Databases

From the New England Historic Genealogical Society. Collections of early American genealogical records (vital, church, and town records) from New England states, England, Ireland, and beyond. In-library use only.

Premier genealogy resource with federal and state census records, military and immigration records, birth, death, and marriage records, and other reference sources such as high school yearbooks.  In-library use only.

Explore 145,000 maps of the world, continents, countries, and states. Browse antique and historical maps, climate and ecology maps, flags of the world, and glossaries. Play geography games.

Discover food culture for 174 countries including national and regional cuisine, dining etiquette, and trivia. Explore over 7,000 recipes, ingredient articles, and food glossary.

Provides live online tutoring 2-11 p.m. daily, plus a writing center (get individualized feedback on your paper). Use SkillSurfer to access a learning library for kids, teens, and adults on school and career topics. Includes practice tests for GED, ACT, SAT, GRE, AP, ASVAB, and many more. Features live FAFSA help, ELL resources, and citizenship practice tests.

Provides practical tools for job seekers. Receive personalized expert analysis of your resume and cover letter; get live job, resume, and interview coaching 2-11 p.m. daily; review resources and practice exams for specific careers; and use eParachute to discover majors and careers that match your skills and interests.

In-depth coverage of businesses, including company profiles, industry profiles, products and brands, financial reports, company rankings, histories, and full-text articles. Find case studies and other data to compare global economies, countries, and industries.

Full-text articles from more than 2,300 journals in all disciplines of business, including marketing, management, accounting, finance, and economics.

Search a wide variety of credible, vetted local and regional newspapers from throughout the Chicagoland area, including the Chicago Sun-Times, Daily Herald, Naperville Sun, and more.

Read today's newspaper or recent issues by selecting the Image format and browsing by date. Search current and archived issues from 1986 to the present.

Read the daily paper as it appears on newsstands with full-color images. Over five years of papers are available.

Comprehensive coverage from 1985 to the present. Search top news stories, local issues, obituaries, pop culture, and more. Note obituaries from 1985-1999 are missing.

Search for articles, obituaries, and more from the Chicago Tribune spanning 1849 to 1998. Find first-hand accounts and coverage of the politics, society, and events of the time.

Read the Sunday Trib as it appears on newsstands with full-color images. Over two years of papers are available.

Read the daily paper as it appears on newsstands with full-color images. The latest 4 issues are available.

Topics cover health and wellness spectrum—from mainstream medicine to complementary, holistic, and integrated medicine. Includes encyclopedias, journals, magazines, evidence-based health reports, drug information, and medical images and diagrams.

Ratings, reviews, recommendations, and buying advice for thousands of products including cars, appliances, electronics, and more. Find in-depth money-saving advice, tips, and trends. Also available on Flipster.

Articles, advice, and consumer ratings of services in the Chicago area. Research auto repair shops, contractors, plumbers, veterinarians, doctors, carpet cleaners, and many more. Create an account to add ratings and reviews.

Read the latest issues or search for articles from 1996 to present. Find articles, business profiles, interviews, financial information, and timely news.

App available. Thousands of award-winning art and craft video classes taught by recognized design experts and artists. Topics including sewing, paper crafts, cake decorating, and jewelry making. Includes classes specifically for kids.

Read today's newspaper or recent issues by selecting the Image format and browsing by date. Search current and archived issues from 1995 to the present.

Read today’s newspaper and previous issues. Search for articles from 1997 to present.

Practice driving exams for getting a license in Illinois. Tests for car, motorcycle, and commercial driver’s license (CDL). Read the Illinois Rules of the Road, motorcycle, or CDL handbooks. Browse the FAQ section.

Browse articles by topic: arts and literature, biography, business and careers, current events, geography and culture, health, history and social science, and science and math. Search for magazine articles, videos, and primary documents.

As a FamilySearch affiliate library, we provide access to worldwide genealogical records, images, and documents. When searching from outside the library, some results show an icon with a key above a camera lens, indicating they are locked to the user. Access is permitted within the library only.

Search Chicago city directories and US military records from the Revolutionary War onward. Includes stories, photos, and personal documents of those who served. 

