Research Resources - Subject List

 Automotive

Chilton Library - Vehicle maintenance and repair information, including service and repair procedures, a labor estimating tool, vacuum and wiring diagrams, photographs and illustrations.​

 Biography

Biography in Context - News and biographical information on public figures searchable by a variety of factors, including name, occupation, birth and death dates, places or gender.​

 Books and Literature

Gale Literary Sources - Full text of literary works, journal articles, literature criticism, reviews, author biographical information and overviews.

Gale Literature: LitFinder - Access literary works and authors throughout history, including full-text poems, plays, short stories, speeches, and more.

Gale Literature Resourse Center - Gale's Literary Index is a master index to the major literature products published by Gale. It combines and cross-references over 165,000 author names, including pseudonyms and variant names, and listings for over 215,000 titles into one source

NoveList - Find your next great read with booklists and readalikes for your favorite books.

NoveList K-8 Plus - NoveList K-8 Plus is a trusted source of read-alike recommendations specifically for younger readers​

Something About the Author - Learn about the lives and works of authors and illustrators for children and young adults.

WorldCat​ - Find books, movies, music and articles in libraries worldwide.​

 Business, Careers & Investments

Accel5 Business Video Library - For just in time learning for the working professional. Provided by the Library of Virginia, this resource has short videos on leadership, personal effectiveness and business article summaries. (Use the following to login: username "libraryva@accel5.com" and password "V1rgin1a")

Business Source Elite - Business research information, including company profiles, business journals and publications.

Data Axle Reference Solutions (formerly Reference​ USA) - Search for companies and people in the United States. 

DemographicsNow - Conduct market research with U.S. demographic data.

Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative - Use these self-paced, online classes to learn how to think like an entrepreneur as you prepare to launch a small business venture or plan a career path. Take your passion into the business world. (ELI is the equivalent of 3 college credits).

Financial Ratings Series - Accurate, independent information and ratings for banks, insurance companies and credit unions, with additional investment ratings for stocks and mutual funds.  When asked for your library account number, type VBPL then your account number. NOTE: VBCPS students, type VBPLS0 then your VBCPS Student ID number.

JobNow - This resource from Brainfuse provides helpful career coaching tips, resume building and other job resources. Includes expanded content and live help.

Morningstar Investment Research Center - Comprehensive financial information on investments, including mutual funds, stocks, exchange-traded funds and closed-end funds.

Peterson's Test Prep - (Formerly TERC) - Testing  and study software for college/grad school entrance exams.

Small Business Reference Center - Learn about starting a company, operations management, sales and more. Search b​y industry and  business types​.

Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage - Analysis and rankings on companies, industries, mutual funds and other investments.

Standard & Poor's ​NetAdvantage​ - Analysis and rankings on companies, industries, mutual funds and other investments. (Inside library link)

​Value​Line - Data and performance analysis on stocks and other securities.

VetNow - VetNow from Brainfuse is a resource designed to help our veterans find benefits, build resumes and even find job coaching assistance.

 ​General Reference

e-Book Collection by EBSCO - Nonfiction titles covering a broad range of topics.

Gale E-books - View a selection of e-books on a variety of topics, including business, education and history. 

Gale PowerS​e​arch​ - Search for articles from thousands of e-books, magazines, journals and newspapers.

​MasterFile Complete - News and magazine articles on a wide range of topics.

Opposing Viewpoints in Context - Articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents and magazine and newspaper articles on social issues

ProQuest - Full text of publicly available content from a number of different sources from around the world.

 Grants
 Available for use inside the library (not via WiFi):

  • Foundation Directory - Search for grants and grantmakers who provide funding for nonprofit organizations.
  • Grants to Individuals - Search for grants and grantmakers who provide funding for students, researchers, and artists.
  • GuideStar – GuideStar provides access to information from over 2 million nonprofits that help community members find local nonprofits where they can donate, work or volunteer, and connect those in need to resources they rely on, like food banks or shelters.

The following resources are available for use outside the library:

Candid Learning – This website provides information and tools specifically designed to meet the needs of nonprofits and offers live and on-demand training, webinars, e-books, and other resources to improve fundraising, overall sustainability, grantmaking, and transparency. Note: Free registration is required to use some of the resources.

GrantSelect - Search for current grants and other funding awards from a variety of organizations. 

