HCLS Now! Research

Quick Topic Search - you will be prompted to enter your HCLS library card barcode

Browse by Resource Category

Click on category to expand listing

Book Recommendations
- Books & Authors
  Offers new ways to explore the endless possibilities and combinations of books, authors, genres, and topics.
- NextReads
  Are you looking for books to read in your favorite genres? Sign up for our e-newsletters and get great book suggestions by e-mail.
- NoveList
  Adults and teens can find books of interest by searching for favorite authors or genres. Read book reviews and see best-of lists. ** Please use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge when accessing this resource.
  Full-Text Articles
- NoveList K-8
  Students in grades K-8 (and their teachers) can find book suggestions for their next great read. ** Please use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge when accessing this resource.
  Full-Text Articles
Business Information
- AtoZdatabases
  Detailed directory including contact information for residents and households, businesses and executives, and healthcare professionals. Also has a job search feature.
  Directory Listings
- Business (Gale OneFile)
  Full-text coverage of all business disciplines including accounting, economics, finance, marketing, management and strategy through nearly 4,000 leading business and trade publications, updated daily.
- Communications and Mass Media (Gale OneFile)
  Academic journals and magazines focusing on all aspects of the communications field. Key subjects covered in the database include advertising and public relations, literature and writing, linguistics, and more.
- Economics and Theory (Gale OneFile)
  Academic journals and magazines focusing on topics in economics and related fields.
- Entrepreneurship (Gale OneFile)
  Academic journals and magazines perfect for both business school students and entrepreneurs. The database offers content that includes insights, tips, strategies and success stories.
Consumer Ratings & Reviews
- Consumer Reports
  Find reviews of products, such as appliances, electronics, home and garden items, kids’ items, and more.
  Full-Text Articles
- Kelley Blue Book – free website
  This free web site is a useful place to find pricing information for both new and used cars, motorcycles, jet skis, and snowmobiles. It also provides automotive reviews and ratings. A similar service is edmunds.com, though it seems to focus exclusively on automobiles. Local information on automobile pricing and availability can be found in the print and online automotive pages of the Baltimore Sun and the Washington Post.
  Directory Listings
- Washington Consumers’ Checkbook
  Find reviews of services (house cleaners, plumbers, auto repair shops, doctors, etc.) in the Washington metro area.
  Full-Text Articles
  Only available within the library.
DIY Resources
- Home Improvement (Gale OneFile)
  Offers more than 4.5 million articles from more than 200 home improvement-focused titles, covering topics including architectural techniques, tool and material selection, zoning requirements, and others.
eBooks & eAudiobooks
- cloudLibrary
  Use the free cloudLibrary app to browse, check out, download and read eBooks or listen to eAudiobooks. Borrowing limit of 8 titles, loan period of 21 days.
- hoopla
  Stream and temporarily download movies, television shows, music albums and audiobooks from major Hollywood studios, record companies and publishers. Follow the “Sign Up” instructions to begin and then “Sign In” on subsequent visits. No holds lists and borrowing limit of 10 titles per calendar month. Lending period depends on format.
- OverDrive / Libby (Maryland’s Digital eLibrary Consortium)
  Download eBooks, eAudiobooks, or magazines to your computer, tablet, Kindle, or smartphone. Use OverDrive’s website to send eBooks to your Kindle, or use Libby, the free mobile app, to borrow and read instantly on your mobile device. Libby is available in the iTunes App Store, Google Play, and Microsoft. Borrowing limit of 10 titles at a time and place up to 10 holds at a time. Lending period up to 21 days.
- PebbleGo
  Designed for PreK through third grade students, PebbleGo features built-in reading and research tools expertly leveled for new readers. Audio supports navigation, and articles include narrated text, highlighting, audio, and video. Topics include Animals, Earth and Space, Biographies, and Social Studies.
- Project Gutenberg – free website
  A digital library of more than 50,000 free eBooks, including many classic titles in epub and Kindle formats. Download eBooks to a device or read them online.
- TeenBookCloud [formerly TumbleBookCloud]
  TeenBookCloud is a middle school and high school collection containing graphic novels, enhanced novels, eBooks, classic literature, National Geographic videos, educator resources, and audiobooks.
