Reference Databases
Unless otherwise noted, Norridge & Harwood Heights residents may access these resources from their
home Internet connection using their Eisenhower Library card numbers. Anyone may access them from within the library. Please contact the
Answers Desk for more information.
- BookBrowse : Looking for a good book to read? Try BookBrowse! Find latest releases, what other readers thought about them, and then search the SWAN catalog, all from one place.
- Books & Authors : Discover a new favorite author or title with the "if you like" function, or find an in-depth critique of an old favorite.
- Literature Resource Center : A must for literature students. Find critical articles, biographical information, timelines and more.
- Novelist Plus : Do you love a book or author and want to find more like it? Novelist Plus will help you do just that, as well as provide you with complete series information, reading levels, and more.
- Business & Company Resource Center : One of the most comprehensive databases on business research available, this database contains company profiles from around the world, articles on people, industries and finance, as well as company histories.
- Footnoted : Available to anyone, Footnoted provides reports on the news items that companies put in the fine print of the reports they submit to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Useful information for financial professionals and serious investors alike.
- : Scroll through Chicagoland's public records, either within the library or from the comfort of your own home. Real estate transactions, mortgages, foreclosures, and more. Keep an eye on housing values in your community and help safeguard your biggest investment - your home. Sort by name, city, zip code, and more. Record Information Services is a 17 year old data compiler of public records serving the Chicagoland area.
- : ReferenceUSA provides contact information for thousands of companies within the United States. Develop your own search form and find companies using criteria such as geographic location, size, SIC code, and yellow page listing.
- Small Business Resource Center : Designed for the entrepreneur, this database offers users information on creating business plans, franchising & marketing.
- ChiltonLibrary Automotive Repair : ChiltonLibrary will give you step-by-step instructions to make repairs to your vehicle, offer maintenance schedules, provide information regarding recalls and much more.
- America's
Genealogy Bank : Easily search and browse millions of genealogies, obituaries, marriage and birth announcements and more from 1652 to the present. Includes historical newspapers, books and documents, along with modern obituaries and the Social Security Death Index.
- : The largest and most comprehensive newspaper collection of obituaties and death noticies with an easy-to-use interface. Use your library card number to log in from home.
- : Search United States census records, military records, directories, passenger lists and more with the library edition of the popular genealogy resource. For in-library use only. Available only within the library
- : Get full-text and images from historical articles, as well as the full text of historical obituaries and death notices. Covers 1850-1984.
- : allows you to search through census records, genealogy books, over 1 million genealogy articles and more. Also available for In-Library Use.
Contact us if you need help.
- Academic OneFile : Including more than 13,000 titles, this database offers peer-reviewed articles, full text of the New York Times from 1985 to the present, podcasts and more.
- Chicago Consumers' Checkbook Online : Looking for a good plumber, lawn care service or contractor? Chicago Consumers' Checkbook Online can help you find these and many other service providers in your area, along with user ratings. Chicago Consumers' Checkbook Online is funded by individual consumers who subscribe to the print or online content. They take no money from companies or advertisers. See what your fellow consumers are saying about businesses in your area! Available only within the library.
- : consists of various databases grouped by subjects. A password is needed to search. Contact us if you need help.
- : Imagine searching hundreds of reference books all at once on almost any topic imaginable. Now you can, with Gale Virtual Reference Library. You can print, e-mail or download entries.
- General OneFile : One of the largest general reference online resources available, it includes about 80 million records that are updated daily.
- Google Scholar : This free resource brought to you by the creators of Google allows you to search for scholarly documents across multiple disciplines.
- : Find modern outline, political, thematic, topographic, scientific and animated maps, as well as thousands of antique maps of places throughout the world. Download, modify, and use any of the maps however you wish.
- A to Z the USA : A great resource for travellers and students in grades 5 and up, find historical and current information about all 50 states and 5 territories. You'll discover lists of film festivals, histories and pictures of state flags, pictures of historical state license plates, lists of local farmers markets, and much, much more.
- Encyclopedia Britannica Online : Enjoy this classic encyclopedia in its online form in the library or from the comfort of your own home. Use the main search screen if you're in middle school or older, or switch to the Kids view for younger searchers.
- Grolier Lands & People : Elementary school-aged children can find maps, statistics, and other information relating to the geography and people of the world.
- Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center : Based on the popular Opposing Viewpoints print series, this database offers point and counterpoint articles on hundreds of topics.
- World Book For Kids : This kid-friendly database offers the valuable information from World Book Encyclopedia with hundreds of pictures and illustrations.
- World Book Info Finder : This database contains all the articles from the beloved World Book Encyclopedia in addition to thousands of articles from other trusted sources.
- World Book Online Reference
Center : High school students and older can use this online version of World Book for general information about the world and its inhabitants.
- A to Z the USA : A great resource for travellers and students in grades 5 and up, find historical and current information about all 50 states and 5 territories. You'll discover lists of film festivals, histories and pictures of state flags, pictures of historical state license plates, lists of local farmers markets, and much, much more.
- Encyclopedia Britannica Online : Enjoy this classic encyclopedia in its online form in the library or from the comfort of your own home. Use the main search screen if you're in middle school or older, or switch to the Kids view for younger searchers.
- Kids InfoBits : This resource is geared towards students who are in kindergarten through the 5th grade who need good information and want a fun way to find it.
- Student Resource Center Gold : This resource, aimed at high school students, offers articles from sources such as journals, reference books, maps & primary sources.
- World Book Discover : Contains content in a format designed specifically for students reading below grade level due to language or learning difficulties.
- Informe : This resource provides full-text articles from hundreds of Spanish-language and bilingual magazines and newspapers.
- : Mango Languages allows you to interactively learn 48 different languages online, including English for Polish speakers.
- World Book Spanish Language Encyclopedia : Find the valuable information of World Book Encyclopedia online and in Spanish for elementary school students. Busque en la Internet la Enciclopedia Mundial Hispanica par estudiantes de primaria.
- : Full-text articles from the Chicago Sun-Times.
- : Search the Tribune all the way back to 1849 and through to the present.
- : Full-text articles from the Arlington Heights edition of the Daily Herald, which covers news in the Harwood Heights and Norridge area.
- : Full-text articles from the Norridge News.
- Science Resource Center : Another great science database, SRC offers access to over 2 million articles on math, chemistry, biology, astronomy and much more.
- A to Z the USA : A great resource for travellers and students in grades 5 and up, find historical and current information about all 50 states and 5 territories. You'll discover lists of film festivals, histories and pictures of state flags, pictures of historical state license plates, lists of local farmers markets, and much, much more.
- : Love to travel? Global Road Warrior can help you find your bearings and feel at home in over 150 different countries. Find information on local customs, currency, health care & more.