Research & Learn

Featured Resources

Fiero Code
Gale LegalForms Ohio
GuideStar
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Resources by Category

Arts and Music

More than 1,000 award-winning art & craft video classes taught by recognized design experts and artists. 

How-to instructions and creative ideas for crafters, collectors, foodies and fans.

Books & Writing

Includes full text of works of American and English prose, drama and poetry.

Writing an essay for English class? Start your research in the library. Literary Reference Source is a full-text literary database covering all genres and time periods.

Looking for new reads, help with series, and book reviews? NoveList Plus provides readers with all of those things, and more!

Join WPPL and the Library Speakers Consortium online for up to three live presentations per month featuring authors such as Madeline Miller, Robert Jones, Jr. and John Stamos.

Business & Finance

Research companies, industries and countries, including market research information.

Foundation Directory Professional by Candid is the most comprehensive prospect research tool for organizations and individuals seeking grants and funds. Formerly grouped under Foundation Center.

So, what is Glassdoor? We’re a thriving community for workplace conversations, driven by a simple mission: helping people everywhere find jobs and companies they love.
Find information about salaries, reviews, and interview questions for thousands of companies.

Access GuideStar from Candid to research local nonprofits to find services for those in need or to donate time or funds. 

Empower your investment knowledge. Morningstar's investment research center can help you grasp a broad range of investment opportunities.

Ohioline is an information resource produced by Ohio State University Extension—featuring hundreds of OSU Extension fact sheets which cover a wide array of subjects such as agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, community development, and 4-H youth development.

Using Data Axle Reference Solutions (formerly ReferenceUSA), you can: Find jobs by job skills, location, and industry. Find business opportunities. View historical market trends. Track down addresses and phone numbers.

A database of articles from regional business journals, newspapers and newswires.

S&P Global NetAdvantage provides web-based access to S&P Industry Surveys, S&P Company Profiles, Stock Reports and Sub-Industry Reviews. Each S&P Industry Survey includes current trends, how the industry operates, downloadable company data and links to industry trade associations.

Get exclusive full text for many of the top consumer small business reference books. Small Business Source contains hundreds of full-text reference books and full-text magazines.

Stock portfolio management and investment research.

Important financial literacy tools from Weiss Ratings & Grey House Publishing.

Careers & Training

Driving-Tests helps busy learner drivers dominate their Ohio BMV knowledge exam. This program contains Ohio-specific information for car practice tests, motorcycle practice tests, a CDL (Commercial Driver's License) practice test, online driver's manuals (car, motorcycle, CDL), and an FAQ section with detailed answers to BMV-related questions.

The Education Resources Information Center database.

So, what is Glassdoor? We’re a thriving community for workplace conversations, driven by a simple mission: helping people everywhere find jobs and companies they love.
Find information about salaries, reviews, and interview questions for thousands of companies.

Build a resume online in minutes with a free resume builder.

Formerly Lynda.com. LinkedIn Learning features video courses taught by industry experts and designed for any skill level, on topics ranging from computer programming to project management. Courses include instruction on various computer software, programming languages and business topics.

Northstar Digital Literacy defines basic skills needed to perform tasks on computers and online. Online, self-guided modules assess the ability of individuals to perform tasks based on these skills.

A site for employers, job seekers and students in the state of Ohio. Employers can post jobs and search through resumes; job seekers can post resumes and search for jobs; students can explore careers and plan the future.

Using Data Axle Reference Solutions (formerly ReferenceUSA), you can: Find jobs by job skills, location, and industry. Find business opportunities. View historical market trends. Track down addresses and phone numbers.

Get exclusive full text for many of the top consumer small business reference books. Small Business Source contains hundreds of full-text reference books and full-text magazines.

Genealogy

ProQuest® African American Heritage is a groundbreaking digital resource exclusively devoted to African American family history research. 

A genealogical database that includes U.S. Census data, special collections, as well as charts and forms to organize your research.

Discover their stories: Search and browse historical military records with ease with Fold3 Library Edition.