Genealogy Research
- Ancestry Library Edition
  Find billions of records from around the world, including census and vital records, immigration and passport records, plus periodicals, books and photos. ** Not available from home. Ancestry must be accessed from computers within library branches.
  Full-Text Articles
  Only available within the library.
- Genealogy Connect (Gale)
  Features research and e-books on topics such as genealogy best practices, immigration, Atlantic states, the American Revolution, and much more.
  Full-Text Articles
- HeritageQuest
  Some overlap with Ancestry.com, but this tool has a strong collection of family and local history e-books, and is also accessible from your home computer. ** Please use Google Chrome or Firefox when accessing this resource.
  Full-Text Articles, Directory Listings
- MyHeritage Library Edition
  One of the most internationally diverse genealogy databases of its kind with more than 6 billion historical records from the United States, Europe, Latin America, and other regions. Includes exclusive family tree profiles from Geni. New collections added monthly. ** Please use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge when accessing this resource.
General Research
- Academic OneFile Select (Gale)
  Collection of scholarly journals and general interest titles that covers everything from art and literature to economics and the sciences.
- Diversity Studies (Gale OneFile)
  Collection of journals that explores cultural differences, contributions and influences in the global community.
- Educator’s Reference Complete (Gale OneFile)
  Provides periodical and journal articles on multiple levels of education from preschool to college, and every educational specialty—such as technology, bilingual education, health education, testing, administration and more.
- Fine Arts (Gale OneFile)
  Periodical database for serious students of drama, music, art history, and filmmaking.
- Gale eBooks [formerly Gale Virtual Reference Library]
  This tool offers electronic access to encyclopedias, almanacs, and other research books that, in earlier days, were only available in print. Includes eBooks on a broad range of topics from arts to technology.
  Full-Text Articles
- General OneFile (Gale)
  Large general interest resource for full-text periodicals and popular magazines.
- Teacher Reference Center (EBSCO)
  Indexing and abstracts for nearly 300 peer-reviewed journals. Topics covered include Best Practices, Curriculum Development, Literacy Standards, Pedagogical Research, Instructional Media, Language Arts, Science & Mathematics, School Administration, and more.
Government Resources
- FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center – free website
  Use this web site to find your official flood map, access a range of other flood hazard products, and take advantage of tools for better understanding flood risk.
- Howard County Government – free website
  The official web site of the Howard County Government. This free resource can be used to locate county agencies and information about county services.
  Full-Text Articles
- Howard County Government Map & Data Website – free website
  View local GIS datasets and maps of green infrastructure, local crimes, health inspections, historic sites, and more. Also includes aerial photos from 1943 – present.
- Maryland Manual On-Line: A guide to Maryland & its government – free website
  The official directory of Maryland state government with information on state, county, and municipal governments.
  Full-Text Articles
- Maryland.gov – free website
  The official government web site of the Maryland, including information for residents, business, and visitors.
  Full-Text Articles
- United States Government Manual – free website
  The official government handbook, including profiles of every agency and information on quasi-official agencies; international organizations in which the United States participates; and boards, commissions, and committees.
  Full-Text Articles
- USA.gov – free website
  The U.S. government’s official web site. Find agency websites, government-produced reports and statistics, names of elected officials, and more.
  Full-Text Articles
Grant Application Research
- Foundation Directory Online
  Research 110,000 funders and more than 1.3 million recent grants made to institutions.
  Directory Listings
  Only available inside the following branches:
  - Central Branch
  - Miller Branch
- Foundation Grants to Individuals (now included in Foundation Directory Online)
  Search 6,200 foundation programs that fund students, artists, researchers, and other individuals.
  Directory Listings
  Only available inside the following branches:
  - Central Branch
