Helpful Resources
Hoopla Service Update
Due to budgetary constraints, the download limit for hoopla will be lowered to 5 checkouts per month starting July 1st, 2022.
MasterFILE Reference eBook Collection
Additional Resources
A temporary collection of books that supports emergency remote teaching, research activities, independent scholarship, and intellectual stimulation.
Additional Resources
Access an extensive collection of Elementary, Middle, and High School level multi-user eBooks.
Christine's Genealogy Website
African American genealogy resources.
Cyndi's List
Links to nearly 300,000 genealogy sites online - a great starting point for online research.
Ellis Island
Web site of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation. Search passenger records, get genealogy charts and forms, and learn about the immigrant experience.
Family Search
The Family History website of the Church or Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS). Contains genealogies submitted by Church members, the Family History Library Catalog, and information extracted from church and vital records throughout the world.
Find a Grave
Find gravesites of your ancestors or of famous persons in a database of millions of names and photos. Search by surname and location or cemetary name and a list of the famous by a birthdate or deathdate. Create virtual memorials, add 'virtual flowers' and a note to a loved one's grave.
Genealogy Center at the Allen County (Indiana) Public Library
Acquaint yourself with America's premeire genealogical collection in a public library. There are many wonderful self-help resources such as PATHFINDERS and RESEARCH TOPICS to further your research.
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Like a paper library, we provide free access to researchers, historians, scholars, and the general public.
JewishGen: Jewish Genealogy
Discussion groups, databases including the Shtetlseeker and Family Finder, and links to other Jewish genealogy sites.
Legacy
Find recent obituaries from newspapers and funeral homes across the U.S. Some archives retained as long as a year.
National Archives
Passenger arrivals, censuses, naturalization's, military and pension, Native American and tribal information.
Public Records Directory
Links to criminal records, civil court records, marriage records, divorce records, real and personal property records, recorded documents, jail and inmate records, sex offender records, and other free public records.
RootsWeb
The Internet's oldest and largest free genealogy community, affiliated with Ancestry.com. Home of the Rootsweb Surname List, with over 800,000 surnames listed; about 18,000 surname, ethnic group and locality mailing lists; and the WorldConnect project containing about 23,000,000 names.
USGenWeb Project
Volunteers host pages for every state and county in the U.S. May contain transcribed census or vital records, surname lists and queries, military records, biographies and more.
World GenWeb Project
Sites hosted by volunteers for countries and regions of the world.
Additional Resources
Various resources for learning to use technology and more.
Yale's Free Course on 'Happiness'
Engage in a series of challenges designed to increase your own happiness and build more productive habits. As preparation for these tasks, Professor Laurie Santos reveals misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind that lead us to think the way we do, and the research that can help us change.
The Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative
Explora Secondary Schools
Additional Resources
Find lessons plans that integrate Explora with school curricula
Go on a Scavenger Hunt to learn how to use Explora
Parent Resources
Tips and activities to help children learn at home.
- ACT® Flash Review
- ACT® Power Practice
- ACT® Word Games
- AP® Biology Flash Review
- AP® Calculus AB Study Guide
- AP® Chemistry Study Guide
- AP® Computer Science A Study Guide
- AP® English Literature and Composition Study Guide
- AP® European History Study Guide
- AP® Statistics Study Guide
- AP® U.S. Government Study Guide
- AP® U.S. History Flash Review
- SAT® Math Success in 20 Minutes a Day
- GED® Test Preparation
- GED® Test Flash Review
- GED® Test Prep Reasoning Through Language Arts Review
- GED® Math Flash Review
- GED® Science Flash Review
- GED® Social Studies Flash Review
- GED® Práctica Integral para la Prueba GED
- GED® Revisión de Razonamiento a Traves de las Artes del Lenguaje
- GED® Revisión de Razonamiento Matemático
Explore U.S. National Parks - VR & 360° Videos
Virtually tour some of the most remote U.S. National Parks, including the Kenai Fjords in Alaska, Hawaiian volcanoes, New Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns, Utah’s Bryce Canyon, and Florida’s Dry Tortugas.