A guided step-by-step experience for starting, managing, or growing a business. Develop a business plan, create deliverables, and track progress. Resources for new entrepreneurs and seasoned business owners.

Access over 3,000 U.S. and international newspapers such as Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald, Financial Times, The Guardian, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. Coverage from 1980s to present. Search by topic or browse an issue of a specific newspaper.

Explore your family history with U.S. obituaries and death notices from 1704 to today. Identify relatives and uncover new information and potentially unknown family members. Includes coverage from all 50 states, hard-to-find content from the mid-1900s, and original obituary images.

Search primary sources such as census records, city directories, family and local histories, Revolutionary War files, and Freedman’s Bank Records. Includes resources on towns and families from all 50 states, Canada, and the British Isles.

Read today’s newspaper and previous issues. Search for articles from 1985 to present.

App available. Over 3,000 video courses to learn business, marketing, design, photography, and technology skills. Software instruction includes beginner to advanced courses on Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, Adobe Photoshop, and much more. Formerly Lynda.com.

App available. Learn a new language, improve current skills, and increase cultural awareness. Contains 70 world language courses including Arabic, Korean, Polish, Russian, and Spanish designed to adapt to a diverse range of learning needs, styles, and backgrounds. Over 20 ELL courses for speakers new to English.

Provides full-text reference books, encyclopedias, biographies, magazines, and primary source documents. Includes image collection of photos, videos, maps, and flags. Covers all subject areas.

Identify stocks, mutual funds, and ETFs that meet your needs. Includes analyst reports, investor newsletters, fund screening tools, portfolio analysis tools, and college and retirement calculators. Build knowledge with the Investing Classroom.

Read today's newspaper or recent issues by selecting the Image format and browsing by date. Search current and archived issues from 1997 to the present.

Read today’s newspaper and previous issues. Search for articles from 1980 to present.

Browse the left sidebar for hot topics and daily headlines in the news. View special reports grouped by theme on global issues and timely events. Includes current and retrospective coverage using news articles, images, videos, and maps.

Contains millions of searchable newspaper pages published 1607 to present from more than 400 cities in the United States, United Kingdom, and more than 15 other countries. Enter search terms or browse newspapers by country, city, state, and year to discover obituaries, birth and marriage announcements, sports articles, and more.

Access over 4,000 newspapers dating from the early 1700s to the 2000s. Discover articles from local and regional papers as well as national and international resources. 

Discover expert reading recommendations for favorite titles, authors, and series. Browse reviews, articles, lists, and series information. Covers fiction, nonfiction, and audiobooks for adults, teen, and youth.

Provides materials to support differing points of view on current issues in the forms of primary source documents, statistics, websites, and multimedia. Topics include business and economics, health and medicine, law and politics, society and culture, and national debate subjects.

App available. Read today's newspapers and magazines from around the world in 37 languages. Just like reading a print edition, browse articles, pictures, advertisements, and more in full-color, full-page format. Many articles can be translated into other languages. Listen to articles on interactive radio. Access back issues.

Search public records for new businesses, real estate transactions, foreclosures and auctions, and bankruptcies by county in Illinois. Build custom marketing lists for your business.

Directory of 64 million businesses, 163 million residents, and 1.2 million doctors. Find phone numbers, addresses, and consumer data. Business owners: build lists for market research. Job seekers: search 2.5 million job postings from Indeed.

Fire insurance maps from 1867-1970 chart the growth and development of towns and cities in Illinois. They are large scale plans of a city or town drawn at a scale of 50 feet to an inch. The maps list street blocks and building numbers including numbers in use at the time the map was made and previous numbers.

Read today’s newspaper and previous issues. Search for articles from 1997 to present.

Research large, mid-cap, and small stocks plus mutual funds and options. Includes stock analysis, industry reports, historical data, market information, and stock screener. Use Investment Education section for glossary, articles, and videos.  

Read today’s newspaper and previous issues. Search for articles from 1984 to present.

Read today’s newspaper and previous issues. Search for articles from 1987 to present.

Search for books and other material in libraries worldwide.  Request an interlibrary loan for pickup at WPL. 

Learn how to use the library's online resources.