Welcome to the library’s digital reference page! You can access these reference materials any time, day or night, with the links below. Some services may require your Villa Park library card number when you access their sites.
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Full-text articles to support research in science, engineering, physics, technology, religion, and philosophy. Includes access to video from the Associated Press (AP).
Provides information on complementary, holistic, and integrated approaches to healthcare and wellness. Sources include journals (some peer-reviewed) and reports.
Explore early American history to support genealogical and local history research, school homework assignments and more. Features more than 1,100 historical newspapers from all 50 states. Also available remotely 24/7 on any device.
Offers a wealth of information to help you diagnose, repair, and maintain cars and vehicles. Includes service and repair procedures, diagrams, recall information, specifications, labor estimates, and parts pricing.
This is a fun, free, easy-to-use online program, also available as an app for iOS or Android devices. Get ready to start tracking reading and activities, collecting badges, and earning drawing tickets. All are welcome to join, from babies to seniors, and enjoy our reading challenges!
More than 390,000 biographies. Includes complete full text run of Biography Today and Biography Magazine as well as thousands of narrative biographies.
Designed for public libraries, thousands of books cover core subject areas as well as information on careers, health, sports, adventure, technology, life skills and more.
Read book reviews, create lists of titles you want to read, discover blogs about reading and book groups, and more, with this online version of the American Library Association's trade journal, Booklist.
Full-text articles to support research in accounting, finance, economics, marketing, management, and operations management. Includes access to video from the Associated Press (AP).
Explore and stay informed on Chicago area topics, people and events in areas such as business, health, education, jobs and careers, political and social issues and more.
Explore Chicago history through local news, events and people with the Chicago Sun-Times Collection. Search current and archived issues with full-text articles and content only published online. Also available remotely 24/7 on any device. Date Range: (1/1/1986 - Current)
Date Range: (1985 - current)
Subjects include fitness, nutrition, diabetes, aging, women's health, children's health, and more. Information comes from magazines, books, Clinical Reference System reports, and pamphlets.
Buying advice, product ratings, reviews, recommendations, money-saving advice and tips, and videos for products including appliances, electronics, food, and more.
Creativebug.com has thousands of award-winning art & craft video classes taught by recognized design experts and artists.
Explore Chicago suburban area history through local news, events and people with the Daily Herald Collection. Search current and archived issues with, full-text articles and content only published online. Available remotely 24/7 on any device. Date Range: (1/1/1995 - Current)
Data Axle Reference Solutions offers the most in-depth & up to date information for US businesses and residents. Mapping & Data Visualization allows users to gain in-depth insights into content. Also includes databases: Job Seekers, Healthcare, New Businesses, New Movers/Homeowners, Historical Businesses, Canadian Business, and Canadian White Pages. View video tutorial
This e-book collection supports a quality learning experience for K-8 students across all subject areas taught in elementary and middle schools.
Build strong literacy skills in students from pre-K to 8th grade by offering digital access to award-winning, short-form fiction and nonfiction titles.
This groundbreaking collection includes over 6,000 high-quality e-books on the topic of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Give students, educators, and administrators on-the-go access to popular e-books. This robust collection includes a selection of classic literary works, important historical documents, and general reference materials.
This e-book collection supports a quality learning experience for K-8 students across all subject areas taught in elementary and middle schools.
Access to high-quality e-books covering a wide range of topics such as self-help, fitness, games, hobbies, and cooking. This general reference e-book collection features titles for both adults and juveniles.
Una herramienta ideal de referencia en español para los que estan aprendiendo español y para estudiantes de ELL. Las funciones de exploración proporcionan indicaciones visuales y las opciones bilingües permiten a los estudiantes alternar entre el texto en español y en inglés. El sitio ofrece el excelente contenido editorial de World Book con artículos, videos, mapas, actividades y más.
An ideal Spanish-language reference tool for those learning Spanish and for ELL students. Browse features provide visual prompts, and bilingual options allow students to toggle between Spanish and English text. The site offers World Book’s excellent editorial content with articles, videos, maps, activities, and more.
Britannica Library is an encyclopedic resource with content for learners of all ages, making it easy to find authoritative, age-appropriate reference materials.
