American History is a comprehensive resource that spans our nation’s history, with a user-friendly interface and award-winning content. The home page offers many ways to begin exploring the material, from the videos, slideshow overviews, and Topic Centers to the lists of key content handpicked by our editors to help users find a starting point for their research. By providing the most comprehensive range of information in one complete resource—subject entries, biographies, primary sources, videos and slideshows, images, timelines, and maps and graphs, plus full cross-searchability across all the Infobase history databases—American History offers a virtual library of American history for educators, students, and researchers. Powered by Infobase.
Resources for Educators
Online Resources
American History Online Databases & Directories
Brainfuse: HelpNow
HelpNow by BrainFuse provides 24/7 on-demand tutoring across all K-12 subjects as well as live tutors available every day from 2:00 - 11:00 PM EDT. Not only does HelpNow provide unscheduled, instant tutoring and homework help, it features an innovative writing lab, high-stakes assessment and test preparation, ELL/ESL support and foreign language assistance.
Curriculum Resource Center Databases & Directories
For teachers and students seeking material to supplement for their classroom or course work, this portal provides access to a broad selection of printable handouts, such as maps, science diagrams, science experiments, historical images, math activities and timelines. Additional fact sheets cover history, religion, women’s studies, government, multicultural studies, and health and fitness. Powered by Infobase Facts on File.
Education Week Academic Journals
Since 1981, Education Week has been America's most trusted resource for K-12 education news and information.
This news resource, available through our partner at NewsBank, along with hundreds of other, provides a comprehensive collection of reliable news sources covering a wide array of topics and issues. Search news content using keyword searching or drill down to a specific newspaper, magazine or news site and browse by date.
Educational Resource Information Center (ERIC) Academic Journals
ERIC, the Educational Resource Information Center, is a national information system supported by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Library of Education, and the Office of Educational Research and Improvement. It provides access to information from journals included in the Current Index of Journals in Education and Resources in Education Index. Powered by EBSCO.
Explora High School Databases & Directories
Designed for students in high school, this database provides researchers with hundreds of reference materials, biographies and more. Easily browse by topics including arts and literature, current events, history and cultural events.
Explora Middle School Databases & Directories
Start your research with Explora! Designed for the student, young researchers can look up biographies, articles on current events, or encyclopedia entries. The homepage features collections—arts and literature, biography, business and careers, current events, geography and culture, health, history and social science, and science and math—so users can easily browse by topic.
Explora Primary School Databases & Directories
Explora Primary School is a complete digital reference collection for elementary schools. The databases include full-text children's magazines, e-books, biographies and encyclopedia entries as well as professional development resources for educators.
Points of View Reference Source Databases & Directories
Containing resources that present multiple sides of an issue, Points of View Reference Source provides rich content that can help students assess and develop persuasive arguments and essays, better understand controversial issues and develop analytical thinking skills.
Points of View Reference Source covers hundreds of topics, each with an Overview (objective background/description), Point (argument) and Counterpoint (opposing argument).
Each topic also features a Guide to Critical Analysis which helps the reader evaluate the controversy and enhances students’ ability to read critically, develop their own perspective on the issues, and write or debate an effective argument on the topic.
Primary Search Databases & Directories Magazines
Primary Search, designed specifically for elementary school libraries and public library children’s rooms, contains full text for more than 60 popular, elementary school magazines. All full text articles are assigned a reading level indicator (Lexiles).
Pronunciator
Learn a new language anywhere you are with Pronunciator
Pronunciator is a fun and free way to learn any of 163 languages with self-directed lessons, live teachers, movies, music, and more. Learn online, at your pace and schedule! Library customers can enjoy free access to:
- More than 160 languages including Spanish, French, Japanese, Arabic, and Icelandic;
- Thousands of language courses for all ages and skill levels;
- Travel prep courses;
- ESL for 51 languages;
- Live conversation courses for select languages;
- Pronunciation and pitch analyzers; and
- Progress tracking across all devices.
If you're looking for ways to learn on-the-go, download the Bluebird app and bring Pronunciator language courses with you on a tablet or smartphone. If you have previously registered with Pronunciator, you are able to log into Bluebird with the same credentials. If you have not started courses in Pronunciator, it's not a problem, as you can register directly in Bluebird!
Download the free app from the App Store or Google Play.
Scholastic Teachables Databases & Directories
Scholastic Teachables provides unlimited access to printable educational materials such as worksheets, lesson plans, activity sheets, ready-to-use mini-lessons and more. Teachers and authors create and vet thousands of high‑quality, ready‑to-use resources for educators, parents, and homeschool families.
Science Online Databases & Directories
With a wealth of content that facilitates STEM research and learning, Science Online offers a comprehensive overview of a broad range of scientific disciplines. Topic Centers feature specially selected content on core science disciplines to help students find a starting point for their research. Students can also access the full, updated content of our unique science eLearning Modules, which target a variety of core topics and feature valuable Teacher Support materials for seamless in-class integration. Plus, interactive science experiments allow students to replicate the in-class laboratory experience in a safe and user-friendly environment, and interactive activities challenge and test students’ learning of the subject matter.
Teacher Reference Center Academic Journals Databases & Directories
Teacher Reference Center is an educator resource providing indexing and abstracts for hundreds of periodicals. In addition, 96% of journals indexed in TRC are peer-reviewed. Powered by EBSCO.
Topics include: Assessment, Best Practices, Continuing Education, Current Pedagogical Research, Curriculum Development, Elementary Education, Higher Education, Instructional Media, Language Arts, Literacy Standards, School Administration, Science & Mathematics, and Teacher Education.
Udemy for Libraries Streaming
This online platform provides video instruction for adults who want to learn skills for a new job, advance in their profession, or deepen a personal interest. More than 10,000 video-based, up-to-date courses are available in business, technology, software, and personal development—including more than 4,000 courses taught by instructors in their native language (French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish).
Use their extensive language learning tutorials to master major European languages, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Arabic as well as American Sign Language and sign languages used in other countries.
Expand and support your career goals by taking courses to improve productivity, learn new skills and understand the workplace. Teachers can improve curriculum development and classroom management skills.
Requires an Outlook or Gmail email address.
World Almanac for Kids Online
Erasing the line between homework support and fun exploration, The World Almanac®for Kids includes exclusive online-only material as well as content from award-winning Chelsea House and Facts On File sets and series. Each topic area provides resources for homework, reports, and projects, and kids can explore age-appropriate subjects while developing online research skills with a trusted content source.
World Geography and Culture Databases & Directories
Comprehensive, authoritative, and easy to navigate, World Geography and Culture is a resource for the study of countries, cultures, and geographic concepts. Every nation of the world is profiled in depth, with more than 40 entries and more than 100 statistical indicators covering all aspects of each nation’s geography, history, society, and culture. At-a-glance information, maps and flags, videos, images, audio recordings, gazetteer entries, biographies of prominent people, a timeline, and current news supplement each country’s profile. Information for the U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and international territories is similarly detailed.
In addition to researching individual countries and states, a variety of tools are available for studying Earth and geographic regions, comparing countries and states, and researching terms and concepts. Powered by Infobase.