  - Miller Branch
Health & Medical Information
- AMA DoctorFinder – free website
  This is a free web site provided by the American Medical Association. Includes more than 690,000 American doctors. Physicians can be searched by name or by specialty and location, and listings include such information as education, specialty, hospital affiliation, and type of practice.
  Full-Text Articles
- CAREAPP – free website
  Led by Howard County Health Department, CAREAPP helps you find local services for food, health, housing, transportation, education, employment assistance, and more.
- Coronavirus Research Database by ProQuest
  A collection of journal articles, preprints, conference proceedings, dissertations, and more info related to COVID-19 and other coronaviruses. Includes comprehensive research background coverage of past pandemics and epidemics, like MERS and SARS, to give researchers, students, and medical workers context around the current global crisis.
  Full-Text Articles
- MedlinePlus – free website
  This web site by the National Institutes of Health is a very thorough encyclopedia containing information about diseases, conditions, wellness issues, drugs, supplements, and more.
  Full-Text Articles
Historical Research
- Archives Unbound (Gale Primary Sources)
  Search primary source materials related to Maryland history, such as Maryland’s city and business directories from 1752-1929, letters and reports from the War of 1812, Confederate newspapers, and more.
  Full-Text Articles
- Biography (Gale In Context)
  A collection of biographical information on more than one million people throughout history, around the world, and across disciplines.
  Full-Text Articles
- Digital Archives of Sexuality and Gender: LGBTQ History and Culture Since 1940 (Gale Primary Sources)
  A collection of documents including newsletters, newspapers, records, correspondence, interviews, reports, policy statements, and more that reveal the history of the LGBTQ community in the second half of the twentieth century and beyond.
  Full-Text Articles
- Digital Maryland – free website
  An electronic collection of historical and cultural documents, images, audio, and video held by notable Maryland institutions.
  Full-Text Articles
- Indigenous Peoples of North America
  Find short films, photos, newspaper articles, manuscripts, and much more about Native Americans.
  Full-Text Articles
- Library of Congress Digital Collections – free website
  Maps, photos, letters, diaries, newspapers, sound recordings, and short films from throughout American history.
  Full-Text Articles
- Oxford Reference
  A collection of more than 40 ebooks from Oxford focusing on history and the arts.
  Full-Text Articles
- U.S. History (Gale OneFile)
  Provides periodical content covering events in U.S. history as well as scholarly work established in the field.
- World History (Gale OneFile)
  Provides balanced coverage of events in world history with relevant articles updated daily - both current thinking and established scholarly work
Homework Assistance & Tutoring
- ABC-CLIO eBook Collection
  This tool for middle and high school students includes more than 7,000 encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and guides on topics from business to world history.
  Full-Text Articles
- Brainfuse (live online homework assistance)
  This service by Brainfuse offers live tutoring seven days a week from 2 p.m. to 11:55 p.m. for all grade levels.
- Elementary research (Gale In Context)
  Authoritative, age-appropriate, curriculum-aligned digital content covering a broad range of educational topics including Animals, Arts, Geography Literature, Social Studies, Technology, and more.
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – free website
  This U.S. Department of Education free web site is an essential destination for the parents of college age students because filling out an FAFSA form is the first step when you apply for federal student grants, work-study aid, and loans. You may also use this form to apply for most state and some private aid. While print FAFSA forms are widely available, this web site allows you to fill out and deliver the form online. Also included on this site is the online equivalent of the print Federal School Code List.
- High School research (Gale In Context)
  Resource for papers, projects, and presentations that empowers the development of critical thinking and problem solving skills with content aligned to national and state curriculum standards.
- Infobase eBooks
  Ebooks for high school and college students on careers, current issues, business, literature, math, science, the arts, and U.S. History. Most of these ebooks are about topics in literature. ** Please use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge when accessing this resource.
