Online Resources
Research databases, apps, and suggested resources provided by Winding Rivers Library System, the State of Wisconsin, and others. Scroll to the bottom of this page to find tools and resources for youth and students.
Digital Databases– Provided by WRLS
Creativebug
Enjoy unlimited access to over 1,000 online art and craft classes, plus patterns, templates, and recipes. Topics include art & design, sewing, quilting, paper, knitting, crochet, food & home, jewelry, holiday & party, and classes for kids.
NoveList Plus
Find your next book here with expert reading recommendations and book lists. NoveList Plus includes audiobook recommendations, nonfiction recommendations, and reviews on 70% more titles than in basic NoveList.
Gale Courses
Hundreds of instructor-led online courses covering everything from health and wellness to creative writing, computer programming, GED test preparation and more. Gale Courses are developed by expert instructors and run for six weeks. Join any time.
Access training tools here.
Reference Solutions
(Formerly ReferenceUSA)
Search for jobs, research U.S. businesses, create marketing and small business plans, locate specific people and more.
Statewide Resources
WISCAT
Can’t find it? Search all Wisconsin library holdings with Wiscat, then contact your library to place a request.
Novelist
A reader’s advisory database of recommendations, author biographies, articles and lists for fiction and nonfiction books.
BadgerLink
Free, completely online resources: Fix your car, read the newspaper, research health and wellness issues, or find videos, articles, and encyclopedia entries about almost anything!
Find training, access, and how-to resources for BadgerLink here.
U.S. Newsstream
U.S. news featuring key national and regional sources including The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, Newsday, and Chicago Tribune as well as over 80 Gannett titles. Content is updated daily.
Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary
The largest, most comprehensive American dictionary with more than 700,000 definitions.
History Reference Center
Full-text books, magazines, historical documents, biographies, and multimedia as well as nearly 57,000 historical documents, 40,000 historical photos and maps, and more than 1,990 full-text reference books.
Auto Repair Source
Authoritative and up-to-date service and repair information for thousands of domestic and imported vehicles.
Small Engine Repair Reference Center
Detailed, user-friendly repair guides for all manner of small engines, including those found in watercraft, lawn mowers, motorcycles, and more.
Tax Forms
Federal Tax Forms, Instructions, & Publications | IRS
Wisconsin Tax Forms & Other Online Services | WI Department of Revenue (DOR)
Recursos para Hispanohablantes
Herramientas de aprendizaje, carrera y ciudadanía en español.
A collection of web-based skill building and test preparation materials in Spanish.
Wisconsin State Law Library
The Wisconsin State Law Library is the oldest library in the state. By law the Wisconsin State Law Library serves officers of the court, government employees, attorneys and the public. (WI Statutes s. 758.01; Supreme Court Rule 82.01).
How do I find a local notary public? | WI State Law Library
Job Seeker Resources
Sign up for an account with the Job Center of Wisconsin to search for jobs, find resouces, and to create a resume that you can print, update, and that saves to your account so you don’t have to worry about losing your work!
MyVote Wisconsin
Find your polling location, ballot information, find out who’s on your ballot and more.
History & Geneaology
Archive of Wisconsin Newspapers
Full-text Wisconsin newspapers from 2005 to 90 days ago, plus newspapers from the 1800s and 1900s.
Newspapers.com
Historical newspapers archive from the 1700s-2000s containing thousands of well-known regional, state, and small local newspapers in the United States and other countries.
HeritageQuest Online
Access genealogical research including all U.S. Federal Census records, family and local histories, and access to PERSI PERiodical Source Index.
Wisconsin Historical Society Family History Records
Family history research records from the Wisconsin Historical Society records available on Ancestry.com.
Immigrant & Passenger Lists from England
Take a look at the National Archives of England!
Family Search
“Find your family. Discover yourself.”
Norwegian Digital Archives
Digitized photographs and recordings, full-text print outs, pictures, and videos.