Encyclopaedia Britannica For Kids is an essential homework helper. Find relevant encyclopedia articles, learning activities, games and videos for grades 1 through 9. Subjects covered include Math, English, Science, Social Studies, and the Arts.
Index of journal articles, books, theses, curriculum guides, conference papers, standards, and guidelines on a wide range of education topics. Sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences of the U.S. Department of Education.
This full-text database is a dedicated resource covering the culture, traditions, social treatment and lived experiences of different ethnic groups in America.
Designed to meet the needs of Kindergarten through 5th grade students and educators, Explora Primary School Edition supports both student research and classroom instruction with rich, reliable content and easy-to-use functionality. It offers an alternative to unvetted websites and open-web search engines, enabling the youngest learners to explore in a guided environment. Including reliable, age-appropriate content from the world’s leading magazines and reference books, elementary students can get started with research and explore many subject areas.
Whether you are conducting research for a school project or just looking to satisfy curiosity about a topic of interest, Explora Public Library Edition can help you achieve your goals. It offers reliable information on thousands of topics covering a wide range of subjects including: art and music, literature, language arts, geography, history, social studies, world cultures and languages, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, health, and sports.
Explora Secondary School Edition offers middle and high school students a single search box for easy access to articles, e-books, news, videos, and more. Browse to quickly see popular topics by category for ideas. Research tips show how to cite sources properly and avoid plagiarism; a citation tool helps to build a list of references/works cited. Explora Secondary is an alternative to unvetted websites and open-web search engines which includes reliable, age-appropriate content from the world’s leading magazines and reference books. Further, Explora Secondary supports both student research and classroom instruction.
Offers online financial strength ratings and financial planning tools covering banks, credit unions, and insurance companies. Provided by Weiss Ratings and The Street Ratings.
Several separate databases covering fulltext magazine articles, Medline, ERIC educational resources, conference proceedings, and a very large database of library holdings in the United States.
A general interest database that integrates a variety of reference sources in one easy-to-use interface.
Gale LegalForms provides professionally written legal documents used by attorneys and law firms. You’ll find downloadable forms covering real estate, wills, power of attorney, bankruptcy, small business—practically any area of law—alongside helpful tools like a Law Digest and Attorney Directory.
Provides researchers, allied health professionals, nurses, and medical educators access to scholarly journals on many medical disciplines. Provides indexing, abstracts, and full text for hundreds of nursing and allied health journals, many of which are peer reviewed.
HeritageHub is the largest and most comprehensive collection of newspaper obituaries and death notices. Extensive editorial review of all newspaper sections ensures thorough selection of obituaries for easy access. An easy-to-use interface allows searching by name, date range, or text such as institutional name, social affiliation(s), geographic location(s), philanthropic activities, etc. View video tutorial
Combines digital, searchable images of U.S. federal census records with the digitized version of the popular UMI Genealogy and Local History collection. This online database is an essential collection of unique material for both genealogical hobbyists and professionals.
Covering topics in U.S. and world history from the earliest civilizations through the 21st century, this database contains full-text journals, magazines, reference books and thousands of primary source documents.
Subject areas include arts & crafts; games & electronics; models; needlework; outdoors & nature; and scrapbooking & paper craft.
Detailed, user-friendly how-to information covering a variety of home improvement and repair projects.
Includes maintenance, remodeling, electrical work, plumbing, wood projects, outdoor improvements, decorating, home & garden, etc. Includes more than 130 reference books.
Includes stock and mutual fund reports and screeners to help find investments by particular criteria. Offers an extensive Online Investing Classroom. The Portfolio X-ray feature enables investors to analyze holdings diversity.
Search web-only content on local news, issues, events, people and more for My Suburban Life (2021-present) and archived issues of Villa Park Suburban Life (2009-2020). Also available remotely 24/7 on any device.
