Library Databases
Library databases* are FREE to MPLD cardholders. The library pays for these database subscriptions so that they are free to you, the customer. There are databases for virtually every subject and they are appropriate for homework as well as finding information. A valid MPLD library card is required to access these databases remotely, but anyone can use them in the library.
There are two databases that do not allow remote access -- American Ancestors and Ancestry Library Edition. Also, Value Line can be used only in the library and staff must log you in.
*Databases contain full text articles, entire reference books, images and audio files, as well as other information selected by professionals. For help using our online databases, contact our Questions Desk at 815-385-0036.
| Alphabetical List of Databases | Kids & Students | |
| Books & Media | Learn a Language |
|
| Car & Small Engine Repair | Health & Medicine | |
| Careers & Online Learning & Testing |
History |
Books & Media
McHenry Public Library Catalog | Browse the items we own, including books, magazines, movies and CDs. Place holds, renew items, and manage your account.
NoveList Plus | reading resource for fiction and nonfiction for adult readers
Book Index Reviews | provides information on more than 5 million book titles, in a wide range of formats
BIR Entertainment | provides information on about 450,000 music titles and 200,000 DVD/video titles
First Search | information on a wide variety of subjects from 14 different databases.
From home: Click on this remote link.
Car & Small Engine Repair
Chilton's Automotive Repair | DIY car repair, maintenance schedules, wiring diagrams, recalls and Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) for automobiles and light trucks
Small Engine Repair Reference Center | step-by-step maintenance and repair procedures for hundreds of small engine machines and their components
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Business and Finance
DemographicsNOW: Business & People | detailed U.S. demographic, business, and residential data
Financial Ratings Series Online | financial strength ratings for more than 21,000 banks, credit unions and insurance companies, plus investment ratings for more than 6,000 stocks and 16,000 mutual funds
Illinois Public Records | real estate transactions, mortgages, foreclosures
From home: Click on this remote link.
Morningstar Investment Research Center | This database offers analysis on 1,700 stocks, 2,000 mutual funds and 300 exchange traded funds (ETFs). While it is primarily designed as a tool for investors, it is also an excellent place to get quick information on a company. From home: Click on this remote link.
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Careers/Online Learning/Testing
Ferguson's Career Guidance Center | career & industry profiles, workplace and job hunting skills, resume help, financial aid and college search help. Set up an account using your library card number for your username and a password of your choice.
From home: Click on this remote link.
Learning Express Library | test prep, practice tests, skillbuilding, software courses. Set up an account using your library card number for your username and a password of your choice.
From home: Click on this remote link.
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eBooks & Digital Library
AudioBookCloud | digital collection of audiobooks
Disney Digital Books | hundreds of new and classic interactive Disney books available on reading levels 1-5, downloadable only to a computer, not a portable device, Adobe Flash required
OverDrive | digital books/audiobooks/picture books to download for all ages
Tumblebook Library | digital books for young children
Tumblereadables | digital books for older kids
Genealogy
American Ancestors | Available only in the library. New England Historic Genealogical Society family history research
Ancestry Library Edition™ | Available only in the library. U. S. Census records for 1790-1930, including military records, court, land and probate records, vital and church records, directories, passenger lists and more
Heritage Quest | family and local histories, federal censuses
Health & Medicine
InfoTrac General Reference Center Gold | general interest database of articles from newspapers, reference books, and periodicals
Medline | all areas of medicine, including dentistry and nursing. Available through First Search. Click on "List All Databases," then select Medline specifically.
From home: Click on this remote link.
Health and Wellness Resource Center and Alternative Health | access to carefully compiled and trusted medical reference materials
Health Reference Center | clear and comprehensive information on conditions and diseases, health and wellness, mental health, and the human body
History
American History Online | more than 500 years of political, military, social, and cultural history
Modern World History Online | history from mid-15th century to the present
Sources in U.S. History Online: The Civil War | Civil War history
Kids & Students
Culturegrams | cultures, geography, maps, reports & statistics from around the world
Encyclopedia Britannica | encyclopedia -- this is the library edition.
From home: Click on this remote link
Grolier's | three encyclopedia databases.
From home: Click on this remote link.
NoveList K-8 Plus | reading resource for fiction and nonfiction for younger readers
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Magazines & Newspapers
InfoTrac General Reference Center Gold | general interest database of articles from newspapers, reference books, and periodicals
World News Digest | brings together all major political, social, and economic events since November 1940
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Reference & Research
A to Z Maps Online | royalty-free world, continent, country, and state maps of all kinds.
Bloom's Literary Reference Online Examines great writers, important works, memorable characters, and influential movements and events in world literature.
DemographicsNOW: Business & People | detailed U.S. demographic, business, and residential data
First Search | information on a wide variety of subjects from 14 different databases.
From home: Click on this remote link.
Gale Virtual Reference Library | encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for different types of research
InfoTrac General Reference Center Gold | general interest database of articles from newspapers, reference books, and periodicals
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Science & Social Sciences
Issues and Controversies On File | more than 800 hot topics in business, politics, government, education, and popular culture