  Full-Text Articles
- Middle School research (Gale In Context)
  Created specifically for middle schoolers, this resource combines reference content with age-appropriate videos, newspapers, magazines, primary sources, and much more.
- National Geographic Kids
  Includes National Geographic Kids magazine as well as videos, photos, and e-books on animals, the environment, history, places, science & tech, and people & cultures.
  Full-Text Articles
- Online Homework Assistance (Brainfuse)
  This service by Brainfuse offers live tutoring seven days a week from 2 p.m. to 11:55 p.m. for all grade levels.
- SIRS Issues Researcher
  Includes articles exploring hot topics in society. The pro/con organization of this information is helpful for assignments on opposing viewpoints.
  Full-Text Articles
- World Factbook – free web site
  This free web site is the online equivalent of a print title by the same name. Surveys each of the world’s countries, providing a map, a historical narrative, and fairly extensive statistical information on every nation. Produced by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.
  Full-Text Articles
Investing Research
- Morningstar’s Investing Center
  Includes detailed information on stocks, mutual funds, bonds, ETFs, and other investments. ** Please use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge when accessing this resource.
  Full-Text Articles
- Value Line
  Online version of Value Line’s printed services that includes data, statistical analyses, projections, ratings, and surveys on stocks, funds, and other securities.
  Full-Text Articles
Job Application Assistance
- AtoZdatabases
  Detailed directory including contact information for residents and households, businesses and executives, and healthcare professionals. Also has a job search feature.
  Directory Listings
- Baltimore Sun Jobs – free website
- CareerOneStop – free website
  This free website by the Department of Labor allows you to learn about new career paths, find training, search job ads, and includes helpful tips for job hunters.
  Full-Text Articles
- Howard County Office of Workforce Development – free website
  Provides personalized services to assist local job seekers and businesses with all of their employment needs.
  Full-Text Articles
- LearningExpress Career Preparation Center
  Learn more about various career fields, improve your job searching, networking, interviewing, and teamwork skills, and study for job-related exams.
- Maryland State Job Postings – free website
- Maryland Workforce Exchange – free website
  Find info on upcoming job fairs and recruitment opportunities as well as the top Maryland employers who are currently hiring.
- Occupational Outlook Handbook – free website
  This free website by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics includes information such as required training, wage levels, and growth outlook for almost any job imaginable.
  Full-Text Articles
- Peterson’s Test and Career Prep (Gale Presents)
  Use the VisualCV resume creator tool, the cover letter editor, or the website editor to create attractive documents that promote your skills to employers. You can also research career overviews and take assessments to locate jobs that align with your values, personality, and interests. Find practice tests, courses, and test prep e-books for SAT, ACT, GED, and other major job tests, plus a scholarship and college search tool.
- USAjobs.gov – free website
  Search ads for jobs with the U.S. government.
  Directory Listings
- Vocations and Careers (Gale OneFile)
  Access to journals and magazines that aid users in researching a vocation, finding an appropriate institution of learning, job searching, and maintaining a career.
- Washington Post Jobs
Learn a Language
- Little Pim
  Designed to expose young children (ages 0-6) to foreign languages. Mango's Little Pim offers 15 different languages, and teaches children 60 words and phrases per session.
- Mango
  Online training for adults in 45 different foreign languages. Also includes lessons for individuals in need of English as a second language training. You must create a free account to keep track of your learning progress.
- MUZZY Online
  Aimed at kids ages 6 and up, this service uses interactive lessons, stories, and songs to teach eight different foreign languages (French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, Russian, Chinese, and English).
- Rosetta Stone Online
  Engage in the proven language immersion method that more than 22,000 schools and 12,000 businesses have trusted for over the last 20+ years. Select from 30 languages structured around core lessons in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Microphone required for speaking lessons. ** Important note: Only customers with library cards starting with 21267 can use Rosetta Stone. To get a 21267 card, please visit your nearest HCLS branch during business hours. Also, Rosetta Stone isn't licensed for classroom use. A+ student cards will not authenticate. For classroom use, please use Mango Languages instead.
