Research & Homework
With 3,500+ interactive books, educational games, puzzles, and other learning activities, ABCmouse.com’s award-winning online curriculum is an invaluable resource for young learners starting at age 2. From Age of Learning, Inc.
Thousands of full-text journals, dissertations, working papers, key business and economics periodicals such as the Economist, country-and industry-focused reports, and downloadable data.
Access to professional information about more than 800,000 board certified physicians in 50+ specialties and 100+ subspecialties from the 24 member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).
Contains millions of searchable historic newspaper pages, dating as far back as the 1700s from around the world. Archives are not complete runs of newspapers.
Online version of the standard encyclopedia with updated science and technology news, biographies, learning resources, study guides, and links to related web sites.
The New England Historic Genealogical Society database provides access to over 3,000 searchable collections, with information on over 135 million names and their NEHGS Register collection.
Genealogy resource with over 1.5 billion names. Includes records from U.S. census, military, court, land, probate, church records, and passenger lists.
* Please note that this resource is not available over the branch wi-fi sytem, but is available on the wi-fi at Central Library.
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A unique fully-searchable collection, Archives of Human Sexuality and Identity, Part 1: LGBTQ History and Culture since 1940 brings together approximately 1.5 million pages of primary sources on social, political, health, and legal issues impacting LGBTQ communities around the world. Rare and unique content from microfilm, newsletters, organizational papers, government documents, manuscripts, pamphlets, and other types of primary sources sheds light on the gay rights movement, activism, the HIV/AIDS crisis, and more.
Index to 1,700 autographs collected from 1905-1910 by former City Librarian Charles Lummis. Lummis sent specially designed library stationery to all the leading men and some women of the day asking them to improve the page with a saying, drawing, or other inspiring example. Call the Rare Books Department at (213) 228-7350 for an appointment to view the collection.
Covers more than 2,500 U.S. and international periodicals on subjects of archaeology, architectural design, city planning, interior design and decoration, landscape architecture, historic preservation, urban planning, plus biographical information about architects.
Index to 181 images, mostly photographs, of opera singers and other artists brought to the L.A. musical stage at the turn of the 20th century by impresario L.E. Behymer.
BiblioBoard features books, articles, images, photographs, maps, pamphlets, and documents as well as streaming audio and video content on a wide variety of topics. All content is available on an unlimited multi-user basis with no checkouts or returns. You can access BiblioBoard content from the web or various mobile devices using your library card number. Download the free app using these links: Web, iPad, Nexus, Kindl
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Offers the in-depth profiles from H.W. Wilson’s Current Biography and World Authors, as well as periodical coverage of Biography Index and the specialist content of Junior Authors & Illustrators. Search this resource to access full-text biographies, articles and images from today’s leading magazines and journals.
Index to 1,300 bookplates commissioned by people who wished to identify the books in their libraries through a unique work of art. Part of the Library's "Visual Collections", with the images available for online viewing.
Free, live, online academic and job assistance for veterans transitioning to civilian life. Tutors are available every day 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM PST.
Formerly called General Business File ASAP. Provides coverage of all business disciplines, including accounting, economics, finance, marketing, management and strategy, as well as business theory and practice. Research activities of companies and industries worldwide through business and trade publications, complemented by a selection of international, U.S., and regional news publications.
Business Insights: Essentials brings together in a single database company profiles, company brand information, rankings, investment reports, company histories, chronologies, and periodicals.
Index of current magazine subscriptions for the Central Library's Business and Economics Department.
Bibliographies, abstracts, and location of reference tools kept in the reference area of the Central Library's Business & Economics Department.
Index to adult fiction which takes place in California. Index can be searched by author, title, locale, decade in which the story takes place, and/or major characters.
Indexes information about people, places, and events that have had a significant impact on life in Southern California. Most newspapers, magazines, and books cited here can be found in the Central Library. Part of the Library's "Visual Collections", many of the source materials can be viewed online.
The Los Angeles Public Library has partnered with Gale/Cengage to offer grants so adult learners can obtain a free high school diploma and career certificate with Career Online High School. This innovative curriculum offers the convenience of an anytime-anywhere online learning platform, and interactive, engaging content that can help you achieve your educational goals.
Index to The Joseph E. Casey Fashion Plate Collection, which contains over 6,000 handcolored fashion plates from British and American magazines dating from the 1790s to the 1880s. Part of the Library's "Visual Collections", the images are available for online viewing.