Explore your family history with the premier collection of U.S. obituaries and death notices for in-depth genealogical research, 1704 – today.

A research tool for genealogy. Search Census data, local and family histories and many other areas.

Large street plans produced by the Sanborn Fire Insurance Co. between 1867 and 1970. These digitized maps are important resources for local historical research in many areas around the nation.

Government & Law

CDC works 24/7 to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S.

Driving-Tests helps busy learner drivers dominate their Ohio BMV knowledge exam. This program contains Ohio-specific information for car practice tests, motorcycle practice tests, a CDL (Commercial Driver's License) practice test, online driver's manuals (car, motorcycle, CDL), and an FAQ section with detailed answers to BMV-related questions.

FuelEconomy.gov is federal government website that helps consumers make informed fuel economy choices when purchasing a vehicle and helps them achieve the best fuel economy possible from the cars they own.

Access a wide selection of state-specific (and multi-state) legal forms and resources across the most popular legal areas.

Ohio law consists of the Ohio Constitution, the Ohio Revised Code and the Ohio Administrative Code.

Ohio Legal Help leverages technology and innovation to improve justice and fairness for all Ohioans. Our work removes barriers to the law so that all Ohioans can understand their legal options, make informed decisions and connect to legal and community resources.

The official website of the state of Ohio with access to Ohio state agencies.

Health & Medicine

CDC works 24/7 to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S.

Full-text journals, magazines, and reference books from EBSCOhost dealing with health, wellness, fitness, and nutrition— coverage includes a focus on the complementary, holistic and integrated approaches to health and wellness.

Easy-to-read, shareable health education in 15+ languages.

MedlinePlus is an online health information resource for patients and their families and friends.

MedlinePlus Genetics is part of MedlinePlus, a resource for consumer health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM).

Browse health information in multiple languages, arranged by language. You can also browse this information by health topic.

One of the world’s most widely used medical information resources. The Manuals are committed to making the best current medical information accessible to health care professionals and patients on every continent.

Find information on animal health topics, written for the veterinary professional, from a trusted source of comprehensive, up-to-date, and accurate information on the health problems affecting animals.

History & Biography

ProQuest® African American Heritage is a groundbreaking digital resource exclusively devoted to African American family history research. 

A genealogical database that includes U.S. Census data, special collections, as well as charts and forms to organize your research.

This database provides biographical information from ancient times to the present.

This resource features expertly selected open primary source documents, including historical newspaper articles, pamphlets, diaries, correspondence and more from specific time periods in U.S. history marked by the opposition African Americans have faced on the road to freedom. 

Discover their stories: Search and browse historical military records with ease with Fold3 Library Edition.

A website created by the Ohio Public Library Information Network and the Ohio Historical Society to provide a guide for identifying flint artifacts, in addition to historical information about Ohio's ancient peoples.

Languages and Culture

The Spanish-language version of World Book Encyclopedia: La Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos.

Easy-to-read, shareable health education in 15+ languages.

Little Pim is an award-winning language-learning solution for children from Mango Languages.

Mango is a personalized, adaptive language-learning experience that provides the tools and guidance you need to expand your language skills wherever and however you learn best.

Browse health information in multiple languages, arranged by language. You can also browse this information by health topic.

Newspapers and Magazines

Magazine and journal articles in Academic Search Premier, which is primarily academic or scholarly journals.

News and information from reliable news sources spanning the U.S., including The Plain Dealer.

Explore Cleveland history through local news, events and people with the Cleveland Plain Dealer Collection.

Consumer Reports is a great site for consumer research.

Flipster provides instant access to the magazines you know and love in an easy-to-read digital format!

How-to instructions and creative ideas for crafters, collectors, foodies and fans.

Your source for “how-to” information on a variety of do-it-yourself home improvement and repair projects.

Contains extensive reference resources on a range of disciplines, going back to 1975.

Enjoy free and unlimited access to world-class journalism in The New York Times.

