JCPL Research Resources
To assist you with your research efforts, JCPL has collected the following databases and electronic resources for your online use. Many are fully citable for use in school research projects.
If you are using these outside the library, you may be asked to enter your library card number.
Geneaology & Family History | Job Searching and Career Development | Educational and Reference| Books and Literature | Home, Health and Hobby | Legal and Government | INSPIRE | History & Original Source Records
Geneaology & Family History | |
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 Ancestry Library
Included in Ancestry Library are the digitized images of the U.S. Federal Census from 1790 forward, Passenger and Immigration Lists index, and much more. This database can only be accessed while inside the library. |
 HeritageQuest Online
A resource for census data, family records and local histories, this collection contains U.S. federal census, banking and military records, genealogies, primary source materials, and more. May not work with a firewall. Turn off firewall, access HQ, then turn the firewall back on. |
Hoosier Heritage
A resource for genealogists looking to start a project or work with Indiana resources. Links to Indiana genealogy resources by county or region. |
 Other Local History Resources
Explore library records compiled for you and local links at the JCPL Genealogy and Local History page.
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Job Searching and Career Development
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 Ferguson's Career Guidance Facts on File
Resume samples and tutorials. Profiles of more than 1200 jobs in 15 industries. Resources to investigate areas of interest or land a job in any chosen field. Links to schools and degree requirements.
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 Learning Express Library
Study for and take practice tests for official exams in law enforcement, civil service, real estate, cosmetology, EMS, firefighter, ASVAB, citizenship, basic skills more. You will need to register a user name and password of your choice to use this service.
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So What Do I Do After High School?
Explore links to sites to help select, pay for and prepare for college or technical school or other post-graduate options with this page created by JCPL. Includes local scholarship info. |
Educational and Reference
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 Science Online
Science Online contains easy-to-use information, diagrams, and experiments in several science areas, as well as current world science news. This collection is an excellent resource for school-at-home curricula or science fair projects.
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 Oxford Art Online
Contains the entire content of the print version plus a large collection of images from museums and galleries. Study art through the ages, learn about particular artistic movements, or learn about selected artists in-depth.
To Login: At the library card login prompt, enter your JCPL library card number.
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Learning Express Library
Learning Express Library contains skills refreshers for basic english and math, as well as study information and practice tests for Advanced Placement, ACT, GED and SAT exams, with instant scoring and individual analysis. You will need to register a user name and password of your choice. |
 Pop Culture Universe
"If it’s…Peachy, The Bee’s Knees, Swell, Nifty, Slick, Mean, Smooth, The Most, Cool, Neat-O, Groovy, Far Out, Dyn-o-mite, Rad, Mint, Stupid Fresh, Dope, Fly, En Fuego, Phat, Off The Hook, Hot, or Awesome…you’ve come to the right place." Search for any popular person or event in recent history (20th and 21st century). Fully citable. Great for school papers, personal research or for settling bets. |
 Opposing Viewpoints
Download fully-cited source material for school and college-level thesis papers and other research projects on a wide array of current topics. The same material once offered by this publisher in books, now available digitally. |
 What Tree Is That?
Identify U.S. trees based on leaves, fruits and tree names in this helpful database created in Ohio and later gifted to the Arbor Day foundation. Handy on field trips or for class projects involving tree identification.
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World Book
World Book is an easy-to-use encyclopedia with portals designed for all levels of learning.
Very young students can check out the sound and picture browsing at the Kids site, while older students can check out the Info Finder. Advanced students can check the Reference Center to find original source documents and other materials suited for more serious research.
Check each day for new facts and quizzes to start your learning, or just to find information you need with the most updated online encyclopedia available.
Students who speak or want to speak Spanish can use World Book's Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos to explore topics for projects or learn more about Hispanic and Spanish culture. |
 Searchasaurus
This kid-centered search engine featuring giant friendly lizards is a great resource for early learners.
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 NetLibrary
Choose from thousands of downloadable digital audiobooks, or browse instructional e-books online. Find classics of fiction and thousands of titles on a variety of topics. To have access to the JCPL collection, ou must first open an account from within the library.
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 NoveList
Looking for the next book to read, or the next book in your favorite series? Novelist contains over 73,000 fiction titles and will help you search for books by author, titles or subjects. Read-a-likes will help you find new authors based on your current likes. Lexile scores can help choose books for younger and developing readers. Create your own account within NoveList to save information for future use.
