Resources
Legend
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Library Card Required
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In-Library Use Only
Library Card Required
In-Library Use Only
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A to Z the World
A to Z the World is the world’s most comprehensive country-by-country resource for learning about culture and customs worldwide. AtoZ the World is comprised of 175 Country Guides of 107 topics each. No other single resource covers so many topics, so well, for so many countries. For Manchester residents, use your library card number to log in.
American Ancestors
American Ancestors, an online repository for family history research, provides free access to 1.4+ billion records spanning the United States, the British Isles, continental Europe, and beyond, including one of the most extensive online collections of early American genealogical records, the largest searchable collection of published genealogical research journals and magazines, and the only online source for records from Boston's Catholic Archdiocese. The database is maintained by the New England Historic Genealogical Society.
Ancestry Library
Ancestry Library is a version of Ancestry.com that contains a variety of collections that can help in educational or genealogical research. These historical records include a network of resources you can search, such as census, church, court, and immigration records. Ancestry Library will guide your research from the beginning and provide downloadable forms that can help organize the content you collect.
Audio Book Cloud
Database of streaming audiobooks of over 1200 titles in popular literature, classics, children and teen books, mystery, sci-fi, history, biography and more.
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Book Series In Order
On the Book Series In Order website, you will find book series in order by author, then in order of the character or series. This is an ongoing project for the site’s developers, but many authors can be found here. It is a great resource.
Boston Public Library
BPL eCards are virtual library cards that allow users immediate remote access to all of the Boston Public Library’s electronic resources, including magazine databases, downloadable audio, video and music. eCard users who wish to check out library materials will be asked to upgrade to a standard BPL card.
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Commonwealth Catalog (ComCat)
If you have searched the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium’s online catalog and the material you want is not available, then try the Commonwealth Catalog (ComCat). ComCat extends your search beyond our Library’s resources. In one easy step, you can search through millions of items at participating libraries across Massachusetts to find the books, DVDs, and music you’re looking for. Make a request and it will be delivered to the Manchester Public Library for pickup. Ask a Librarian if you experience any difficulties in accessing or searching the Commonwealth Catalog. NOTE: As of October, 2019, Internet Explorer browser (versions 7-11) is no longer supported.
Consumer Reports
A nonprofit organization, Consumer Reports provides an easy-to-use guide for unbiased ratings on thousands of products and services used in everyday life. Included in the subscription are helpful tools for cars and televisions, satisfaction scores from nearly a million consumers, and expert tips on topics including health, food, tech and money. When accessing Consumer Reports from home you will need your library card’s barcode numbers. If you do not have access to your library card, please see a librarian at the Manchester Library.
Creativebug
Creativebug is a resource that offers over 1,000 high-quality online videos in arts and crafts instructional workshops and techniques. Learn how to paint, knit, crochet, sew, screenprint, make jewelry and more! No matter what level maker you are, you can find a crafting medium that fuels your creative side! When accessing Creativebug from home you will need your library card’s barcode numbers. If you do not have access to your library card, please see a librarian at the Manchester Library.
D
Digital Public Library of America
The Digital Public Library of America is a U.S. project aimed at providing free public access to digital holdings in order to create a large-scale public digital library.
Driving Tests
RMV practice tests and manuals for teenagers, newcomers, renewal applicants or senior citizens. Take free Massachusetts RMV practice tests at the Driving Tests web site. Car tests, motorcycle tests, CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) tests, and RMV manuals. Practice tests include hundreds of questions based on the RMV manuals and resemble those on the official learner’s permit exams.
E
Environmental Studies
Focusing on the interdisciplinary study of sustainability and the environment, Gale in Context Environmental Studies provides a wealth of authoritative content, empowering students and researches to critically analyze and understand important topics that affect people around the world.
F
Fantastic Fiction
Search and browse the complete works of over 50,000 bestselling fiction authors, with all the latest books and series listed in order.
Freegal
Freegal® Music is a free music streaming service. All you need is your library card number and PIN. Freegal offers access to over 16 million songs, including Sony Music’s catalog of legendary artists. In total, the collection is comprised of music from over 93,000+ labels with music that originates in over 100 countries. Access to Freegal is limited to patrons of the Manchester Public Library. During this time, Freegal is offering 24 hour-per-day streaming to our patrons.
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Gale Learning
Access to free Gale databases. Find up-to-date content about topics on Business, Careers, Education, Health, History, Humanities, Literature, Science and so much more. The Gale logo is your link to valuable resources right at your fingertips.