Health
Consumer Health Complete
A comprehensive resource for consumer-oriented health content. Consumer Health Complete is designed to support patients’ information needs and foster an overall understanding of health-related topics.
MedlinePlus
MedlinePlus is an online health information resource for patients and their families and friends. Find reliable, up-to-date information about diseases, conditions, and wellness topics. This trusted resource is available anytime, anywhere, on any device: https://medlineplus.gov/
En español:
https://medlineplus.gov/espanol/
MEDLINE
MEDLINE provides authoritative medical information on medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system, pre-clinical sciences, and much more.
Free & Low-Cost Resources For Language Learners
Wisconsin’s Digital Library/Overdrive eBooks
Multilingual and language learning eBooks and digital audiobooks– free with your library card!
Cambridge English (Free)
Coursera (Free)
https://www.coursera.org/browse/language-learning
Choose from hundreds of free Language Learning courses or pay to earn a Course or Specialization Certificate.
EdX (Free)
https://www.edx.org/course/subject/language
Take free online language courses in English, French, Mandarin and more. Courses include English Grammar and Essay Writing from UC Berkeley, Chinese Language: Learn Basic Mandarin from MandarinX and Conversational English from Tsinghua University.
Babble (Freemium for Android/iOS)
Babbel has been compared, by some, to a college-level language course.
Babbel is free, or you can subscribe to a package. Monthly subscriptions are $13, a three-month subscription is $27, six months costs $45, and one year is $84.
Duolingo (Free for Android/iOS)
Unique features and a clear structure make it a reliable place to learn new languages or sharpen your skills.
The Premium version (not required) of Duolingo is $10 per month and includes an ad-free experience, downloadable lessons, and unlimited “health.”
Gale Courses (Free with your library card)
Gale Courses is another option, with classes like Speed Spanish, Conversational French, Spanish for Medical Professionals, Italian, Conversational Japanese, and sign language.
These classes are a good option if you want a more traditional classroom structure since the courses are taught by instructors and include assignments and homework, and classes last six weeks, with new sections opening each month. You can look at the syllabus before enrolling.
Memrise (Freemium for Android/iOS)
Learn as fast as humanly possible.
A few lessons are available for free daily, but the full program unlocks if you subscribe to Memrise Pro. There are three plans — one month for $9, a year for $30 or three months for $18.
For Youth & Students
BadgerLink
BadgerLink is Wisconsin’s online library. Here you can find everything from videos to newspapers, author interviews, encyclopedias, and more!
Click here for instructions on how to access BadgerLink at home: https://badgerlink.dpi.wi.gov/sites/bl/files/imce/documents/educator_librarian_guide_accessing_badgerlink_at_school_and_home_v1.pdf
TeachingBooks
Bringing books to life!
- Meet authors and illustrators with exclusive movies and recordings
- Experience 12,204 read-along audiobook performances
- Hear authors pronounce and tell the stories of their names
- Enjoy 1,456 complete book readings
- Explore book trailers, Meet-the-Author recordings, and more
- Support assignments about books and author studies
- Find the right book for you (Reader’s Advisory)
Explora
Encyclopedia entries, videos, images, dictionary entries, and more. Appropriate for researchers of all ages.
Novelist K-8
Children’s fiction recommendation resource with read-alikes, discussion guides, reading lists, and more
BadgerLink (By Grade Level)
Recommended Free Language Learning Resources For Kids
Duolingo ABC (Free for Android/iOS)
Designed by education experts to help your child learn to read English – 100% free!
LearnEnglishKids
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/
This site from the British Council has games, stories, and videos to help native speakers of Chinese, Arabic, Russian, French and Spanish learn English. The site includes resources for parents and teachers.
PBS Kids Wisconsin
https://wisconsin.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/oh-noah/
Oh Noah!, (formerly known as Noah Comprende) is designed to teach Spanish to children ages six to eight through animated videos with embedded games that help build vocabulary. In each video, a misunderstanding launches a comic misadventure.
Cambridge English
https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/learning-english/parents-and-children/