A-Z Resources

Interactive books and educational games for children ages 2-6.

• 8,500+ individual learning activities.
• 850+ lessons.
• Reading, math, science, and social studies.

Peer-reviewed, full-text articles perfect for your next research paper.

• Translate or listen to articles.
• Citation tools make creating a bibliography easy.

Getting started with Academic One File.

Collection of resources on physics, includes volumes on:

• Atomic, molecular, and optical physics.
• Nuclear physics, gravitation, and cosmology.
• The APS Journal Archive (back to 1893).

Trace your family's history.

• 4 billion names in worldwide historical records.
• Family tree services.
• Genealogy learning materials.

Access restricted within library buildings only.

For help getting started, see our AncestryLibrary help videos.

AtoZdatabase is the job search, reference & mailing list database. You can use it to find details on millions of business and individuals within the U.S.

• Find a job.
• Search by person or business.
• Look up phone number to find out who called you.
• Search for healthcare provider by speciality, state of license, geography.
• Create mailing lists and sales leads.

Download books and audiobooks to your favorite device.

• eBooks and eAudiobooks.
• Adult bestsellers and nonfiction titles.
• Children and teen collections.

Check out the Getting started with Axis 360 video and Axis 360 FAQs if you need help.

Find great books and apps for your child.

• Handpicked by librarians.
• Matched to your child's reading level and interests.
• Track reading and earn badges.

Learn how to create a Beanstack account and use the app or website.

Open source eBooks, including:

• curated self-published works
• exhibits and historical collections

Biography In Context is for those seeking contextual information on the world's most influential people.

It's built on a foundation of more than 650,000 biographical entries covering international figures from all time periods and areas of study, providing coverage of the most searched and studied people.

Enrich your reading experience for children's and young adult literature.

• Author interview, read-alongs and explanations of their work
• Reader's advisory
• Teacher and librarian resources

Watch and read kids' eBooks.

• Pairs classic video storybooks with related nonfiction.
• Animals and Nature, Family and Community, Celebrations.
• Read Along with word-by-word highlighting.

Sign up to get book recommendations in your email box.

• For adults, teens, and children.
• Browse award winning, subject, and best selling lists.
• New book notifications.

An online homework and study tools for kids and adults.

• Live tutoring.
• Create flash cards.
• Practice tests for SAT and GED.
• Prepare for U.S. Citizenship Test.
• Discover college majors and careers that match your skills and interests.

The Spanish version of Britannica Scholar.

Impulse su investigación con esta enciclopedia fácil de usar para estudiantes en edad escolar.

• Artículos, imágenes, videos y fuentes primarias.
• Para estudiantes de la primaria o secundaria.
• Traduzca o escuche los artículos.
• La creación de una bibliografía es fácil al usar las herramientas de citaciones.

Read nearly two centuries of digitized California newspapers. A rich primary source for those interested in the history of the Golden State.

• 1846 to the Present
• Over 200,000 issues
• 7 million articles.

Get ready to take the written California Driver's permit and license tests.

• Califorania DMV practice tests and exam simulator.
• Permit, driver’s license, and senior citizens’ refresher tests.
• Car, motorcycle, and commercial (CDL).

Research California's missions for your next social studies project.

• eBooks for elementary and middle school students.
• Login to read.

Username = missions

Password = missions

Great resource for book reports, English papers, and exams.

• Literature notes on commonly assigned books.
• Test prep and study guides.

Consumer Reports are part of Masterfile Complete.

• Reliable product reviews
• Reliable services reviews

Gain in-demand job skills and certificates from experts at 200+ world-class universities and companies including:

• Yale
• University of Michigan
• Google
• IBM

This resource is funded by the California State Library's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Workforce Development & Support program. Palo Alto City Library has access to Coursera memberships for free from Oct 1, 2021 to Sep 30, 2022.

Access

1. Click the Coursera link
2. Create/log in to your Coursera account
3. Redeem your unlimited access for 6 months.

• Health
• Employment
• Government Benefits
• Housing
• And many more

This is a great place to start your research for background and terminology.