Gardening & Horticulture Collection
Farmers, landscape architects, and biotechnologists alike will have their information appetites sated with this collection of journals focused specifically on key issues in gardening, landscaping, and other areas of horticulture. A fertile and growing collection, this collection includes content relating to both the practical aspects as well as the scientific theory of horticulture studies.
GreenFile
A bibliographic database of information about environmental concerns, Global warming, energy conservation, natural resources, and pollution. GreenFILE covers content going back more than 35 years and contains bibliographic backfiles to volume one, issue one for Bioscience, Journal of Environmental Planning & Management, Journal of Ecology, and Conservation Biology, and these backfiles are unique to GreenFILE. The database also contains bibliographic information for key non-scholarly titles such as E -The Environmental Magazine, Natural Life, and Mother Earth News. The database contains nearly 300,000 records, full text for certain titles, and searchable cited references for more than 200 titles as well. GreenFILE is a database that includes information for individuals, such as installing solar panels and recycling; for corporations needing information on green agriculture, hybrid cars, or waste management; as well as, environmental laws, regulations, and studies. The goal is for GreenFILE to be a practical tool for everyday information and a resource for academic study and classroom activities.
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Historical Journal of Massachusetts
HJM’s “Article Archive” contains 375+ articles on Massachusetts history freely available to the public as downloadable PDFs. They can be reproduced, distributed, and used in any educational or community setting without special permission, if HJM is clearly attributed.
Hoopla
Hoopla will offer you music, movies, ebooks, audiobooks, comics and more to enjoy! Using a web browser, smartphone or tablet, hoopla is an online streaming service that offers a great selection of feature films, television shows, documentaries, music albums and audiobooks you can enjoy at home or on the go. The content is always available so you don’t have to worry about ending up on any wait-lists and you get up to 10 checkouts per month!
Hospitality, Leisure, and Tourism Collection
With current and relevant content from industry journals, travel guides and magazines this collection provides well-rounded coverage of both the historical and current state of affairs in the hospitality and tourism field, while also allowing for focused study of specialized aspects of the industry – including cultural aspects of travel, leisure activities, economic aspects of tourism, and more.
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Investing Center
Access to real-time stock/fund quotes, prices, performance data, analysis, and much more. Morningstar Investment Research Center is now just Investing Center! The Investing Center is a financial services resource that provides beginner or seasoned investors access to even more up-to-date research and online articles and videos to help navigate smart investing, future financial planning, and staying ahead of the market.
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JustWatch
As more and more free, live and on-demand video streaming services become available, it is increasingly difficult to remember which service carries which shows. Help is a click away with this free service, JustWatch. Consider JustWatch a streaming search engine. It is the easiest way to browse through your favorite movies or tv shows to see if they are available for streaming at any of your favorite video services.
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Kanopy
Kanopy is a video streaming service that shows movies, documentaries and Kids favorites. We partner with studios like A24, The Criterion Collection, PBS and more to bring your library access to thousands of critically acclaimed movies and thoughtful entertainment. You can stream Kanopy on any of your favorite devices! Kanopy is accessible via mobile and tablet apps for iPhone and Android. You can also access Kanopy on your Desktop, and SmartTV apps like Roku, Apple TV, and Fire Stick.
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Language for Libraries
This online language-learning service, with over 90 language options including English for speakers of other languages, allows patrons to access the system remotely and offers an unprecedented number of learning options. Transparent Language Online features listening, reading, speaking, and writing exercises, as well as integrated pronunciation analysis, vocabulary acquisition exercises, conversational language courses, video grammar lessons, and a robust social community. Once you have created your account, let your learning begin!
Leadership and Management
A Gale OneFile program that contains over 12 million articles covering topics such as 21st-century skills, organizational dynamics and leadership, adult learning, and continuing education, and more. Updated daily, this library research is useful for researchers or any professional interested in career development.
Legal Forms
Free legal forms, covering hundreds of subjects and issues. Thousands of free, legal forms available with more forms being added daily. Official, State Specific, Federal, Business, Personal, Real Estate and General forms covering hundreds of legal subjects and issues. Warning: Public users should consult an attorney in their state for serious legal matters.
Library, Information Science & Technology Abstract
LISTA indexes more than 690 periodicals, plus books, research reports, and proceedings. Subject coverage includes librarianship, classification, cataloging, bibliometrics, online information retrieval, information management, and more. Coverage in the database extends back as far as the mid-1960s.