Desde mejorar su lectura, escritura y habilidades matematicas hasta la preparacion del examen GED, los recursos que encontrará aqui lo ayudaran a lograr sus metas. (Se necesita un usuario y codigo para ingresar al sitio)
Supports those looking to improve core academic skills, pass a high school equivalency test, prepare for college, explore careers, join the military, study for occupational certification tests, become a U.S. citizen and much more. Contains practice tests, interactive tutorials, e-books, articles, and flashcards. Includes the following:
Thousands of legal forms by topic including Bankruptcy, Divorce, Name Changes, Wills & Estate Planning and more. Most of the full text legal reference books provided through NOLO.
LGBTQ+ Source is the definitive database for LGBTQ+ studies. It provides scholarly and popular LGBTQ+ publications in full text, plus historically important primary sources, including monographs, magazines, newspapers, and videos. It also includes a specialized LGBTQ+ thesaurus containing thousands of terms.
Choose from thousands of online courses to learn in-demand skills from real-world industry experts.
Full-text literary database covering all genres and time periods. It includes thousands of synopses, critical essays, book reviews, literary journals, and author biographies, plus full-text classic novels, short stories, and poems.
Designed for high school libraries and offers coverage of popular high school magazines and reference books. Wide range of subjects offered including art, history, sports, and music. Over 1,000,000 photos, maps, and flags. Full text magazines include Discover, US News & World Report, Scientific American, and more.
This encompasses a rich selection of titles covering a broad range of general reference subjects, including biography, careers, language arts, literature, government, math, science, current events, and social-emotional health.
Broad collection of popular full-text magazines and reference books. Magazines include People, Better Homes and Gardens, TIME, and Newsweek. Covers subjects including business, health, education, fitness, sports and leisure, personal finance, general science, multicultural issues, DIY, and fashion. Also includes photos, maps, and flags.
Contains reference books covering a broad range of general reference subjects, including biography, history, architecture, literature, cooking, health and wellness, science, self-help, religion, current events, sports, travel and more.
Use this tool from Weiss Rating & Grey House Publishing to find out if you are paying too much for Medicare Supplement Insurance. Download a customized buyer's guide to examine Medigap plans, find insurers, and compare supplement insurance plan prices.
Magazines and reference books for middle school students. Includes thousands of biographies and primary source documents. Subjects include history, current events, science, sports, and biographies. Also includes photos, maps, and flags.
A broad range of general reference subject coverage for middle school students, with topics including social studies, math, history, language arts, technology, geography, culture, and science.
Full, unlimited access to news content on the New York Times website, including digital articles and archives dating back to 1851. Patrons must have or create an account with NYT Online and redeem a code using the link below to activate a 24-hour subscription if using remotely. When the subscription expires, patrons can come back to this page for a new code. Patrons within the library can simply log in to their NYT Online account for access.
To use The New York Times Online in the library, click here.
To use The New York Times Online remotely with your VPPL card, click here.
Includes millions of articles from newspapers, newswires, and news magazines. Offers television and radio transcripts and ongoing daily updates from popular news sources. Newspapers include St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Washington Post, USA Today, and more.
Search multiple newspaper and magazine products through Newsbank. Includes Chicago-area newspapers, Springfield State Journal-Register, historical newspapers, America's News Magazines, and more.
Niche Academy provides tutorials and online learning tools for common digital materials including eBooks, research databases, and language learning tools.
Novelist K-8 assists young fiction readers in finding new authors and titles. This resource is filled with recommended reading lists. Check here for lexile levels for most titles.
Electronic readers' advisory resource which assists fiction readers of all ages in finding new authors and titles.
Presents multiple sides of over 500 issues. Helps students assess and develop persuasive arguments and essays, better understand controversial issues, and develop analytical thinking skills.
Read current and back issues of popular newspapers and magazines!
For elementary school libraries. Content from children’s magazines, easy-to-read encyclopedia entries, and images. Students can learn about animals, musicians, fitness, space exploration, and much more.
A range of general reference subject coverage for primary school students, with topics like social studies, history, language arts, geography, culture, math, and science.
Covers a broad range of subjects in the fields of psychology, behavioral sciences, and related disciplines. For psychologists, counselors, researchers, and students.
Scroll through Chicagoland's public records. 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.
Regional business publications for the United States and Canadian provinces from 1990. Includes newspapers, radio and television news transcripts, trade publications, magazines, and newswires.