• Full text of over 600 reference books
• Thousands of images from the Bridgeman Archive and the National Gallery.
• Multi-language dictionaries
• Who's Who publications
• Crossword puzzle help
• Conversion calculator

Provides detailed cultural information on over 200 countries, all 50 states in US and the Canadian provinces and territories. Includes four editions:

• World Edition
• Kids edition
• States edition
• Provinces edition

Get free and low-cost passes for cultural destinations like:

• museums
• science centers
• zoos
• theatres

Instructions

1. Log in with your library card and last name on the Discover & Go site
2. Browse for passes by date or by venue
3. Make a reservation
4. Print your pass

Restrictions

• Discover & Go passes are available to Palo Alto Library cardholders age 14 and older. For some attractions, the minimum age will be 16 or 18 and up.
• Patrons must live within the library's service area in order to log in and reserve passes.
• You can have 2 active reservations at a time.
• You can make reservations up to 3 months in advance.
• Active reservations can be canceled only if the pass has not been printed.
• If you reserve a pass and do not use it or cancel the reservation, the unused pass will count towards your limit.
• Some venues have placed a 1-pass-per-year restriction and you will only be able to reserve those passes once per calendar year. You will find details about each pass within the venue information.
• The pass is for use only by the person named and only on the date specified. No photocopies are allowed.
• Valid ID is required for admission with passes to venues.

Prepare to drive. Driving-Tests.org offers a number of practice tests for:

• Getting driver permits.
• Prepping for the written California Driver's test
• Signs and situations
• And a featured Test Simulator

Authoritative eBooks on a variety of subjects including:

• Arts
• Business
• Education
• Health and medicine
• History
• Law
• Religion and philosophy
• Science and technology
• Social Sciences

EDS provides fast, simple access to all of our library’s full text articles (both electronic and print).

• Contains content from hundreds of academic publishers.
• Supports full text language translation.
• Citation format is available.
• Supports personalized and shared folders.
• Includes EBSCO Master File Complete:
  • Consumer Reports
  • NOLO Press Legal eBooks

Topics Include:

• Business & Economics
• Computer Science & Engineering
• Current Events
• Environment
• Education
• Health Sciences
• History
• Law
• Life Sciences
• Literature
• Performing Arts & Theatre
• Philosophy & Religion

Enki Library is an eBooks platform created by libraries in California with great content from indie publishers. 

Downloadable eBooks in Enki are compatible with most eReading devices, PCs & Macs. The Library recommend borrowing and reading Enki eBooks with the SimplyE app. You can get the SimplyE app to your device from the Google Play store or the Apple App store.

Check out Enki FAQs if you need help.

An online library of education-related research, including:

• research reports
• journal articles
• conference papers

See the ERIC Product Guide for detailed information on how to search this database.

Find data on communities and identify trends using US Federal Statistics. Data sets include:

• Census Data
• Maps
• Federal Agency statistics

A next-generation digital magazine service for browsing the latest issues of popular magazines on your mobile device or computer.

Check out Flipster FAQs if you need help.

Download and stream music to your computer or device. You can also create playlists for listening to later.

• 3 million songs
• Over 10,000 labels
• Over 60 countries

Limits:

• Downloads: 5 per library card per week.
• Streaming: 3 hours per day.

Study environmental issues that affect people globally through:

• Topic overviews
• Journals
• News
• Multimedia content

Made available by the California State Library.

Explore topics in various science areas such as:

• Earth science
• Biology
• Human Anatomy
• Chemistry

Allows students to manipulate 3D interactive models to visualize and understand biology, chemistry, earth, and space sciences.

Made available by the California State Library.

Research database covering:

• business
• computers
• current events
• economics
• education
• environmental issues
• health care
• hobbies
• humanities
• law
• literature and art
• politics
• science
• social science
• sports
• technology

Designed for and by older adults. Learn, connect and share with peers in small, live classes held online.

Access

• Create an online account using this link.
• Already have your own paid subscription account? Use coupon code CSL-PA while booking your class to waive your fee for PAID classes.

For help booking a class or session, call +1-(888)-559-1614 or email help@getsetup.io

This resource is provided by the California State Library and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Workforce Development & Support program. Palo Alto City Library has access from Oct 1, 2021 to Sep 30, 2022.

Reveal your families history with this rich genealogy resource.

• Search historical census databases
• 28,000 local and family histories
• Revolutionary War database search
• Freedman's Bank search

Search thousands of obituaries with HeritageHub via Newsbank.

Learn about Palo Alto history. This online collection contains Palo Alto newspapers going back to the 1870s.

Full-text digital scans are searchable by keyword, name, place, and publishing year.

• Palo Alto Live Oak (10/28/1896 – 1903)
• Palo Alto Press (1901-1902)
• Palo Altan (12/1/1905-12/28/1906, 1912-1914)
• Mayfield Enterprise (3/5/1870-5/3/1871)
• Citizen (3/5/1904-12/31/1905)
• The Daily Palo Alto (published by students of Leland Stanford Univ. 9/3/1902-12/17/1902)
• The Palo Alto Times (1893-11/23/1905)
• The Daily Palo Alto Times (1/9/1908-1918)

Download and stream digital content to your computer or device:

• Streaming movies & TV.
• eBooks
• eAudiobooks
• graphic novels
• Music albums

Limit 3 checkouts per month per library card. For a limited time Hoopla also offers a Bonus borrows collection which will not deduct from this checkout limit. 