LinkedIn Learning
Lynda.com has now been upgraded to LinkedinLearning! All of the same great content you know from Lynda.com such as learning how to create a website, updating your knowledge of Microsoft Office, and developing business and creative skills that will increase your ability to achieve personal and professional goals will now be available to enjoy on the updated LinkedIn Learning platform. You will continue to be able to watch all the same content, bookmarked courses, and obtain certificates of completion that you had in Lynda.com will appear on your new account as a part of the upgrade.
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Manchester Cricket
The Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library is happy to provide access to The Manchester Cricket’s Digital Archive up to 2009. The digitization of the Cricket was funded by an equal collaboration between the Friends of the Manchester Public Library and current owners of The Manchester Cricket Newspaper. Up-to-date physical copies of the 2019 Manchester Cricket papers are also available at the Manchester Library. The Manchester Cricket is an independent, family-owned weekly newspaper that has served the communities of Manchester and Essex since 1888.
Manchester Essex Regional High School Yearbooks
Access high school memories from your home! The Library now has available fully searchable digital versions of some of Manchester Essex Regional High School yearbooks up to 2015. This was made possible by the Boston Public Library and their Statewide Digitization Project. To check them out go to the library’s website at manchesterpl.org or on the Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/manchesterpl.
Mass Legal Help
Free, practical information about your legal rights in Massachusetts. By legal aid programs.
MedlinePlus
MedlinePlus is the National Institutes of Health’s Web site for patients and their families and friends. Produced by the National Library of Medicine, the world’s largest medical library, it brings you information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language you can understand. MedlinePlus offers reliable, up-to-date health information, anytime, anywhere, for free.
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Nat Geo Kids
National Geographic Kids (also known as Nat Geo Kids) collection includes all magazine issues from 2009 to the present, as well as books, videos including Amazing Animals, images, and colorful photos. High-quality informational texts, fun features, and weird and wacky facts are available for primary, upper elementary, and middle school English Language Arts, social studies, and science classrooms. Use your library card to access.
National Geographic
1888 through current issue. Plus National Geographic Kids, National Geographic Traveler.
Novelist K-8 Plus
A subset of Novelist Plus is your resource for children’s book recommendations.
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OverDrive
Download eBooks, Audio Books, Streaming Video and Magazines. To sign in, choose your library system from the dropdown menu — Massachusetts-by-the-Sea library cardholders are considered Merrimack Valley Library patrons (MVLC); use your library card number to login. Download or stream across multiple devices using the Libby app.
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PebbleGo
PebbleGo is a curricular content hub specifically designed for K-2 students. Packed with informational articles, ready-made activities, and literacy supports for students of all abilities, it boosts engagement and fosters independent learning in core subject areas. Explore the world of animals with articles that support animal classification, behavior, and habitat lessons with the animal module or research the lives of important historical and contemporary figures who have impacted the world.
Peterson's Career Prep
Find and prepare for a career. Learn about careers, receive personalized recommendations, create resumes, search for jobs and schools, and get career advice. You will need to register to have access to this career tool.
Peterson's Test Prep
Over 185 Prep Courses, Practice Tests, including ACT, SAT, graduate, licensing exams. This is an online tool that library patrons and students of all ages can use for standardized test preparation, researching and selecting college and graduate schools, finding tuition assistance, and exploring careers. Create an account to begin using this tool.
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Risk Factor
Risk Factor® is a free online tool created by the nonprofit First Street Foundation® that makes it easy for Americans to find their property’s risk from environmental threats such as flooding, wildfires, extreme heat, and severe wind, and understand how risks are changing because of a changing environment.
Rocket Languages
Highly effective 14 languages-learning app uses audio lessons, interactive exercises, readings. Rocket Languages is an online language-learning course offers practical and powerful downloadable lessons, games and more that will encourage learning any new language at your own pace! This resource is sponsored by the Friends of the Manchester Library.
S
Salem Press
To access Salem Press resources, click on the logo above and type in your library card number. Search the following from the Manchester Public Library collection and be sure to check out the subject index for more resources available to you.
Science Database
ProQuest Science Database is a growing resource of 7.3 million full text articles from over 1,600 sources. In full-text format, researchers have access to all the charts, diagrams, graphs, tables, photos, and other graphical elements so vital to scientific and engineering literature. It supports the needs of students studying applied and general sciences.
Science-Gale Interactive
Highly visual online tool of science topics that has an intuitive interface, is easy-to-use, and helps to develop critical thinking and research skills.