This database includes full-text of 35 national and international newspapers in addition to nearly 400 regional newspapers.

Electronic versions of The Plain Dealer newspaper are available via NewsBank for access in-library and from home using your library card number and PIN.

With PressReader and Westlake Porter Public Library, you get access to more than 7,000 of the world’s top newspapers and magazines as soon as they’re available on shelves.

Access The Wall Street Journal from anywhere!

Ohio

Explore Cleveland history through local news, events and people with the Cleveland Plain Dealer Collection.

Access a wide selection of state-specific (and multi-state) legal forms and resources across the most popular legal areas.

Ohio law consists of the Ohio Constitution, the Ohio Revised Code and the Ohio Administrative Code.

Ohio Legal Help leverages technology and innovation to improve justice and fairness for all Ohioans. Our work removes barriers to the law so that all Ohioans can understand their legal options, make informed decisions and connect to legal and community resources.

The official website of the state of Ohio with access to Ohio state agencies.

A site for employers, job seekers and students in the state of Ohio. Employers can post jobs and search through resumes; job seekers can post resumes and search for jobs; students can explore careers and plan the future.

Electronic versions of The Plain Dealer newspaper are available via NewsBank for access in-library and from home using your library card number and PIN.

Large street plans produced by the Sanborn Fire Insurance Co. between 1867 and 1970. These digitized maps are important resources for local historical research in many areas around the nation.

Have you ever found a leaf or fruit and wondered what kind of tree it came from? The What Tree Is It? website will help you come up with the answers.

Accurately identifying snakes found in the wild is an important task. What's that Snake? makes snake identification much easier.

A website created by the Ohio Public Library Information Network and the Ohio Historical Society to provide a guide for identifying flint artifacts, in addition to historical information about Ohio's ancient peoples.

Reading Recommendations

Looking for new reads, help with series, and book reviews? NoveList Plus provides readers with all of those things, and more!

Reference and Research

Magazine and journal articles in Academic Search Premier, which is primarily academic or scholarly journals.

Includes full text of works of American and English prose, drama and poetry.

The American Physical Society (APS) provides free online access to all APS journals in U.S. public libraries and high schools.

Consumer Reports is a great site for consumer research.

A collection of non-fiction eBooks from EBSCOhost available via the web on a range of topics.

The Spanish-language version of World Book Encyclopedia: La Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos.

Explora for Public Libraries provides easy-to-use features and reliable content from the world's leading magazines and reference books, grouped into easy-to-browse categories. Explora provides research collections on thousands of topics to help them find the information they need quickly and easily. You can search hundreds of professional journals, popular magazines, reference books, images, primary sources, and more by keyword or by topic.

Explore your family history with the premier collection of U.S. obituaries and death notices for in-depth genealogical research, 1704 – today.

Writing an essay for English class? Start your research in the library. Literary Reference Source is a full-text literary database covering all genres and time periods.

Contains extensive reference resources on a range of disciplines, going back to 1975.

Long-form overview articles written, peer-reviewed, and edited by leading scholars. Each of the twenty-five distinct encyclopedias covers both foundational and cutting-edge topics.

Writing a persuasive essay? Searching for a good debate topic? Look no further than Points of View Reference Source, a database from EBSCO, geared toward high school students. Containing resources that present diverse perspectives on important issues and events, Points of View has the information students need to better understand controversial issues and craft persuasive arguments ― in speech and in writing. The database covers more than 560 topics across dozens of categories.

Using Data Axle Reference Solutions (formerly ReferenceUSA), you can: Find jobs by job skills, location, and industry. Find business opportunities. View historical market trends. Track down addresses and phone numbers.

Intelligent and serious introductions to a huge range of subjects. 

The online version of the World Book Encyclopedia. It includes primary source documents, e-books, encyclopedia articles, and images.

Science & Nature

The American Physical Society (APS) provides free online access to all APS journals in U.S. public libraries and high schools.

MedlinePlus Genetics is part of MedlinePlus, a resource for consumer health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM).