Legal Assistance
- Gale LegalForms
  Maryland-specific legal forms for routine situations like name changes, power of attorney, lease agreements, wills, and business transactions. These forms are fill-in-the-blank, downloadable, and continuously updated to reflect the latest laws. Also includes definitions of common legal terms, legal Q&As, sample letters, and a law digest.
- People’s Law Library of Maryland – free website
  This site, maintained by the state of Maryland, provides resources to help you evaluate your legal situation, research the law, file cases, prepare for court, appeal a decision, and more. Find info about consumer law, criminal law, domestic violence, family law, probate, and much more.
- United States Courts Forms – free website
  Search for national federal court forms by keyword, number, or filter by category.
Literary Criticism & Analysis
- EBSCO eBook Collection
  A collection of ebooks on many different topics ranging from arts & architecture to true crime.
  Full-Text Articles
- Interlibrary Loan (Marina)
  Marina is the interlibrary loan system for Maryland’s libraries. Use Marina to borrow books that are not owned by Howard County Library System.
  Directory Listings
- Literature Resource Center (Gale)
  Find biographies, reviews, literary criticism, primary sources, and topic overviews.
  Full-Text Articles
- LitFinder (Gale Literature)
  Find more than 145,000 poems, short stories, essays, speeches, and plays representing the work of more than 79,000 authors.
  Full-Text Articles
- Marina (Interlibrary Loan)
  Marina is the interlibrary loan system for Maryland’s libraries. Use Marina to borrow books that are not owned by Howard County Library System.
  Directory Listings
Magazines & Newspapers
- American Periodicals
  Search almost 2,000 magazines and journals published from colonial days to the dawn of the 20th century.
  Full-Text Articles
- Baltimore Afro-American Archives (1893 – 1988)
  Often called The Afro, this weekly newspaper was the most widely circulated African American paper on the Atlantic coast. It was the first black newspaper to have correspondents reporting on World War II as well as foreign correspondents and female sports correspondents.
- Baltimore Sun (1990 – present)
- Baltimore Sun Archives (1837 – 1997)
- General OneFile (Gale)
  Large general interest resource for full-text periodicals and popular magazines.
- Liberty Magazine Historical Archive (1924 – 1950)
  This once-popular weekly U.S. magazine featured contributions from some of the biggest politicians, celebrities, authors, and artists of the 20th Century.
  Full-Text Articles
- Life Magazine Archive (1936 – 2000)
  Life was a popular photojournalism magazine featuring story-telling through documentary photographs and informative captions, providing subscribers with intimate views of real people and their real life situations.
  Full-Text Articles
- Maryland Digital NewsBank
  Read 45 local Maryland newspapers (including the Howard County Times and Columbia Flier) online. Text-only; no photographs or advertisements. Also includes text-only versions of 27 magazines such as Washington Family Magazine, National Review, and Slate, plus special reports on hot topics like world health.
  Full-Text Articles
- National Geographic Virtual Library
  Includes National Geographic magazine from 1888 to the present as well as recent issues of National Geographic Traveler.
  Full-Text Articles
- New York Times (1980 – present)
- New York Times Archives (1851 – 2019)
- News (Gale OneFile)
  Searchable access to more than 2,300 major U.S. regional, national, and local newspapers, as well as leading titles from around the world. It also includes thousands of images, radio, and TV broadcasts and transcripts.
- Nineteenth Century U.S. Newspapers
  Features full-text and images from urban and rural papers throughout America in the 1800s, with an emphasis on topics such as the American Civil War, African-American culture and history, Western migration, and Antebellum-era life.
  Full-Text Articles
- OverDrive / Libby eMagazines
  Find current & past issues of your favorite popular magazines. All magazine issues are instantly available -- no waiting lists. Also, eMag issues don't count towards your OverDrive checkout limit of 10 eBooks/eAudiobooks.
- PressReader
  Read thousands of newspapers and magazines from around the world and instantly translate them from one language into another. Only includes last 90 days of news, no historic archives.
  Full-Text Articles
- ProQuest Global Newsstream [formerly ProQuest Newsstand]