T
Teacher Reference Center
(TRC) – This index of over 260 titles from the most popular teacher and administrator trade journals, periodicals, and books is now offered free via the EBSCOhost platform. This database provides coverage on key education topics such as Assessment, Continuing Education, Current Pedagogical Research, Curriculum Development, Instructional Media, Language Arts, Literacy Standards, Science & Mathematics, and more for K-12 Teachers & Librarians.
Teen Health & Wellness
Real Life: Real Answers
Everyone experiences stress, and learning how to manage it is one of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health. For guidance, help, and lots of great stories (not to mention the new *Calm Room*), visit Teen Health & Wellness.
Teen Health & Wellness is an award-winning resource that provides teens up to date, nonjudgmental, curricular, and self-help support. Visit the ***New Calm Room feature to find videos, sounds, resources to help you relax and refocus. The Calm Room is accessible from the home page of Teen Health & Wellness and throughout the resource.
TumbleBooks
Children”s ebooks for grades K-6 and includes animated, talking picture books, read-along chapter books, National Geographic videos, non-fiction books, playlists, graphic novels, as well as books in Spanish and French.
U
U.S. Newsstream
US Newsstream enables users to search current and extensive backfiles of U.S. news content and features top newspapers, wires, broadcast transcripts, blogs, and news sites in full-text format. Key U.S. titles include: The New York Times (backfile from 1980 forward), The Wall Street Journal (from 1984 forward), Washington Post (from 1987 forward), Los Angeles Times (from 1985 forward), Chicago Tribune (from 1985 forward), The Boston Globe (from 1980 forward), Newsday (from 1995 forward), The Wall Street Journal Online, ProPublica, Huffington Post, CNN Newswires, Politico
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Wall Street Journal
Breaking news, analysis from U.S. and the world; covering politics, economics, markets, life, arts. The Manchester Public Library now offers online access to The Wall Street Journal! Get the latest national news, business, and economy information and even access to WSJ Magazine, all from the comfort of your own home! You will need your library card to login. After creating an account, you will be able to start reading articles immediately. Your access will be available for the next 3 days. After 3 days, simply come back and click the above link again, and login as an existing user with the same username and password you originally created. You will never run out of free articles to read!
Arts & Music
Creativebug
Creativebug is a resource that offers over 1,000 high-quality online videos in arts and crafts instructional workshops and techniques. Learn how to paint, knit, crochet, sew, screenprint, make jewelry and more! No matter what level maker you are, you can find a crafting medium that fuels your creative side! When accessing Creativebug from home you will need your library card’s barcode numbers. If you do not have access to your library card, please see a librarian at the Manchester Library.
Gale Learning
Access to free Gale databases. Find up-to-date content about topics on Business, Careers, Education, Health, History, Humanities, Literature, Science and so much more. The Gale logo is your link to valuable resources right at your fingertips.
Business
Gale Learning
Access to free Gale databases. Find up-to-date content about topics on Business, Careers, Education, Health, History, Humanities, Literature, Science and so much more. The Gale logo is your link to valuable resources right at your fingertips.
Investing Center
Access to real-time stock/fund quotes, prices, performance data, analysis, and much more. (more…)
Leadership and Management
A Gale OneFile program that contains over 12 million articles covering topics such as 21st-century skills, organizational dynamics and leadership, adult learning, and continuing education, and more. Updated daily, this library research is useful for researchers or any professional interested in career development.
Children
Gale Learning
Access to free Gale databases. Find up-to-date content about topics on Business, Careers, Education, Health, History, Humanities, Literature, Science and so much more. The Gale logo is your link to valuable resources right at your fingertips.
Nat Geo Kids
National Geographic Kids (also known as Nat Geo Kids) collection includes all magazine issues from 2009 to the present, as well as books, videos including Amazing Animals, images, and colorful photos. High-quality informational texts, fun features, and weird and wacky facts are available for primary, upper elementary, and middle school English Language Arts, social studies, and science classrooms. Use your library card to access.
Novelist K-8 Plus
A subset of Novelist Plus is your resource for children’s book recommendations.
PebbleGo
PebbleGo is a curricular content hub specifically designed for K-2 students. Packed with informational articles, ready-made activities, and literacy supports for students of all abilities, it boosts engagement and fosters independent learning in core subject areas. Explore the world of animals with articles that support animal classification, behavior, and habitat lessons with the animal module or research the lives of important historical and contemporary figures who have impacted the world.
