Kid's Research & Homework Resources
Get help from a Librarian
We are happy to help you find materials to satisfy your personal
curiosity, or to fulfill school assignments. We can help you find
books, or navigate the internet or find your way through the
subscription databases. You can come and talk to us in person, you
can call or email us, or use JustAsk for online reference.
More information about Asking a Librarian
Print collection
We have a very large collection of information books on many, many
topics that can be checked out. We also have a collection of
Reference books. These books are rich in information that is useful
for homework projects, but can only be used in the library.
Software
Encarta software is loaded on all of the Library's public
computers. Encarta has magazine and encyclopedia articles, but the
outstanding features are the photos and video clips with sound. Ask
to borrow the headphones so you can enjoy all the cool
features.
Suggested Databases for Kids
EBSCO Animals
For animal lovers and report-writers, this database is full of
information about all kinds of animals.
Primary Search
Primary Search database contains full text for nearly 70 popular,
elementary school magazines. All full text articles are assigned a
reading level indicator (Lexiles). Additionally, Primary Search
includes the Encyclopedia of Animals™, and features the Funk &
Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, which provides students with
easy-to-read encyclopedic entries written specifically for kids.
This database also provides the American Heritage® Children's
Dictionary, 3rd Edition from Houghton Mifflin, and an Image
Collection of 293,480 photos, maps and flags.
Search Tools: You can search the Primary Search database using either the Searchasaurus or the Kid Search tools.
Searchasaurus is an animated, dinosaur themed interface designed for very young researchers. It provides access to the Primary Search periodical index of 89 popular magazine titles selected for use in grades K-7. Searchasaurus offers Lexile limiters (reading level), making it easy for students to read and research only appropriately challenging materials.
Kids Search is a search interface designed specifically for grade 3 - 8 researchers. It has a child-friendly, graphically-rich design that is both powerful and fun to use. Kids Search allows simultaneous searching across all subscribed databases; the ability to sort results by relevance, as well as by date; the option of filtering search results by source type.
World Book Online
This encyclopedia covers nearly everything imaginable, and it
includes photos, maps, time-lines, and audio/video clips.
See Databases A-Z for a complete list of subscription databases held by the Library.