eBooks, eAudiobooks and online databases

Click on the titles below to access FREE online resources for research or homework. Waukegan Public Library cardholders can access these resources at home by entering their library barcode number. Don’t have a library card? Get one!

For assistance with online resources, please contact the Adult Reference Desk by phone at 847-623-2041 ext. 238 or online.

America the Beautiful

This is your one-stop resource for everything you need to know about the U.S. states and territories. This resource also features sections on prominent Native American tribes, the national wonders of America, and past presidents.

Archive Grid 

Online access to nearly a million descriptions of archival collections owned by thousands of libraries, museums, historical societies and archives worldwide. ArchiveGrid is an important destination for searching for historical documents, personal papers and family histories held in archives.

CAMIO 

The Catalog of Art Museum Images Online, or CAMIO, is a database of art images from around the world. Each entry has at least one high-resolution photograph of the work, and includes a description of the work by the museum that owns the piece. All information on the site is rights-cleared for education use, so teachers can use the images and descriptions without worry.

Encyclopedia Americana
For succinct information on a variety of topics, use Encyclopedia Americana first. This resource contains 45,000 articles in every academic field and curriculum topic.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Research tools including video and audio, timelines, country comparisons, world atlas, notable quotations, Spanish-English dictionary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus and thousands of eBooks.  If that link fails, use this link

ERIC – US Department of Education
The Education Resources Information Center, or ERIC, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, is the most complete bibliography of educational materials available. This database of peer-reviewed journals and professional magazines is the perfect place for education students to start their research on a new subject.

Freading
Freading is a fun new way to download eBooks in EPUB or PDF format using tokens issued by the Library. Look for more information about Freading coming soon!

Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia

More than just encyclopedia entries, Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia features animations, videos, maps, sounds, and panoramas.  Be sure to check out “This Day in History”.

Lands and Peoples

Designed for elementary and middle school students, Lands and Peoples is an encyclopedia of countries, cultures and current events. Be sure to try the Culture Cross to compare facts from two nations.

Learning Express

Take online practice tests for over 300 exams, including the GED, SAT, ACT and ASVAB. Users keep their own account, allowing for access to tests that have already been taken. This resource also includes tutorials and full explanations for answers.  When creating an account for the first time, use your library barcode number as your username.

Mango
Mango is an online language learning system that teaches English speakers real conversation skills for practical communication in 38 languages (from Arabic to Vietnamese).  Through fun and engaging interactive lessons, Mango makes learning a new language fast, easy and incredibly effective.   Those interested in learning English are taught in 15 languages.

MEDLINE
Access 3,500 professional medical journals. This database covers all areas of medicine and includes journals from 1965 to the present.

New Book of Knowledge
Designed for students in grades 3-5, The New Book of Knowledge is the first encyclopedia created just for young users. This online resource includes all the articles and maps of the printed version, plus weekly current events and other special features designed just for students.

New Book of Popular Science
This science, medicine and technology encyclopedia is designed for students in grades 3-5. In addition to encyclopedia articles, students can access science news, read biographies of famous scientists and try science experiments.

NoveList

Do you have a favorite author, but you’ve already read everything he or she has written? Maybe you love a certain style of writing? NoveList can help you find the new read you’ve been waiting for.

Nueva Enciclopedia Cumbre en Linea

Español
Enciclopedia en español para estudiantes y adultos.
Spanish language encyclopedia for high school students and adults.

OAIster

OAIster is a union catalog of more than 19 million digital resources from over 1,000 organizations developed by the University of Michigan and harvested using OAI-PMH (the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting).

OneClickDigital

Access thousands of Digital Audiobooks (eAudiobooks) in English and some in Spanish
Getting Started Guide
Overdrive eBooks

Your Waukegan Public Library card is your ticket to a library that’s open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The Library’s collection of best-selling and classic eBooks is growing every month, so you can recommend an eBook for purchase or sign up to be notified of the newest additions to our catalog.  Help.

Click here to see the Library’s collection of Overdrive eBooks.

Wilson Select – select EBSCOhost Research Databases
Wilson Select provides full-text articles in business, science, education, the humanities, social sciences, and current interest from over 2,000 U.S. and international professional publications, academic journals, and trade magazines.

World Almanac
This resource includes the World Almanac for Kids, the World Almanac of U.S. Politics and the World Almanac and Book of Facts, all in a searchable database.

WorldCat
Search a database of 37 million bibliographic records from libraries all over the world. Find obscure books, music recordings, manuscripts and more. If you find it inside the United States, bring your search to the Adult Reference Desk for a librarian to request the item for you.

Other Libraries

If you’re still unable to find the information you need, try these links to nearby libraries.