Find information on animal health topics, written for the veterinary professional, from a trusted source of comprehensive, up-to-date, and accurate information on the health problems affecting animals.

Ohioline is an information resource produced by Ohio State University Extension—featuring hundreds of OSU Extension fact sheets which cover a wide array of subjects such as agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, community development, and 4-H youth development.

EBSCO’s Science Reference Source provides easy access to full-text, science-oriented content appropriate for middle and high school students.

Have you ever found a leaf or fruit and wondered what kind of tree it came from? The What Tree Is It? website will help you come up with the answers.

Accurately identifying snakes found in the wild is an important task. What's that Snake? makes snake identification much easier.

Students & Homework

This resource features expertly selected open primary source documents, including historical newspaper articles, pamphlets, diaries, correspondence and more from specific time periods in U.S. history marked by the opposition African Americans have faced on the road to freedom. 

The Spanish-language version of World Book Encyclopedia: La Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos.

Explora for Public Libraries provides easy-to-use features and reliable content from the world's leading magazines and reference books, grouped into easy-to-browse categories. Explora provides research collections on thousands of topics to help them find the information they need quickly and easily. You can search hundreds of professional journals, popular magazines, reference books, images, primary sources, and more by keyword or by topic.

Fun and gamified coding lessons for kids! Fiero Code is a self-paced learn-to-code software program for kids ages 8-18.

Little Pim is an award-winning language-learning solution for children from Mango Languages.

Writing a persuasive essay? Searching for a good debate topic? Look no further than Points of View Reference Source, a database from EBSCO, geared toward high school students. Containing resources that present diverse perspectives on important issues and events, Points of View has the information students need to better understand controversial issues and craft persuasive arguments ― in speech and in writing. The database covers more than 560 topics across dozens of categories.

Intelligent and serious introductions to a huge range of subjects. 

The online version of the World Book Encyclopedia. It includes primary source documents, e-books, encyclopedia articles, and images.

Technology & DIY

Automotive diagnostic and repair information.

Chilton Library 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.

More than 1,000 award-winning art & craft video classes taught by recognized design experts and artists. 

Fun and gamified coding lessons for kids! Fiero Code is a self-paced learn-to-code software program for kids ages 8-18.

FuelEconomy.gov is federal government website that helps consumers make informed fuel economy choices when purchasing a vehicle and helps them achieve the best fuel economy possible from the cars they own.

Your source for “how-to” information on a variety of do-it-yourself home improvement and repair projects.

Formerly Lynda.com. LinkedIn Learning features video courses taught by industry experts and designed for any skill level, on topics ranging from computer programming to project management. Courses include instruction on various computer software, programming languages and business topics.

Northstar Digital Literacy defines basic skills needed to perform tasks on computers and online. Online, self-guided modules assess the ability of individuals to perform tasks based on these skills.

Video Streaming

Kanopy is a video streaming service that provides instant access to thousands of critically acclaimed movies, documentaries and kid favorites. Partnered with studios like A24, The Criterion Collection, PBS and more, Kanopy provides access to thoughtful entertainment.

Join WPPL and the Library Speakers Consortium online for up to three live presentations per month featuring authors such as Madeline Miller, Robert Jones, Jr. and John Stamos.

eBooks & Audiobooks

With ComicsPlus, children, teens and adults have unlimited access to thousands of digital comic books, graphic novels, and manga from more than one hundred publishers with a WPPL library card.

A collection of non-fiction eBooks from EBSCOhost available via the web on a range of topics.

Flipster provides instant access to the magazines you know and love in an easy-to-read digital format!

Enjoy free and unlimited access to world-class journalism in The New York Times.

With PressReader and Westlake Porter Public Library, you get access to more than 7,000 of the world’s top newspapers and magazines as soon as they’re available on shelves.

TumbleBooks are animated, talking picture books which teach kids the joy of reading in a format they'll love. Have fun with reading in a whole new way!

Access The Wall Street Journal from anywhere!