IssueLab – This website collects and shares knowledge from the social sector as a means to help them do their jobs better and to deepen the impact of their efforts. Research and reports are available on over 30 Issue Areas. Additionally, curated Special Collections allow for deep dives into an issue, a current event, or a strategy.

Philanthropy News Digest – This website contains a digest of philanthropy-related articles and features culled from print and electronic media outlets nationwide. It includes a list of recent, searchable, and subject-sorted Requests for Proposals by large national funders. Register for free to receive daily alerts for news, jobs, and RFPs of interest to you, subscribe to newsletters, or submit a job posting.

 Health

MedlinePlus - Search for reputable information about diseases, conditions and wellness issues in easy to understand language. Produced by the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

 Languages

Transparent Language - Learn to speak 140+ foreign languages including over 20 indigenous languages, American Sign Language, and Citizenship Prep, and also includes ESL/ELL materials for speakers of 34 different languages.

 Law
Available for use inside the library (not via WiFi):

  • Lexis​- (available inside all library location except the TCC/City Joint-Use Library) Search news, business, public records and legal information.
  • ​Westlaw Patron Access - (available at the Law Library): This legal research database includes state and federal statutes and cases, including many unpublished cases. There are limited consecutive sessions available for this resource. Please sign off at the end of your session.​

The following resource is available for use outside the library:

LegalForms - Search a variety of Virginia specific legal f​orms.

 Local History & Genealogy
Available for use inside the library (not via WiFi):

  • Ancestry.com - Research your family history with census data, vital records, directories, photos and more.

The following resources are available for use outside the library:

America's Obituaries and Death Notices - National obituaries and death notices (1999-present). (Accessible for VBCPS student accounts inside the library only.)

HeritageQuest - Images of U.S. census records and other primary sources materials.

Norfolk Journal and Guide​ - Genealogists, researchers and scholars will find easy access to coverage of regional politics, society and events from 1916-1917 and 1921-2003. 

Sanborn Maps - Fire insurance maps for genealogists, planners and history buffs.

VBPL Digital Collections - Browse the library's digital archives for digitized images, books and other materials.

 Magazines & Newspapers

America's News - Full-text articles from local and national newspapers, newsmagazines and other news sources. (Accessible for VBCPS student accounts inside the library only.)

America's Obituaries and Death Notices - National obituaries and death notices (1999-present). (Accessible for VBCPS student accounts inside the library only.)

MasterFile Complete - News and magazine articles on a wide range of topics.​​

​New York T​imes - Full-text articles from the New York Times from 1985-present, searchable by date and topic. (VBPL also provides digital access to the New York Times website. Visit the Digital Access page for details.)

Norfolk Journal and Guide​ - Genealogists, researchers and scholars will find easy access to coverage of regional politics, society and events from 1916-1917 and 1921-2003. 

Virginian-Pilot - View scanned images of issues from 1865-1990 and 2018-curent as well as text of issues from 1990-current. The historical issues of the Virginian-Pilot were purchased, in part, on behalf of VBPL by the Virginia Beach Library Foundation. (Accessible for VBCPS student accounts inside the library only.) 

 Online Courses

Career Online High School - An online high school diploma and career certification program available through VBPL. This program offers free enrollment to a limited number of qualified adult students.​​ 

Craftsy - Over 1,400 in-depth videos on crafts from cooking to quilting. Each class has downloadable materials related to the video instruction. 

Craftsy en Español - Obtén acceso a expertos de clase mundial que facilitan el aprendizaje de nuevas habilidades.

The Great Courses​ - The Great Courses Library Collection is the leading global media brand for lifelong learning and personal enrichment, with hundreds of courses spanning thousands of in-depth video lectures on subjects like Science, Health & Wellness, and much more. 

LinkedIn Learning​ - (Formerly Lynda.com) Online courses that teach business, software, technology and creative skills to help reach your personal and professional goals. (If you are using the mobile app and it asks you for your library ID, enter "VBPL". That will take you to the login screen where you can use your library card and pin to access LinkedIn Learning.)

Peterson's Test Prep - (Formerly TERC) - Testing  and study software for college/grad school entrance exams.

Read It! English Language Learner - Read It! is designed for middle and high school students and adults who have a basic foundation in English grammar and reading but need adapted reading material for a variety of subjects.

Universal Class - Take free courses on a variety of topics to improve or gain work or life skills.

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