Many of these databases are grouped under SILC Statewide Illinois Library Catalog (OCLC FirstSearch)

General:

Ebooks:  An online catalog of over 295,000 electronic books available through libraries worldwide.  Part of SILC.

WorldAlmanac:  Includes Funk & Wagnall's New Encylopedia, the World Almanac and Book of Facts, the World Almanac of the U.S.A., the World Almanac of U.S. Politics, and the World Almanac for Kids.  Part of SILC

WorldCat:  An online catalog containing millions of bibliographic records about books and other materials in both Illinois libraries and worldwide. Includes  books, manuscripts, websites and internet resources, maps, computer programs, musical scores, films and slides, newspapers, journals and magazines, audio and video recordings, articles, chapters, and papers. Part of SILC.

Magazines and Newspapers:

ArticleFirst:  An index of articles, some full-text, from the contents pages of journals and magazines.  Part of SILC.

EBSCO: full-text articles from a huge variety of magazines and journals.

ECO (Electronic Collections Online):  A collection of scholarly journals, some full-text, which includes all of the original content and images of the articles.  Topics include: agriculture, library science, anthropology, literature, business, medicine, economics, philosophy, education, political science, fine arts, psychology, geography, religion, history, science, language, social science, law, and technology. Part of SILC.

New York Times Archives: If you are looking for a New York Times article published since Jan. 1, 1981, search the Article Archive: 1981-Present.  Articles are free back to 1987.

PerAbs:  A database of periodical abstracts from general and academic journals, including many full-text articles.  This database also contains records for transcripts of significant segments of more than 80 news and lifestyle TV and radio programs. CANCELLED EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY DUE TO GOVERNOR'S BUDGET CUTS

WilsonSelectPlus:  Contains full-text articles in the sciences, humanities, education, and business.  It provides indexed and abstracted records with accompanying full-text articles, many of which are linked to citations in other FirstSearch databases.  Includes U.S. and international professional publications, academic journals, and trade magazines.

Business:

ABI Inform:  Includes articles (some full-text) on business and management in the U.S. and internationally.  Topics include:  accounting, insurange, advertising, international trade, auditing, international trends, banking, investment analysis, broadcasting, management, computers, marketing, economics, planning and strategy, engineering, public administration, finance, real estate, foreign investment, taxation, health care, telecommunications, human resources, and transportation. Part of SILC.

Health:

MEDLINE:  A database (with some full-text) covering all areas of medicine, including dentistry and nursing.  Part of SILC.

Other Specialized Databases & Websites:

Chilton Library: entire content of all the Chilton automotive repair manuals through current model year. Includes diagrams, photos, troubleshooting, diagnostics, maintenance and more.

ERIC:  A collection of journal articles and reports in education, with some full-text.  Part of SILC.

GPO:  U.S. federal government publications, including Congressional reports, hearings, debates, and records; judiciary materials; and documents issued by executive departments (Defense, State, Labor, Office of the President, etc.).  Includes a bibliographic citation in each record. Part of SILC. Another place to look for all things government is FirstGov. Everything from applying for student loans to tax information can be found here.

Heritage Quest: online resource for census data, family records and local histories.

LearningExpress: over 300 online practice tests. Your username is your FH library card then create your own password.

Legal Forms (Illinois): access to thousands of customizable online legal documents including forms for bankruptcy, divorce, wills, real estate, power of attorney and more!

Price It! Antiques & Collectibles: identify, research and price art, antiques and collectibles. Prices go back to 1998.

Language Learning Library: a free website where you can learn a foreign language. Another good website is LiveMocha. Not only does it have self paced lessons, but also interactive tools and a community of native speakers.

Testing & Education Reference Center: one-stop online resource that includes information on colleges, scholarships, financial aid plus online practice tests and ebooks (ACT, ASVAB, GED, LSAT, AP tests and more)

Cindi's List of Genealogy Sites: If you plan on doing family history research this is the place to start with over 126,600 links.

Internet Public Library: An entire library at your fingertips!