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 Bartleby.com
Read and download hundreds of free public domain e-books compatible with commercial e-book readers. Find classic fiction, nonfiction and poetry, as well as several reference volumes including the Cambridge History of English and American Literature.
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 Gutenberg.org
Download over 30,000 free ebooks to read on your PC, iPhone, Kindle, Sony Reader or other portable device. Choose between ePub, Mobipocket, HTML and simple text formats. |
 Contemporary Literary Criticism
An extensive collection of critical essays on contemporary authors. Contains a biographical/critical introduction, listing of principal works and sources for further study.
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 TumbleBooks
Interactive talking books for young and developing readers. Readers read along with the words on the screen. Selected books available in Spanish and French.
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 Auto Repair Reference Center
Search by year, make, and model of your vehicle to find repair information and illustrations.
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Jasper County Community Information Guide
Local phone numbers and information about Jasper County, serving the communities of DeMotte, Rensselaer and Wheatfield. Created and maintained by JCPL. |
 Health Reference Center
Provides clear and comprehensive information on conditions and diseases, health and wellness, mental health, and the human body.
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 Medline PLUS
Up-to-date information about health news and topics, drugs and supplements, and featuring a medical dictionary and encyclopedia. A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.
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 Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of virtually every type of complex illness. It is part of Mayo Clinic's mission to serve as a reliable source of health information. Find details about diseases and conditions, symptoms, drugs and supplements, tests and procedures, as well as tips on living a healthy lifestyle.
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 Salem Health
Salem Health brings online access to Salem Press’ award-winning health reference works, including Magill’s Medical Guide. It is an up-to-date and easy-to-use compendium of medical information suitable for student research as well as use by general readers, including patients and caregivers.
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 Indiana Legal Forms (Gale Thompson)
Up-to-date legal forms for Indiana. Forms and samples of living wills, lease agreements, liens and more. Download in Microsoft Word or PDF and save or print.
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 Self-service Legal Forms
Fast and easy legal forms for common civil matters, including divorce, child support and small claims. These forms are provided and maintained by the the State of Indiana judiciary.
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Self-service Legal Center
A guide to representing yourself in court in Indiana. Maintained by the the Indiana Supreme Court. |
IN.gov
The portal for information about Indiana State Government online. Contains links to state agencies and services, the legislature, courts and more. |
INvotes Election Info
Register to vote online, or find out where you are registered to vote. Learn about upcoming elections and candidates. Part of the office of the Indiana Secretary of State. |
Indiana Code (Indiana Constitution)
This database, maintained by the State of Indiana, contains the current laws and codes of state government. Search by a specific code number, or browse to see the laws of a specific subject, such as farming or elections. |
Indiana Administrative Code
This state-maintained database contains the rules which govern state agencies. Different from the Indiana Code, it is another source of information about how state government is run. |
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 INSPIRE
Inspire is Indiana's Virtual Library, containing several databases for biographies, literature, and newspaper and magazine articles. Search from dozens of sources all over the web at once with a single click or narrow your search for specific materials.
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 INSPIRE Kids
Designed specifically for kids, Inspire contains several databases for biographies, literature, and newspaper and magazine articles. |
History & Original Source Records
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Digital Collections at the Library of Congress
Browse and explore several important collections online from the Library of Congress. |
| American Memory (Library of Congress)
Learn about important events and moments in U.S. History with this site from the Library of Congress. Numerous original source documents including photos, news articles, speeches and sound and video clips. |
Indiana Memory (Indiana State Library)
Digital collections hosted by educational and public or not-for-profit organizations featuring Indiana history. |
In the First Person (Alexander Street Press)
A free index to first-person stories in English from more than 18,000 individuals from all walks of life around the world. Search more than 700,000 pages of full-text as well as more than 4,300 audio and video files. Approximately 25 percent of links point to copyrighted materials that may be purchased for an additional fee. |
Center for the Study of History and Memory (Indiana University)
Oral Histories and autobiographies of dozens of people associated with Indiana University and IU research projects. In addition to preserving these memories, the site is also tasked with the mission of improving oral history collection and preservation. Find guides to create or enhance your own oral history project. |
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