The largest source of web-based California legal commentary and analysis
Access provided by the L.A. Law Library. Access available only at the Van Nuys Branch Library.
Standard auto repair manuals online with photographs, diagnostics, step-by-step repair procedures, maintenance schedules, wiring diagrams, recalls and Technical Service Bulletins for automobiles and light trucks
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This selection of Los Angeles-Area City and Street-Address Directories spans from 1875-1987 and can be searched by name or address. Part of the Library's "Visual Collections," the directories have been digitized and can be viewed online.
A listing of paper and microform U.S. city, county state, and regional directories located in the History & Genealogy Department. The collection also includes some Canadian Directories.
Spanish-language online reference resource for Spanish-speaking and bilingual users. Incluye una colección comprensiva de materiales en español, además de periódicos, revistas, diccionarios y obras de referencia sobre temas básicos.
Index to over 2,500 promotional booklets on food and cooking from commercial and non-commercial sources. The booklets date from the late 19th. century and show the development of advertising art as well as the stated purpose. Call the Rare Books Department at (213) 228-7350 for an appointment to view the booklets.
Browse daily life in the ancient world, medieval world, 15th and 16 centuries, 17th and 18th centuries, 19th century, and modern world and find out what it was like.
Search for an individual, a friend, a relative or create a market research list from over 206 million people. Search for an individual company or create a mailing list of multiple companies from over 23 million businesses households! Access a demographic report on any geography - or compare multiple geographies - for information including income, housing, race, age, education, retail spending, consumer expenditures, businesses and more.
Streaming films available to watch online, mostly foreign language but also has some classic American cinema. Includes feature films as well as documentaries.
Offering Spanish language e-books that can be read online or downloaded to devices, as well as language courses for Spanish, English, and "Quick Languages", a course in simple words and phrases in 12 languages. Also offers multimedia sections with art, music and PC instruction.
This is not a Library Collection. It is hosted for El Pueblo
The majority of these photographs reflect the early history of the Department of Water and Power, such as the establishment of the Los Angeles Aqueduct and the work of William Mulholland.
Current reporting on Latin American development and environmental issues, with contact information for key environmental agencies and offices throughout Latin America. Also in Spanish.
This is not a Library Collection. It is hosted for El Pueblo
The majority of the photographs owned by El Pueblo Monument concern the history of Olvera Street, the Mexican marketplace that was founded in 1930, and its traditional yearly events, such as the Blessing of the Animals, Cinco de Mayo, Las Posadas, and Mexican Independence Day.
An index of environmental impact reports available in the Central Library's Science & Technology Department. The file is particularly useful for locating materials in their review period.
The Farewell to Manzanar portal accesses the Final Accountability Rosters of Japanese-American Relocation Centers, 1944-1946, Japanese-American Relocation Camp Newspapers, Perspectives on Day-to Day Life: Personal Justice Denied, and Public Hearings of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment, 1981. Additionally the portal links to Japanese-American information from a variety of reference sources and details the author, Jeanne Houston, biography.
Detailed film information on over 100,000 films from more than 170 countries from 1900 through 2003.
Trace your ancestry and build a family tree by researching extensive birth records, census data, obituaries and more with Findmypast.
Freegal allows users to download up to 5 music track downloads a week from the Sony Music catalog, plus unlimited streaming music. All selections are DRM-free in mp3 format. Patrons use their library card to download items.
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A collection of over 200 vibrantly-colored labels, designed for citrus growers throughout Southern California, mainly during the first half of the twentieth century. Many of the labels illustrate specific locations in the region, and are an excellent example of commercial graphic design from the period, as well as documenting the industry itself. Part of the Library's "Visual Collections", the images have been digitzed and can be viewed online.
Offers a wide range of highly interactive online courses. All of the courses are free, and led by expert instructors. Courses run for six weeks and new sessions begin every month. Subjects offered are Career and Professional, Computers and Technology, Personal Development and Writing and Publishing.*These courses have been designed for learners over 13 years of age.
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A collection of reference eBooks on a wide variety of topics. Portions of the books can be downloaded onto eReader devices.
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A genealogy file that contains local history information, selected history resources, and an index of family names in published genealogies located in the History & Genealogy Department.
Collection of original illustrations for children's books. Index to over 200 pieces in various media, representing some of the treasures of American children's book illustration, including pieces from more than twenty Caldecott Medal recipients.
Finding aids and federal information of interest in the areas of business, science, demographics, and diplomacy.
