Back to School Resources for Students

It's that time of year again, back to school! Homework can be so much easier with a little help from the library. Our databases can help you with sources for writing papers and also provide a reliable place to come for information. You can use most of these resources from home with your library card number. These resources are great for all ages, but we broke them up into two groups to help find the ones that may be the best to assist you with your school projects. 

These are just some of our favorite databases for students, but there are many more available on our website. For a full list of databases, go to lakeforestlibrary.org/online-databases

Elementary and Middle School Databases

Biography Reference Bank: This easy to use database let's you search articles in over 100 biography reference books at once. You can search by name, profession, place of origin, and keywords to find information. Look up athletes, historical figures, musicians, authors, artists and much more. For mobile access, go here.

Culture Grams: Use this database for more information about different cultures all around the world. Check out flags, photos, videos, recipes, statistics and more.

Encyclopedia Britannica: (For use in Library only) You can find encyclopedia articles with pictures, maps, timelines, world data, a dictionary and thesaurus, and more in this database. Begin by typing your search into the Children's search bar.

Tutor.com: Get help live and one-on-one from a real tutor online! Tutors are there to assist with your math, English, science, social studies, and writing everyday from 2:00-11:00 PM. 

World Book Online: Choose the Kids version for an easy to use design. You can use this encyclopedia with pictures, activities, games, animals, science projects and more, to learn more about the world or for help with your homework.

High School and Middle School Databases

Access Science: This database has articles from McGraw-Hill’s Encyclopedia of Science & Technology, which include illustrations and graphics, research updates, definitions, and science biographies and news. For mobile access, go here. 

Annals of American History: (For use in Library only) Use this database to find Primary sources from U.S. history including more than 500 images, 2000 documents, 200 video clips, and 25 audio clips. Search by timeline, author, major topic, or keyword. 

MasterFILE Premier Magazine and Journal Database: This database has nearly 2000 full-text general interest magazines and journals with article summaries. It also has full-text reference books, biographies, primary source documents, photos, maps, and flags. For mobile access, go here.

Historical Lake Forester, Chicago Tribune, and New York Times: Browse these historical newspapers or search by keywords for historical information.

Tutor.com: Get help live and one-on-one from a real tutor online! Tutors are there to assist with your math, English, science, social studies, and writing everyday from 2:00-11:00 PM.

Statistical Abstract: Covers information from the 1950s to present, The Statistical Abstract of the United States compiles statistical reference information. As a comprehensive collection of statistics on the social, political, and economic conditions of the United States, it is a snapshot of America and its people.