HyperHistory is an expanding scientific project presenting world history with an interactive combination of synchronoptic lifelines, timelines, and maps.

IndieFlix is a movie service that offers access to pop culture favorites, box office hits, award-winning feature films, documentaries and shorts.

Unlimited access is available via the Libby website or the Libby app by following the steps below:

• Add your library card number to log into Libby
• Scroll down and click/tap on the "Extras" section
• Click/tap on "IndieFlix"  to get your 7-day pass

You can always get another 7-day pass to IndieFlix by repeating the above steps after the previous access expires.

If you need help with Libby, please contact Libby Support.

Infoplease is a free reference site, and it provides Homework Help on many subjects.

Find data for your research project or grant.

IssueLab contains social sector knowledge covering 30 major areas.  

The documents in each collection area include reports from major organizations, such as:

• the Knight Foundation
• Pew Charitable Trust
• the National League of Cities

iVox is an interactive storybook app for children ages 4-8. It brings popular stories to life with three dimensional characters and scenes that children can explore.

This is an all-in-one suite of services designed for career or veteran needs. Here you can get online coaching and self-study tools to:

• Update your resume
• Write a cover letter
• Prepare for a job interview
• Navigate veteran benefits and community resources
• Collaborative learning tools

Free reports on the state of the Silicon Valley business environment and community. Requires submitting an email address for access to downloads.

Stream great movies to your PC or device, including:

• Great cinema from the Criterion Collection.
• A broad collection of foreign films.
• Engaging lectures from The Great Courses.
• Documentaries from PBS.

Viewing Limits

Limit 3 films per month per library card. However, Kanopy Kids provides unlimited views.

Get Started

Watch Kanopy Tutorial online to get started. Check out Kanopy FAQs if you need help. 

Asian language magazines, including publications from:

• China
• Japan
• Taiwan
• Hong Kong

LearningExpress Library is an online learning platform to take self-paced courses and practice tests.

• Skill-building courses and eBooks to help with reading, writing, and math.
• Occupational practice tests and civil service exams for a variety of career choices.
• College and grad school entrance test prep.
• GED® test prep.
• And more.

Available in English and Spanish. New users will be asked to create a user name and password when they first access the resource.

This resource is provided by the California State Library and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Workforce Development & Support program. Palo Alto City Library has access from Oct 1, 2021 to Sep 30, 2022.

Legal resources including:

• Immigration
• Family Law
• Housing

Full-text legal books from NOLO Press:

• renter's and landlord's rights
• divorce
• small business start ups

Libby, provided by Overdrive, is a platform for eBooks, audiobooks, magazines and streaming video.

• Almost 3000 eBooks
• Over 3600 audiobooks
• Over 3000 magazines such as The New Yorker, Discover, National Geographic, Forbes, and Newsweek

Libby also provides additional streaming services:

• Qello concert and performance streaming, plus films on music. 
• Indieflix films and documentaries from emerging filmmakers 
• Great Courses college-level lectures and literature

Access:

1. Click the Libby Link
2. Follow the prompts to sign in with your library card. We are a member of the Northern California Digital Library (NCDL).
3. Note that you may need to scroll down or click the "more" button to see our library in the list.

Check out the Libby FAQs if you need help.

LINK+ enables you to borrow books from outside the Palo Alto Library system.

Choose from thousands of online courses to learn in-demand skills from real-world industry experts.

• software development
• business and project management
• creative skills and software training (Adobe, 3D animation, film making, etc.)

Access

• Desktop users: Enter your library account number and PIN with our special link.
• Mobile users: Use library code "paloaltocitylibrary" and then enter your library account and PIN on the following screen. 

This resource is provided by the California State Library and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Workforce Development & Support program. Palo Alto City Library has access from Oct 1, 2021 to Sep 30, 2022.

Search citations of local news stories going back to 1989. Some of the articles can be retrieved from the microfilm collection at Rinconada Library.>

Learn a new language using real life situations and conversation.

• 70 languages including English
• Memory-building exercises and interactive tools.
• Ages 6 and up.
• One time registration required to save sessions or use mobile app.

Getting started with Mango Languages.

Watch classical concerts anywhere.

