Articles and Databases

250,000 biographies from respected sources.

Readers' advisory information including recommended reading lists for both fiction and non-fiction. Book reviews, plot summaries and author information are provided. Young Adults titles are also covered.

Biographies, bibliographies, and critical analyses of more than 120,000 novelists, poets, essayists, journalists, and other writers.

Search for fiction and non-fiction based on your favorite authors, titles, subjects or genres, as well as reviews, series lists, and book discussion guides.

Empowers students to go beyond researching topics to interpret their research. This unique resource offers the most comprehensive and convenient way to find full case studies, analytical tools, and in-depth statistical data coupled with deep research and it lets users easily compare global economies, companies and industries.

An investment resource specializing in fund investing. It provides trusted, independent and in-depth news, commentary, fund information, recommendations and research on stocks and mutual funds. It also provides tutorials and investment education.

Reference USA is a premier source of business, consumer and residential information. Included are millions of nationwide and comprehensive profiles of businesses, physicians, dentists and new homeowners. U.S. Standard and Canadian White Pages provide demographic data across both regions. Searchers can also obtain household and census type data to understand consumer buying habits. Reference USA is used by entrepreneurs, businesses, students, job-seekers or anyone wanting business and residential information in an easy format.

The World Factbook provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 world entities. Our Reference tab includes: maps of the major world regions, as well as Flags of the World, a Physical Map of the World, a Political Map of the World, a World Oceans map, and a Standard Time Zones of the World map.

This website provides information about obtaining passports and visas as well as country information for travelers with such topics as safety and criminal activity, entry and exit requirements, travel advisories, and consulate locations.

There are several web sites that offer audiobooks of works in the public domain that can be played on iPods and on Macintosh and Linux computers as well as PCs. This page, maintained by Park County Library System in Wyoming, provides descriptions and links to a number of those site.

A collection of fiction and non-fiction titles for children and adults, including self-published titles from Smashwords.  Checkout and read online or download to devices compatible with PDF or EPUB format. Not compatible with Kindle eReaders. 

Downloadable e-books and e-audiobooks. E-books can be downloaded and transferred to e-book readers, such as the Sony Reader and Barnes & Noble Nook. The e-audiobooks can be downloaded and transferred to Windows-compatible MP3 plays as well as iPods.

Animated, talking picture books that can be played on your computer while online. (No downloading is possible!) The Story Book collection includes a fun variety of stories for different age levels. The pace of the stories can be controlled by the reader - or set to automatic. The Tumble Readables are large print "read on your own" children's books. There's more...including health and language resources!

A collection of directories in electronic format. Users can search for organizations by name, keyword, industry, and geography. Directories included: Encyclopedia of Associations: National Organizations; Encyclopedia of Associations: International Organizations; Encyclopedia of Associations: Region, State, and Local Organizations; Directory of Non-Profit Organizations.

De 1996 al presente. Artículos de las revistas más populares en forma digital. Abarca temas de negocios, salud, tecnología, arte y entretenimiento.

All the Gale periodical archives and reference book sets can be searched at once using this feature.

Public records and genealogy tools for the family historian. Emphasis on immigrant lists, passenger lists, and other public documents. This database is available at the Main and branch libraries, but not outside library facilities.

US government documents listed by author, title, subject or words found in notes.

Comprehensive information on grantmakers and their grants in a database of 92,000 foundations, corporate giving programs, and grantmaking public charities in the US. This database is available at the Main Library only.

Health information from over 700 journals, magazines, pamphlets and medical reference books. Written for non-experts.

Contains full-text articles from over 60 magazines, including articles about proven treatment techniques, experimental research theses, and applications for specific sports.

Books, journals, maps, primary documents and multimedia describing United States History.

Career Cruising is an online career tool featuring interactive career guidance resources including: interest and skills assessments, occupation profiles, post-secondary education options and 4-year course plans, and the option to create and export resumes and cover letters.

Offers children access to information about the animal kingdom and its place in our world. It includes interactive information on over 1,200 animals, with illustrations, maps, and glossaries. To get to the database, in the menu on the left side of the screen, click on Amazing Animals of the World.

CultureGrams is the leading primary source reference for concise, reliable, and up-to-date cultural information on the countries of the world. It goes beyond mere facts and figures to deliver an insider's perspective on daily life and culture, including the history, customs, and lifestyles of the world's people.

