travel, printing photographs, school reports
- National cuisine, regional cuisine, daily meals, dining etiquette, special occasion foods, and food trivia for 174 countries of the world
- 6,000+ recipes
Use it for: researching food culture and recipes for country reports, finding new recipes, learning about food history
- Award winning site designed to help children 2-7 build a strong foundation for academic success
- More than 4,000 interactive books, educational games, puzzles, and other learning activities
Use it For: A fun and safe place for young children to learn reading, math, science and more
- Access to this resource has been temporarily expanded to library cardholders working remotely, courtesy of ProQuest and its partner Ancestry.
- Access to Ancestry.com’s genealogical sources
- U.S. and U.K. censuses
- Birth and death indexes
- Military data and city directories
Use it for: Genealogy research
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- Collection of ebooks, audiobooks, and videos
- Local content from self-published authors
- Large collection of classic novels
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- Instructions for vehicle repairs and maintenance
- Original equipment manufacturer maintenance schedules
- Technical service bulletins
Use it for: Vehicle repair and maintenance
Did you know? There have been 36 technical service bulletins issued for the 2012 Ford F-150
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- Reviews, ratings and recommendations on appliances, automobiles, babies and kids products, food, and money/personal finance
- Money-saving advice and tips
- Reliable information on new and used cars
- Consumer news
Use it for: Researching products before buying, finding the best healthcare, cell phone and credit card plans
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- More than 1,000 award-winning art & craft video classes taught by recognized design experts and artists.
- Downloadable patterns, templates, and recipies
Use it for: Learning a new craft or building on your skills
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- Award-winning documentaries about science, nature, technology, history, society and lifestyle.
- Unlimited streaming of thousands of shows.
- Stream on your laptop, TV, phone, or tablet.
- From the founder of Discovery Channel.
Use it for: Movie night or learning about something new
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- Templates and advice for cover letters, resumes, and other documents
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- Formerly known as Reference USA
- Detailed information on businesses nationwide
- Consumer profiles to help with market research
- 2.5 million job and internship postings
Use it for: Finding a local physician or dentist, compiling a list of businesses in a geographical area market research, competitive analysis
Did you know? There are 13 florists located within a 5 mile radius of the library. Go buy someone flowers!
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- Illinois practice tests and handbooks for car, motorcycle, and CDL
- Instant results after every questions and explanations for wrong answers
Use it for: Preparing for your Driver's License exam
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- Collection of ebooks and audiobooks
- See our Downloads page for instructions and FAQ
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- Collection of popular magazines
- See our Downloads page for instructions and FAQ
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- Must have an LVDL card to register for a course
- 100+ instructor-led online courses
- Includes Microsoft Excel, ACT/SAT prep courses, and web design
- Courses for business professionals - accounting, business law, human resources, marketing
- Personal enrichment courses such as gardening, cooking, meditation, yoga, and art
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- Country profiles for business or casual travelers
- Guide to local customs, tipping etiquette, places of interests, terms and phrases to know, and cuisine
Use it for: Preparing for a business trip or personal vacation; finding authentic recipes from other countries
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- U.S. Census data from 1790-1940
- Revolutionary War Era Pension & Bounty-Land Warrant Application files
- Freedman’s Bank records (1865-1874)
Use it for: Genealogy research
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- Full text of the Chicago Tribune from 1849 to 1997
- Includes photographs, ads, and obituraies
Use it for: Locating a specific article or obituary, historical and geneological research
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- We have a collection of popular books on hand at the library that can be checked out as a group.
- If you don't want one of the books we already have, we can also obtain up to 10 copies of popular books that can check out for 6 weeks at a time. Fill out the Book Discussion Request Form and we'll get to work.
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- A suite of resources supporting local authors
- Design and export your own e-book using Pressbooks software
- Submit your e-book for inclusion in Indie Illinois, Indie Author Project Select, or the Soon To Be Famous Illinois Author Project
- Read and discover e-books from idependently published authors
- Open to all Illinois residents and sponsored by Reading Across Illinois Library System
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- Stream critically-acclaimed movies, classic cinema, inspiring documentaries, foreign films, and a collection just for kids.
- Stream up to 10 films per month, per cardholder.
- Watch unlimited films in the Kanopy Kids collection.
- Stream on your computer, TV, phone, or tablet.
Use it for: Movie night or learning about something new
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- Premiere provider of computer training video tutorials
- Basic computer skills and advanced software applications, e.g., (HTML, Javascript, jQuery)
Use it for: Computer training and learning new software
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- Self-paced, interactive courses to learn 72 languages
- English courses for foreign speakers of 21 languages
- Interactive audio for pronunciation practice
- Memory building exercises, beginner and advanced courses
Use it for: Learning a language, preparation for travel
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- Contains full text for more than 1,000 reference books and over 164,400 primary source documents, as well as an Image Collection of over 502,000 photos, maps & flags
- Covers an extensive range of subject areas including business, health, education, fitness, sports and leisure, personal finance, general science, multicultural issues, DIY and fashion.
Use it for: Any research project
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A Museum Adventure Pass provides free or discounted admission to Chicagoland museums, zoos, and cultural institutions. Come to the Youth Services desk in the library to check out a pass.
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- Full text of the Chicago Tribune from 1849 to present day
- Full text of select newspapers from 1980 to present day; includes Wall Street Journal, New York Times, LA Times, Baltimore Sun and USA Today
Use it for: Locating a specific article or obituary, other general research
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- Book reviews, award winners, and read-alike recommendations
Use it for: Finding your next favorite book
Did you know: If you like Sue Monk Kidd, you’ll probably enjoy Elizabeth Gilbert, Kim Edwards, and Curtis Sittenfeld
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- Book reviews and suggested reading lists for students Kindergarten through 8th grade
- Lexile scores for books
Use it for: Book reports, finding a book to read
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- Easily compose documents in categories like Divorce, Wills, Power of Attorney, Lease Agreements, Bankruptcy, Landlord/Tenant disputes and more
- Option to edit documents, print a blank version if you are on the go, or enter the required information
- Works best on Firefox and Chrome browsers
Did you know? The library provides free notary services. Check out the services page for more details.
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- Collection of ebooks and eaudiobooks
- See our Downloads page for instructions and FAQ
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- Formerly known as Testing and Education Reference Center
- College prep practice tests: ACT, SAT, GMAT and more
- Career practice tests: ASVAB, accountant, cosmetology and more
- Scholarship search and resume builder
Use it for: Boosting your ACT score, help with financial aid, preparing for a new career
Did you know? You can take practice AP tests for over 15 subjects
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- Public record data for real estate transactions, foreclosures, bankruptcies and new businesses in Illinois
Use it for: Market research, competitive analysis
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- Interactive, talking picture books for kids
- Works with Flash player directly in web browser; no downloading required
Use it for: A fun way for kids to read, entertainment on long car rides
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- Interactive, math picture books for kids
- For grades K-6
- Works with Flash player directly in web browser; no downloading required
Use it for: A fun way for kids to learn math, entertainment on long car rides
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- Live 1-on-1 help in math, science, English, and social studies from noon to midnight
- Writing center for help with essays
- Grade school to college level
Use it for: Extra help with assignments, proofreading essays
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- Full text of premium newspapers from 1980 to present day; includes Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, LA Times, and Washington Post
- Daily papers are added at 8am each morning.
Use it for: Locating a specific article or obituary, general research, reading current local, national, and world news
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- Catalog to search for books in libraries around the world
- The place to submit request for items via Inter Library Loan (ILL)
Use it for: Finding items we don't have at Lake Villa District Library