Watch a Broadway Play/Musical
From Newsies to Sweeney Todd, enjoy some of the best filmed Broadway shows at home.
Mindfulness Yoga & Meditation
Begin practicing mindful meditation, a proven way of reducing stress.
Viking.TV
Watch free daily live stream sessions of documentaries, classical music concerts, and much more.
Extensive list of ASL video resources, including lessons, storytimes, and more.
Author Read-Alouds and Lessons
Authors and illustrators share stories and lessons on writing, drawing, and more.
Drawing Classes
Take free drawing lessons from famous illustrators!
Explore Animal Webcams
Watch live videos of animals from all over the world, including gorillas, eagles, wolves, tropical fish and more!
Family-Friendly Podcasts
Recommended podcasts covering a variety of topics, like bedtime stories, science exploration, cool news and more.
Famous Virtual Museum Tours
Experience the best of museums from around the world, including the British Museum in London, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and the Guggenheim in New York City.
Hour of Code - Learn Coding Skills
Try a one-hour coding tutorial designed for all ages, from beginner to more advanced skill sets.
Khan Academy
Sample hourly at-home schedules that include active learning links.
Scholastic Learn at Home
Keep your kids reading, thinking, and growing all summer - and beyond.
Spanish Storytime
Well-known children's stories translated into Spanish and spoken by a native Spanish speaker. Great for kids... and adults too!
Virtual Field Trips
Take a virtual trip to the San Diego Zoo, the Louvre, the Great Wall of China, and even Mars!
Wonderopolis
Find a new wonder, submitted by kids, and the answer, in an article with a video.
Let Samuels Library's Miss Pattie tell you a new story every Thursday!
Day By Day VA
Discover a new song, story, activity and book every single day.
Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum
Learn and play from local children's museum educators online.
How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus
From PBS Kids, featuring Daniel Tiger and Sesame Street.
LEGO Activities
Free activities and printables from Legoland!
Stories, Songs and Stretches
Guide children through an ocean-themed mindful movement and stillness experience.
Storyline Online
Wonderful assortment of famous actors reading story time classics.
Dog Man is at it again as he tries to escape from a digital locked room. It's up to you to save this epic hero of the day. Are you up to the challenge of figuring out clues found in text, photos, or videos?
Dav Pilkey at Home
Get creative and have fun with some of your favorite characters from Dog Man and Captain Upderpants!
Fluency and Fitness
Review reading and math through fun movement breaks.
Healthy Food Choices Video Game
See how healthy you can make your food plate to stay powered up!
Maker Stations
Creative maker challenges with added extension apps.
Minecraft Digital Escape Room
You can complete this escape room as a family, individual, or against friends!
Mystery Science
Mini and full science lessons for K - 5th grade students.
Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems
Grab some paper and pencils, pens, or crayons, and explore ways of writing and making with Mo Willems.
The superheroes - and comics creators - are here to save the day.
Girls Who Code
Computer science activities featuring women in tech who pioneered innovative technology.
Go on Virtual Disney Rides
Experience rides like Space Mountain and Slinky Dog Dash from home.
NaNoWriMo's Young Writer's Program
Practice your writing skills through age-targeted writing workbooks or write that novel you've always been wanting to.
Paleontology Lessons
Learn through daily fossil of the day posts and weekly live videos from Paleo Joe.
Storytime From Space
Travel to space to hear a story from real astronauts.
Read with Author Lauren Tarshis
Daily read-alouds from her series I Survived and from Scholastic's ELA Magazine, Storyworks.
Draw Every Day with Jarrett Krosoczka
Daily art lessons from the author/illustrator.
Ideas for working, at school or at home, with content from reliable sources about this global pandemic.
Channel Your Inner Lizzo Meditation
30-minute meditation video from the "Good as Hell" singer, created to promote healing during this global crisis.
Hogwarts Digital Escape Room
Put your Harry Potter knowledge to the test!
Live Performances From the Kennedy Center
Watch extraordinary performances from the Kennedy Center's stages and beyond, with new releases daily, special series and original stories.
Learn How to Write with Author Kelly Yang on Instagram Live
Want to learn writing from a New York Times bestselling author? Here's your chance!