• Symphonies
• Operas
• Ballet
• Documentaries
• and recorded classes from the masters.

Research thousands of stocks and funds.

• New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange, and NASDAQ.
• Track performance of particular indexes, and sectors.
• Create short lists of stocks, funds and ETF's.

Watch Morningstar Tutorial online to get started.

Kids can explore topics in science, nature, culture, archaeology, and space through this multi-media collection of:

• Videos
• Pictures
• Books
• Magazines

Made possible through the California State Library.

Get access to current news from the New York Times website.

Also includes, access to articles from 1981-present, as well as 1851-1922

Checkout Procedures

• Click on the authentication link.
• Log in with your 14 digit library barcode and PIN.
• Once logged in, you will be prompted to create an account.
  • During the account creation process, an email must be provided to the New York Times.
• Once logged in, you have access to the New York Times Online for 24 hours.
• After 24 hours has expired, simply click on the authentication link once more to receive another 24-hour checkout.

News from over 2,000 local, regional, and national publications.

• Newspapers, journals, newswires, broadcast transcripts, and videos.
• Thousands of obituaries
• From 53 States and Territories.
• Customize news alerts on specific topics.
• 1978-present.

Self-directed online learning of basic computer skills and using technology in daily life.

• Essential computer skills: Basic computer, internet basics, using email, windows 10, MacOS
• Essential Software: Microsoft: Word, Excel, PowerPoint; and Google Docs
• Technology in Daily Life: Social Media, Information Literacy, Supporting K-12 Distance Learning, Career search skills, your digital footprint 

This resource is provided by the California State Library and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Workforce Development & Support program. Palo Alto City Library has access from Oct 1, 2021 to Sep 30, 2022.

Book recommendation service for K-8 readers:

• Notification services
• Fiction and non-fiction recommendations
• Mood-based recommendations
• Core Curriculum recommendations

Book recommendation service:

• Notification services
• Fiction and non-fiction recommendations
• Mood-based recommendations

eBooks, audiobooks and video trainings on computer, technology, and business.

• Over 35,000 technology, digital media, and business eBooks, including Safari Tech Books content, in multiple languages.
• 30,000 hours of video trainings
• curated learning paths and case studies.
• Programming, SQL databases, network administration, and project management
• Titles from Microsoft Press, Adobe Press, Peachpit, and Jossey-Bass.

This service has a 500 daily user limit, so in rare circumstances, users may experience delays in access.

Search Palo Alto obituaries from 1890 to present.

Find career information to help you on your career choices:

• outlook for hundreds of occupations
• descriptions of job types and typical duties
• education and training requirements
• pay ranges

Topical resource on current issues in several areas.

• Business & Economics
• Health & Medicine
• Energy & Environmentalism
• Law & Politics
• Society & Culture
• Science, Technology & Ethics
• War & Diplomacy

Great resources for debates and pro/con papers.

Dive into the history of Palo Alto. PAHA's collections include:

• Historical images
• Local publications
• Obituaries
• Organizational and business archives
• Oral histories

Full-text access to today's national and international newspapers and magazines such as:

• LA Times
• Chicago Tribune
• The Guardian
• Top Magazines

Sign in to the PressReader app or website while connected to the library's wifi to checkout 2-day 'hotspot access' from your device at home or on the go.

Watch PressReader Tutorials online to get started.

Project Gutenberg offers free eBooks and audiobooks.

There are several file formats for download, including the ones compatible with Kindle (mobi), as well as Nook, Kobo or iBooks (epub).

Develop your research skills with these research tutorial videos:

• How to find information
• How to evaluate information
• How to use information

Qello Concerts is the world's largest collection of full-length concerts and music documentaries. 

Unlimited access is available via the Libby website or the Libby app by following the steps below:

• Add your library card number to log into Libby
• Scroll down and click/tap on the "Extras" section
• Click/tap on "Qello Concert" to get your 7-day pass

You can always get another 7-day pass to Qello by repeating the above steps after the previous access expires.

If you need help with Libby, please contact Libby Support.

The Santa Clara County Law Library is a public library providing free access to its legal collection and databases.

Open to residents of Santa Clara County.

For access to the online resources of SCCLL, please contact:

(408) 299-3567 (Recorded Information)
(408) 299-3568
circdesk@sccll.org

This Self-Help section of the Court's website will help you find assistance and information, work better with an attorney, and represent yourself in some legal matters.

Find your next science fair project or explore science topics and news.

• Articles, videos, images and audio files on science topics.
• Chemistry, Biology, Health and Medicine, Math and Technology.
• 200+ experiments and projects from U*X*L Experiment Central.
• Citation tools make creating a bibliography easy.