Provides elementary and middle school students with up-to-date information on countries, cultures, and current evens. Features include an encyclopedia of countries, facts and figures, cultural comparisons, games and quizzes, and a Global News Desk. To get to the database, in the menu on the left side of the screen, click on Lands and People.

Provides in-depth science, health, and technology research and news for students in middle school and beyond. It includes photos, maps, and technical illustrations, biographies of great scientists, information on science careers, and ideas for school science projects and experiments. To get to the database, in the menu on the left side of the screen, click on Popular Science.

Something About the Author offers thousands of illustrated biographical profiles of children's authors and illustrators. It is a premier resource for students, librarians, teachers and other researchers of children's and young adult literature.

Offers a collection of research tools that includes encyclopedia articles, current periodicals, and related websites. It also features World Book Online for Kids, World Book Online for Students, Discover, which offers engaging reference resources for students reading below grade level, and the Spanish language encyclopedia Estudiantil. World Book Online is dynamically complemented with pictures, audio, and video.

Transparent Language Online is a powerful language learning resource offering instruction in over 80 languages plus English. Learn basic language skills or dive into more extensive language instruction all at your own pace. Transparent Language Online uses multimedia activities that instruct all four language skills, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing, as well as social media resources to meet the needs of any learner. It includes beginner English courses for speakers of other languages and an immersion course for intermediate level English learners.  The free companion mobile applications for Apple & Android Devices allow you to take your language learning on-the-go.

Here, you can read selected Nolo books online - in their entirety, for free. These are the current editions of these books.

A directory of area libraries with web links.

Articles and indexing from over 1200 college-level periodicals, from 1980 to the present. Full text articles are available from over 700 titles.

Full-text coverage of more than 350 newspapers from around the world, including articles from the San Francisco Chronicle (since 1996), the Contra Costa Times, the San Jose Mercury-News and the New York Times (all since 2000).

Provides information on topics of current interest, including content from sources throughout the world to provide a global perspective, current and background information, statistics, maps, images, websites, and suggested search terms. New information is added daily to featured and current reports.

Index to articles about Oakland and vicinity in the Oakland Tribune and other local papers, produced by Oakland Public Library staff.

Government and non-profit agencies in Oakland.

Over 300 online practice tests, including the SAT, GED, ASVAB, Firefighter, Postal Worker, and many others. Also includes US Citizenship Exam Preparation; and English language and math practice exams for Spanish speakers. The new Job & Career Accelerator section is a good tool to help high school and college students in planning their educational and career path. It provides information on jobs that suit your interests and experience, lets you check current job listings from over 5 million job positions, creates resumes and cover letters, and assists with interviewing skills. You'll need to create a username and password to store your personal job search tools in complete confidentiality. Then, click on the Job & Career Accelerator link on the LearningExpressLibrary homepage.

Provides current information about important issues and events. This resource addresses a wide variety of contemporary subjects from around the world related to social studies, science, health, sports, the arts, people and more. The reports are updated constantly, with new reports added as world and national events unfold. A good student research site, with full text access to the Oakland Tribune back to 2001.

Thousands of topic overviews, science experiments, biographies, pictures and illustrations, plus the latest scientific development in articles from over 200 science magazines. It focuses on key concepts taught in classrooms including biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, math, environmental science, life science, medicine, space science, computer science, technology, history of science, and science and society.

A private website designed to help students find scholarships, college, and career information. TFS offers students the largest scholarship database in the world with over $41 Billion in scholarship awards along with a career personality test and detailed college and career information. On the homepage, Click on "Membership" to create TFS login.

Over 300 online practice tests, including the SAT, GED, ASVAB, Firefighter, Postal Worker, and many others. Also includes US Citizenship Exam Preparation; and English language and math practice exams for Spanish speakers. The new Job & Career Accelerator section is a good tool to help high school and college students in planning their educational and career path. It provides information on jobs that suit your interests and experience, lets you check current job listings from over 5 million job positions, creates resumes and cover letters, and assists with interviewing skills. You'll need to create a username and password to store your personal job search tools in complete confidentiality. Then, click on the Job & Career Accelerator link on the LearningExpressLibrary homepage.