  Includes more than 1,600 U.S. and world newspapers, such as the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Toronto Star, the Guardian, etc.
  Full-Text Articles
- Smithsonian Collections Online (Gale Primary Sources)
  Includes Smithsonian magazine as well as Air & Space magazine.
  Full-Text Articles
- Time Magazine Archive (1923 – 2000)
  Each issue of this prominent weekly magazine was intended to be read in under an hour. Time featured current events, politics, sports, and entertainment news and is an important resource for researchers studying 20th-Century history.
  Full-Text Articles
- Wall Street Journal (1984 – present)
- Washington Post (1988 – present)
- Washington Post Archives (1877-2004)
Online Classes
- ArtistWorks
  Learn an instrument, vocal techniques, or art skills from award-winning teachers with these free self-paced online video classes. Classes include traditional instruments such as piano and guitar as well as less common ones such as mandolin and ukulele. Click on the “get a pass” button to sign in with your library card number and get 30 days of access to music lessons.
- Gale Courses
  More than 300 six-week online classes on a variety of topics, including business, technology, health care, personal development, the arts, and hobbies.
  Full-Text Articles
- LinkedIn Learning for Library [formerly lynda.com]
  More than 16,000 on-demand streaming video classes taught by real-world experts on technical skills, creative techniques, and business strategies. Free mobile app available. When asked to enter library ID, please type hcls (all lowercase letters). You will then be prompted to enter your library card number and PIN. ** Please note that you must use the login link on this page. You cannot sign in from your personal LinkedIn profile.
- lynda.com [now LinkedIn Learning for Library]
- NorthStar Digital Literacy – free website
  Online, self-guided assessments measure mastery of basic and advanced computer skills. Build skills in key areas and demonstrate your knowledge by earning badges. Topics include: Basic Computer Skills, Internet Basics, Using Email, advanced skills like Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Docs, Social Media and Using Technology in Daily Life.
- Udemy (Gale Presents)
  Online video courses offer upskilling in the areas of business, tech, and personal development across 75+ different categories.
Science Resources
- Interactive Science
  This tool brings biology, chemistry, earth, and space science to life, letting users explore 3D models by zooming in, rotating, or pulling them apart. Currently not available for mobile devices.
  Full-Text Articles
- Science (Gale OneFile)
  Helps researchers to remain current with the latest scientific developments in particle physics, advanced mathematics, nanotechnology, geology, and hundreds of other areas.
- ScienceFlix
  Watch, read, and learn about science topics, including earth science, space science, life science, human health, physical science, and technology & engineering.
  Full-Text Articles
Test Prep, Practice Exams, and Career Research
- Driving-Tests.org – free website
  Prepare to take the written Maryland driving exams for cars, motorcycles, and a commercial driver's license (CDL) with this series of free online tests.
- Free DMV Permit Practice Tests – free website
  Prepare to take the written test for your Maryland learner’s permit with these practice tests.
- LearningExpress Library
  Practice tests for AP exams, the GED, the SAT, grad school entrance exams, and various jobs. Also includes tutorials on math skills, writing skills, and citizenship requirements.
  Full-Text Articles
- Peterson’s Test and Career Prep (Gale Presents)
  Use the VisualCV resume creator tool, the cover letter editor, or the website editor to create attractive documents that promote your skills to employers. You can also research career overviews and take assessments to locate jobs that align with your values, personality, and interests. Find practice tests, courses, and test prep e-books for SAT, ACT, GED, and other major job tests, plus a scholarship and college search tool.

Quick Topic Search - you will be prompted to enter your HCLS library card barcode

Browse by Resource Category

Book Recommendations

Business Information

Consumer Ratings & Reviews

DIY Resources

eBooks & eAudiobooks

Genealogy Research

General Research

Government Resources

Grant Application Research

Health & Medical Information

Historical Research

Homework Assistance & Tutoring

Investing Research

Job Application Assistance

Learn a Language

Legal Assistance

Literary Criticism & Analysis

Magazines & Newspapers

Online Classes

Science Resources

Test Prep, Practice Exams, and Career Research

Browse by Alphabetical Listing