Full text medical encyclopedias, nearly 400 health and medical journals, more than 800 pamphlets and nearly 2,100 health articles from general interest publications.
Law journals, the Federal Register, CFR, USC, and US Treaties.
Access provided by the L.A. Law Library. Access available only at the Van Nuys Branch Library.
Collection of genealogical research materials for tracing family history and American culture. Includes the U.S. Federal Census Records, 1790-1930 and over 25,000 family and local histories.
HistoryGeo.com caters to history, genealogy, and land-researchers, and at its heart, displays a map with over 12.3 million original U.S. landowners from the indexes of the BLM/GLO in a single, searchable presentation along with populated places, cemeteries, waterways and more. The First Landowners project encompasses 29 public-land states and Texas, while the "Antique Maps" collection has of over 4000 maps displaying land-owners drawn from a variety of sources and time periods.
hoopla is a digital media platform that gives access to digital entertainment content from either mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets and/or via any browser. hoopla offers e-books, e-comics, full length feature movies, episodic television programming, full musical albums and unabridged e-audiobooks. This service is currently in beta testing. This service is not available from Library computers.
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Base de datos que ofrece índices, imágenes y texto completo de artículos publicados en periódicos y revistas en idioma español.
Index to 287 prints, mostly originals, some reproductions, by various artists including Hiroshige and Utamaro.
Kanopy is a video streaming platform for libraries with one of the largest collections in the world - over 26,000 documentaries and feature films featuring over 1,000 producers including Criterion Collection, Great Courses, Kino Lorber, and the BBC.
To use Kanopy, create an account with your email address on their site. After you verify the account you will be asked to add your library card to it to begin using the service.
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Nearly one million volume equivalents with Federal and State materials, a comprehensive California collection and one of the nation’s largest foreign and international law collections.
Access provided by the L.A. Law Library. Access available only at the Van Nuys Branch Library.
Readers' advisory resource for adults that is prepared and maintained by Los Angeles Public Library Librarians.
Online interactive practice exams covering adult basic, academic, job related, civil service and more. Now includes ESL Spanish Basic Skills Course.
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Coverage of more than 225 publications published by Nolo Press with full text search ability.
Access provided by the L.A. Law Library. Access available only at the Van Nuys Branch Library.
Indexing for more than 1,500 major law reviews, legal newspapers, and international legal journals.
Access provided by the L.A. Law Library. Access available only at the Van Nuys Branch Library.
Lexis' newly designed research platform has been described as 'cleaner and easier to use' with their 'big red search box' and other features. This database includes coverage of state and federal cases and statues, Matthew Bender California treatises, and Shepard's.
Access provided by the L.A. Law Library. Access available only at the Van Nuys Branch Library.
Index to 110 large-format photos and architect renderings of the Central Library and branches. Call the Rare Books Department at (213) 228-7350 for an appointment to view the images.
Free one-on-one online homework help provided by expert tutors from 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. every day. Provides assistance in English & Spanish for students in grades K-12, college intro and adult learners covering Math, Science, English, Social Studies, and Proof Point (writing review). The SkillsCenter Resource Library, available 24/7, offers worksheets, tutorials, study guides, plus an Adult Education and Career Center!
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Browse complete issues, cover to cover, from 1934 to 2005. Search by more than 20 article types, keyword, date ranges, specific dates, author, and more. View news articles, photos, advertisements, classified ads, obituaries, cartoons, and more for added context. Print and download articles and images in PDF format.
Digitized reproduction of the Los Angeles Times from its beginnings. Currently contains 1881-1993. Searchable by (keywords, author's names, articles, dates, etc.) or browseable by full page or issue. Includes photos, graphics and advertisements.
Lynda.com is an award-winning online learning site that offers more than 3,000 courses taught by recognized industry experts, and 150,000 video tutorials on business, technical and creative skills.
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Free, online language-learning in languages that include Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Arabic, Korean, Russian, Tagalog, Greek, Latin and more. Mango has English language courses for speakers of 19 different languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, and Russian. Learn on the go with the Mango Mobile app for iPhone and Android.
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The map collection is over one hundred years old, contains more than 100,000 items and represents a wide scope, including local, national and international cartography. The online archive focuses on maps depicting Los Angeles and the West. The online archive is part of the Library's "Visual Collections", with the maps available for online viewing.
Up-to-the-minute biographies of leaders and achievers from around the world in the areas of business, law, science, medicine, the arts, government, entertainment and more. Access to all biographies that have appeared in 24 Marquis Who's Who print titles since 1985, and Who Was Who in America volumes from1607-1985.
