DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR TEENS

Click on the titles below to access RPL’s digital resources for teens. Click on the video to watch a short tutorial.

READ

CLOUDLIBRARY
CloudLibrary is a downloadable audio and digital book service available to all RPL cardholders. Titles automatically expire, so there are no last-minute trips to the library or late fees. They can be read or listened to from the convenience of home, work, or a portable device.

HOOPLA
Hoopla is a groundbreaking digital media service offered by RPL that allows users to borrow movies, music, audiobooks, eBooks, comics and TV shows to enjoy on the computer, tablet, phone, and even the TV.

NOVELIST
NoveList is a comprehensive readers’ advisory resource, providing information about award winners, read-alikes, expert recommendations, complete series, and discussion guides.

NOVELIST K-8
NoveList K-8 is a database of book recommendations for kids in kindergarten through eighth grade. It provides information about read-a-likes, complete series, reading levels, recommended reading lists, and resources for parents. Sign in with your library card and PIN, and then select NoveList K-8 from the list of databases.

TEEN BOOK REVIEW
Book reviews from members of the RPL library staff on recommended YA fiction.

WHAT’S NEW BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
A list of up and coming YA fiction from RPL staff members.

DOWNLOAD AND STREAM

CREATIVEBUG
Creativebug provides unlimited access to thousands of online arts and crafts videos and classes, on both the web browser and mobile app. Create fun crafts and enjoy classes that develop skills in sketching, painting, crocheting, and more.

FREEGAL
Freegal is a free music streaming service which offers 5 hours of free streaming per week. It can be enjoyed on a computer browser as well as on mobile or tablet on the Freegal app.

HOOPLA
Hoopla is a groundbreaking digital media service offered by RPL that allows users to borrow movies, music, audiobooks, eBooks, comics and TV shows to enjoy on the computer, tablet, or phone, and even the TV.

KANOPY
Kanopy is a streaming service that offers diverse selection of educational and entertaining content, including movies, TV series, animated storybooks, documentaries, award winning films, live action features, and animated favorites.

HOMEWORK HELP AND RESOURCES

EXPLORA FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES
Explora is EBSCO’s interface for Schools and Public Libraries. Explora supports both student research and classroom instruction by combining many of its research databases into one easy search, providing suggestions for topics and areas of study.

FUNK AND WAGNALLS NEW WORLD ENCYCLOPEDIA
Funk and Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia provides access to over 25,000 records, including images and brief biographies, over an array of topics.

GALE PETERSON’S TEST AND CAREER PREP
Through Peterson’s Test and Career Prep, digital exam and career prep resources can help all users be better prepared down the road for both college and their career, using tools such as standardized test and certification preparation, personalized career assessments, and more.

KHAN ACADEMY
Khan Academy is a freely available, non-profit learning academy that provides learning tools for students on a variety of subjects, often in the form of short instructional videos with complimentary exercises and materials. Khan Academy’s library of practices and lessons covers math K-12 through early college, grammar, science, history, AP®, SAT®, and more.

LITERARY REFERENCE PLUS
Literary Reference Plus is a rich full-text literary database covering all genres and time periods. It includes thousands of synopses, critical essays, book reviews, literary journals and author biographies, plus full-text classic novels, short stories, and poems.

MANGO LANGUAGES
Mango Languages is an online learning-language site, which focuses on learning through practical conversations. Over 70 languages are available, including French, German, Japanese, Spanish, and many more.

SCIENCE REFERENCE SOURCE
Science Reference Source provides high quality videos and images as well as the full text for hundreds of science magazines, journals, and reference books. The database also contains science experiments and curriculum-aligned lesson plans.

WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA
World Book Encyclopedia Online is an online database which provides scholarly articles, primary and secondary source documents, eBooks, images, videos and more on a variety of subjects.

COLLEGE AND SCHOLARSHIP RESOURCES

FEDERAL STUDENT AID
Federal Student Aid’s resources show how financial aid works, available resources to pay for college, and loan repayment options. This site discusses key steps in preparing for college and provides resources that can help along the way, such as guides to choosing a school and filling out the FAFSA.

FOUNDATION DIRECTORY ONLINE (In-Library Access Only)
Foundation Directory Online (FDO) is the Foundation Center’s research tool to help nonprofits find the grantmakers most likely to fund their projects. It provides information and funding history for 140,000+ foundations, corporations, and federal agencies.

GALE COURSES
Gale Courses provides more than 360 six-week long, online programs taught by college instructors. These programs include content such as professional development, technology, and personal enrichment courses.

GALE UDEMY
With Gale Udemy, users can access more than 12,000 video-based courses in business, technology, software, and personal development through a curated collection from one of the world’s leading online learning platforms.

ROCKFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH
A Rockford Public Library page that provides a list of circulating books, reference books, and online resources supporting scholarship searches.

SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH NORTHERN ILLINOIS
A one-stop shop for details about local private scholarships, as well as information about broader financial resources, with the goal to increase access to resources and information.

REFERENCE EBOOKS

EBSCOHOST
EBSCOhost is an intuitive online research platform containing articles, magazines, journals, and books. It is now used by thousands of institutions and millions of users worldwide. Users can quickly find information and easily choose between databases to perform detailed searches. Using the filters, users can select and search all EBSCO eBook collections.

GALE REFERENCE EBOOKS
Gale Reference eBooks is a source of eBooks available on a variety of subjects, including biographies, business, history, literature, and multi-cultural studies.

OPENSTAX
Publishes high-quality, peer-reviewed, openly licensed college textbooks that are absolutely free online and low-cost in print. Part of the nonprofit Rice University.