Hundreds of full-text journals and magazines covering many religious and philosophical topics, including world religions, religious history, political philosophy, and philosophy of language.
Teachables has 30,000+ printable, ready-to-use educational materials directly from Scholastic, a trusted name in education. These teacher-developed resources for Pre-K—Grade 6 include activity sheets, lesson plans, and more, covering all subjects and themes.
Provides full text for hundreds of science magazines, journals, reference books and high-quality videos. The database also contains science experiments, curriculum-aligned lesson plans, and a vast image collection.
Covers all aspects of starting and operating a business. Includes information on accounting, human resources, management, marketing, tax, and more. State-specific information included.
Repair guides for small engines and routine maintenance (tune-ups, brake service, etc.). Also includes guides on extensive repairs such as engine and transmission disassembly. Coverage includes lawn mowers, motorcycles, tractors, and snowmobiles. Information on more than 25 years of engine models, with new and updated content added regularly.
Este portal le ofrece recursos de referencia en español para todas las edades en dos interfaces exclusivos - cada uno con una enciclopedia adaptada al lector: Enciclopedia Universal en Español para High School (edad de 14+) y la Enciclopedia Juvenil para edades de 6-12 años.
Transparent Language Online offers the most comprehensive language-learning solution for libraries. With this flexible program, you can quickly and easily learn new languages using our wide variety of courses and activities.
TumbleBook Library is a curated database of children’s eBooks, with over 1100 titles for grades K-6. It includes animated, talking picture books, read-along chapter books, Graphic Novels, National Geographic videos, non-fiction books, and playlists, as well as books in Spanish and French. There are no check-out times or wait lists: books are always available to everyone with a VPPL card! TumbleBook Library is also available as an app for iOS and Android devices.
TumbleMath is the most comprehensive collection of math stories available anywhere--all in the TumbleBook format with animation, narration, and sound that creates a compelling book for students of all ages. Every book is accompanied by supplementary materials such as lesson plans and educational games, plus quizzes in order to test and track progress.
Whether you’re a beginning investor or a veteran looking for high-impact ideas, Value Line can position you for financial success quickly and easily. The uncontested authority in reliable, unbiased information, Value Line puts you in the driver’s seat with accurate and insightful investment research on companies, industries, markets and economies. From the latest data, sophisticated tools and proven ranks to expert analysis and guidance, Value Line gives you the power to evaluate investments with confidence. Make smarter, more profitable decisions with Value Line.
Full-text coverage for trade and industry-related periodicals for high schools, community colleges, trade institutions. and the general public.
Discover offers content on a variety of topics in a format ideal for reluctant readers, ELL, ESL, and adult literacy students as well as those reading below grade level because of learning difficulties. It includes a collection of unique videos, featuring expert answers to often-asked questions, and a visual dictionary to make content more accessible for readers of all levels.
Discover ofrece contenido sobre una variedad de temas en un formato ideal para lectores reacios, ELL, ESL y estudiantes de alfabetización adulta, también para los que leen por debajo del nivel de grado debido a dificultades de aprendizaje. Incluye una colección de videos únicos, con respuestas expertas, preguntas frecuentes, y un diccionario visual para hacer que el contenido sea más accesible para lectores de todos los niveles.
World Book Online includes a suite of four resources designed to captivate users of all ages and levels: Discover, Student, Timelines, and Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos.
World Book’s beloved encyclopedia comes to life in a digital format, perfect for elementary and middle school learners. Tailored for students, it includes all articles from the print versions of the World Book Encyclopedia, plus thousands of additional articles, learning resources, and research tools. It also includes translations to 100+ languages, a Biography Center, current events, research guides, and seamless integrations with Google Classroom and Microsoft OneDrive.
Search more than 650 pre-generated timelines and 14,000 events in a highly interactive and customizable database covering historical periods and public figures. Create your own timeline from scratch as you choose events and descriptions, then save and share easily.
WorldCat is the closest thing there is to a nationwide online library catalog. If we cannot find an item for you locally, we can extend the search throughout the State of Illinois, and even beyond Illinois to the entire United States. Note: Some InterLibrary Loans may come with a postage charge, depending on the location of the lending library.