List of menus from Los Angeles, other cities, steamships, airlines, and banquets. Part of the Library's "Visual Collections", images of the actual menus are being added to the records.
Mergent Archives is an online database featuring a vast, indexed collection of corporate and industry related documents. The database contains hundreds of thousands of reports covering over 100 countries and industries.
Access private and public U.S and international business data, industry news, facts and figures, executive contact information, the ability to access industry profiles and much more.
Morningstar Investment Research Center (MIRC) provides independent analysis and real-time data on over 14,500 stocks, 24,800 mutual funds, 1,500 exchange-traded funds and 700 closed end funds, plus analyst reports on over 3,500 securities. MIRC also provides screening tools, current articles and videos and financial educational resources.
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From the special collections of the Frances Howard Goldwyn Hollywood Regional Branch Library, this collection spans from the earliest years of the motion picture industry to the World War II era. Part of the Library's "Visual Collections", these selected posters have been digitized and may be viewed online.
An index to books, periodical articles and vertical file holdings of the Central Library's History & Genealogy Dept. on the tribes of North, Central, and South America.
Access to the New York Times digital site. You must create an account for access. Click “Create Account” to create an account with your personal email address, or “Sign In” if you already have created an account.
The Historical New York Times with Index (1851-1993) provides search capability using subject terms and topics for focused and targeted results in combination with searchable full text, full page, and article-level images from the Historical New York Times.
Includes California Newspapers and America's News Magazines. U.S. news content from local, regional, and national sources. Diverse source types include printed and online newspapers, blogs, journals, newswires, broadcast transcripts and videos, on topics such as politics, business, health, sports, cultural activities and people.
A fiction reader's advisory database. Find books by the same author, or similar books by another author. Browse by subject, genre, and theme for over 150,000 titles. Reviews, book discussion guides and annotated book lists constantly updated.
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Provides date, place, cause of death and obituary citation for noted actors, authors, journalists, and librarians. Coverage is more comprehensive after 1970's.
Pro and con arguments with contextual information and opinions on hundreds of today's hottest social issues drawn from news articles, journals, primary source documents, statistics, images, videos, audio files and links to vetted websites.
An index to over 2,000 orchestral scores (with parts) available for loan to orchestras in Southern California from the Central Library.
OverDrive offers downloadable e-Books, e-Audiobooks, and e-Videos. Additional software is required for all files. Most e-Media can be transferred to a portable device (Kindle now supported!). Patrons use their library card to check-out items.
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Quick reference and scholarly articles from a broad range of subjects in over 100 titles that include key titles from the Oxford Companion series and the complete Oxford Dictionary of Quotations.
Passport is a global market research database providing insight on industries, economies and consumers worldwide.
An index to plays which remain unpublished or have only been published in periodicals. Includes references to reviews.
Online language learning - Spanish, French, Mandarin Chinese, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, ESL Spanish, and ESL Mandarin - through a series of stories, activities and innovative learning tools. Create a free account. Speakers or headphones are necessary.
Interested in getting your novel, memoir, poetry collection, children's book and more in eBook and print-ready formats? Pressbooks Public is an easy-to-use online tool that allows you to create professional quality versions of your book in ePUB, MOBI, PDF and more.
NEW INSTRUCTIONS - PLEASE READ
Instant access to 2000 plus newspapers from 100 countries in 60 languages.
In addition to being able to read them online, users who install the PressReader app on their mobile device can download papers for offline reading without subscribing. Get the app here.
For the website, click on Sign In and then select the library card option (not necessary at library computers). After you sign in with your card, you can finish creating an account that can be used on the app. You will need to sign into the site every few days to keep the app account active.
This resource is not available from LAPL Information Express Computers.
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This database serves as a resource for researchers at all levels. Covering more than 160 subjects areas, ProQuest Central is the largest aggregated database of periodical content. Includes both Proquest Newsstand and Research Library.
International Newsstream provides the most recent news content outside of the US and Canada, with archives which stretch back decades featuring newspapers, newswires, and news sites in active full-text format
Full text of U.S.news sources, including trade Journals, Magazines, Blogs, Podcasts, Websites and Newspapers including the Los Angeles Times, Sentinel, Orange County Register, Chicago Tribune, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, Boston Globe, Atlanta Journal/Constitution, and the Sacramento Bee.