TumbleBooks
Children”s ebooks for grades K-6 and includes animated, talking picture books, read-along chapter books, National Geographic videos, non-fiction books, playlists, graphic novels, as well as books in Spanish and French.
Culture
A to Z the World
A to Z the World is the world’s most comprehensive country-by-country resource for learning about culture and customs worldwide. AtoZ the World is comprised of 175 Country Guides of 107 topics each. No other single resource covers so many topics, so well, for so many countries. For Manchester residents, use your library card number to log in.
Digital Public Library of America
The Digital Public Library of America is a U.S. project aimed at providing free public access to digital holdings in order to create a large-scale public digital library.
Gale Learning
Access to free Gale databases. Find up-to-date content about topics on Business, Careers, Education, Health, History, Humanities, Literature, Science and so much more. The Gale logo is your link to valuable resources right at your fingertips.
Historical Journal of Massachusetts
HJM’s “Article Archive” contains 375+ articles on Massachusetts history freely available to the public as downloadable PDFs. They can be reproduced, distributed, and used in any educational or community setting without special permission, if HJM is clearly attributed.
Hospitality, Leisure, and Tourism Collection
With current and relevant content from industry journals, travel guides and magazines this collection provides well-rounded coverage of both the historical and current state of affairs in the hospitality and tourism field, while also allowing for focused study of specialized aspects of the industry – including cultural aspects of travel, leisure activities, economic aspects of tourism, and more.
Education
Boston Public Library
BPL eCards are virtual library cards that allow users immediate remote access to all of the Boston Public Library’s electronic resources, including magazine databases, downloadable audio, video and music. eCard users who wish to check out library materials will be asked to upgrade to a standard BPL card.
Digital Public Library of America
The Digital Public Library of America is a U.S. project aimed at providing free public access to digital holdings in order to create a large-scale public digital library.
Driving Tests
RMV practice tests and manuals for teenagers, newcomers, renewal applicants or senior citizens. (more…)
Gale Learning
Access to free Gale databases. Find up-to-date content about topics on Business, Careers, Education, Health, History, Humanities, Literature, Science and so much more. The Gale logo is your link to valuable resources right at your fingertips.
Historical Journal of Massachusetts
HJM’s “Article Archive” contains 375+ articles on Massachusetts history freely available to the public as downloadable PDFs. They can be reproduced, distributed, and used in any educational or community setting without special permission, if HJM is clearly attributed.
Library, Information Science & Technology Abstract
LISTA indexes more than 690 periodicals, plus books, research reports, and proceedings. Subject coverage includes librarianship, classification, cataloging, bibliometrics, online information retrieval, information management, and more. Coverage in the database extends back as far as the mid-1960s.
LinkedIn Learning
Lynda.com has now been upgraded to LinkedinLearning! All of the same great content you know from Lynda.com such as learning how to create a website, updating your knowledge of Microsoft Office, and developing business and creative skills that will increase your ability to achieve personal and professional goals will now be available to enjoy on the updated LinkedIn Learning platform. You will continue to be able to watch all the same content, bookmarked courses, and obtain certificates of completion that you had in Lynda.com will appear on your new account as a part of the upgrade.
PebbleGo
PebbleGo is a curricular content hub specifically designed for K-2 students. Packed with informational articles, ready-made activities, and literacy supports for students of all abilities, it boosts engagement and fosters independent learning in core subject areas. Explore the world of animals with articles that support animal classification, behavior, and habitat lessons with the animal module or research the lives of important historical and contemporary figures who have impacted the world.
Peterson’s Test Prep
Over 185 Prep Courses, Practice Tests, including ACT, SAT, graduate, licensing exams. This is an online tool that library patrons and students of all ages can use for standardized test preparation, researching and selecting college and graduate schools, finding tuition assistance, and exploring careers. Create an account to begin using this tool.
Science Database
ProQuest Science Database is a growing resource of 7.3 million full text articles from over 1,600 sources. In full-text format, researchers have access to all the charts, diagrams, graphs, tables, photos, and other graphical elements so vital to scientific and engineering literature. It supports the needs of students studying applied and general sciences.
Teacher Reference Center
(TRC) – This index of over 260 titles from the most popular teacher and administrator trade journals, periodicals, and books is now offered free via the EBSCOhost platform. This database provides coverage on key education topics such as Assessment, Continuing Education, Current Pedagogical Research, Curriculum Development, Instructional Media, Language Arts, Literacy Standards, Science & Mathematics, and more for K-12 Teachers & Librarians.