A curated reference database for educators teaching basic research skills in primary and secondary education.

Resources include:

• General reference
• Common assignments
• Biographies
• Animals
• Countries
• Pro/con
• Lexiles

Curate pro/con database for middle and high school students, university undergraduates and instructors.

• Pro/con
• Controversial issues
• Persuasive writing
• Argument
• Social issues

Take the next step in your personal and professional journey with Skillshare's courses for current and aspiring creatives and professionals.

You can browse thousands of courses in the following categories:

• Create: Animation, Creative Writing, Film & Video, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Music, Photography, UI / UX Design, Web Development 
• Build: Business Analytics, Freelance & Entrepreneurship, Leadership & Management, Marketing 
• Thrive: Lifestyle, Productivity

This resource is provided by the California State Library and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Workforce Development & Support program. Palo Alto City Library has access to limited Skillshare memberships for free from Oct 1, 2021 to Sep 30, 2022.

Access:

1. Click the Skillshare link
2. Create a new Skillshare account
3. Click the activate button to redeem your unlimited access for 3 months. You do not have to enter credit card information to access.
   

California social studies facts for beginning researchers.

• Missions and Ranchos, Indigenous Peoples, governors and explorers.
• Explore California history by decade.
• Topics from California social studies curriculum.
• Grades 4-8.

An invaluable resource to explore American history as seen through the eyes of Stanford undergraduates.

• The collection contains 18,931 issues dating back to 1892.
• Issues are presented both as originally printed and in plain text.
• The collection is entirely searchable.

The Sutro Library holds the original collection of Adolph Sutro (1830–1898), California businessman and San Francisco mayor.

• The largest genealogy collections in the U.S.
• William Shakespeare's First, Second, Third and Fourth folios (1623–1685);
• Letters and papers of British explorer and naturalist Joseph Banks (1800s);
• The Mexican Collection: materials on Mexican culture, religion and politics (1540–1889)
• Belgian mapmaker Pieter van den Keere's World Map (1611).

Teaching Books is an online database of thousands of multimedia resources you can use to explore children's and young adult books and their authors. Look up any favorite author--from David Macaulay to J.K. Rowling, from Dr. Seuss to Shakespeare--or any title, fiction or nonfiction.You instantly get online teaching/learning resources about that author or specific book.

It also provides immediate access to useful materials and exciting programs that add a multimedia dimension to reading in the clasroom, library, and home:

• short movies
• audiobook readings
• book discussion guides
• and more

• English and math skill-building
• AP Subjects and High School Equivalency tests
• College Prep like the ACT and SAT
• Career and military tests
• GMAT, GRE, LSAT and other college exams
• TOEIC, TOEFL and US citizenship exams

* Requires customers to create a user name and password on the NelNetSolutions.com site (after authenticating as a library user with barcode and PIN when accessing outside the library).

Tumblebook Library is an online collection of eBooks for kids.

• Animated, talking picture books
• Reading comprehension quizzes
• Educational games
• Teacher resources

Checkout Procedure

• Click on the authentication link.
• Log in with your 14 digit library barcode and PIN.
• Once logged in, you have unlimited access.
• Note that closing your web browser or restarting your computer may require revisiting the authentication link.

Explore U.S. history from pre-colonial time to present.

• Articles on events, individuals, and periods of U.S. History.
• Translate or listen to articles.
• Citation tools make creating a bibliography easy.

Data from the United States Census Bureau

The Virtual Privacy Lab at San Jose Public Library offers ways to educate yourself on the underlying technical issues that make online privacy challenging.

• Privacy topics
• Customizable privacy toolkit
• Solutions to privacy issue

Unlimited digital access to WashingtonPost.com without creating a new account.

• Expert reporting and analysis from Washington and around the world.
• Real-time Q&A Discussions providing a behind the scenes look at key stories.
• Live-streaming of Washington Post Live events.

Checkout Procedure

• Click on the authentication link.
• Log in with your 14 digit library barcode and PIN.
• Once logged in, you have unlimited access to The Washington Post website.
• Note that closing your web browser or restarting your computer may require revisiting the authentication link.

Learn more about world history, politics, economics, and culture.

• Articles on history, political movements, and current events.
• Cross searchable with U.S. History In Context.
• Translate or listen to articles.
• Citation tools make creating a bibliography easy.

Search library catalogs from around the world.

Note: Palo Alto City Library does not have inter-library loan services with libraries outside the LINK+ system. Most resources found in WorldCat will require a library account with the library holding a particular item.