Inventory forms, photographs, and other supporting documentation on outdoor sculpture found in Southern California. The Index was prepared for the Save Outdoor Sculpture! (SOS!) project of the National Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Property and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Formerly OneClickDigital, now known as RBdigital, contains e-Audiobooks from Recorded Books available to download and transfer to selected devices. Patrons must do a one-time account setup using their library cards.
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Formerly Zinio, RBdigital Magazines offers full color, interactive digital magazines. Browse from a collection of popular titles with no holds, no checkout periods, and no limit to the number of magazines you can download.
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Over 24 million U.S. businesses searchable by name, industry, SIC, geographic location and size. Research executives and companies, find new business opportunities, find news articles, conduct job searches, research papers, locate addresses and phone numbers, conduct market research, and job help resources.
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Contains descriptive and financial data on U.S. and non-U.S. corporations. Three files are provided: Executives, Private Companies, and Public Companies.
Digitized reproduction of theSan Francisco Chronicle, 1865-1922. Searchable by (keywords, author's names, articles, dates, etc.) or browseable by full page or issue. Includes photos, graphics and advertisements.
Information on subjects ranging from earth science and life science, to space, technology, mathematics, science history, and biography for assignments and projects.
ScienceFlix combines curriculum-driven, leveled content, interactive features, and intuitive navigation into a single, highly-engaging digital resource for students in grades 4 through 9. ScienceFlix is available for use on PCs, Macs and most tablets and mobile devices
A listing created by the Central Library’s Literature & Fiction Dept. of fiction books for adults which are part of a series or are sequels to earlier novels.
An index created by the Central Library’s Literature & Fiction Dept. to short stories in collections and anthologies in the Los Angeles Public Library.
A quick reference, easy-to-use database filled with updated basic information for common school assignments on California Missions, Explorers, Indians, Governors, and History.
SRDS provides essential data on more than 125,000 media brands including digital, consumer magazines, business publications, direct marketing, newspapers, radio, TV/cable and more. Entries include publication profile, contact information, advertising rates, mechanical requirements, copy regulations and circulation.
Contains information on core subjects from Science to Literature to History of student-focused subject material. Includes content of Discovering Collection database.
Over 300 practice tests and courses, information on over 4,000 accredited schools, eBooks containing study materials and practice tests, scholarship search, resume builder, and career modules with subjects from career change to salary negotiations.
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The Toy Movable Database contains information on Toy Moveable (also known as "pop-up") books owned by LAPL. This is a reference collection, and the items do not circulate
Over 300 Premier Travel Reference eBooks that include DK Eyewitness Travel Guides and Rough Guides to Countries and Cities. These eBooks can be translated into a number of different languages and sections downloaded to your electronic device.
Selected travel posters of exotic destinations are from the collection housed in the International Languages Department and Rare Books at Central Library. The artwork finely demonstrates the sensibilities of 1920s and 1930s Art Deco and early Futurism. Part of the Library's "Visual Collections", the posters have been digitzed and can be viewed online.
An online collection of animated, talking picture books which teach young children the joys of reading in a format they'll love.
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This collection, contains photographs, documents, props, and costumes, has been cataloged. Part of the Library's "Visual Collections", the images are available for online viewing.
Over 500 online non-credit Continuing Education Courses. These courses are led by expert instructors and are provided for your personal enrichment. Business, Career Training, Cooking, Real Estate, Crafts and Hobbies and Psychology are a few of the subjects covered by these courses. *These courses have been designed for learners over 13 years of age.
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VIP Learning le permite tomar cursos de capacitación y formación profesional en línea de forma gratuita. Puede aprender mecánica, belleza, cocina, construcción, pintura y mucho más.
VIP LEARNING offers do it yourself, creative skills and trade technical online courses. While most are in Spanish, there are some available in English.
Collection of nearly 400 journals from career guides to specialized industry journals on searching for and maintaining a career.
A complete searchable archive of American Vogue, from the first issue in 1892 to the current month, reproduced in high-resolution color page images.
Voyant allows users to research job opportunities at over 143 million companies. This database contains Mergent data and is backed by an algorithm that shows you which companies hire the position you’re looking for. Since 80% of available jobs are not posted directly to public job boards, it gives patrons an upper hand on finding those opportunities.
Coverage of State and Federal statutes and case opinions; selected California secondary sources published by West, a Thomson Reuters Business.
Access provided by the L.A. Law Library. Access available only at the Van Nuys Branch Library.