Librarians’ Internet Index

This is a general web portal covering all topics.  You can either click through the 14 categories or use the Search box.  If you use the Search box, search results show the category under which that site is listed, which can lead to more sites. (http://www.lii.org)

Illinois Clicks!

Sponsored by the Illinois State Library.  This portal has 13 broad categories and the selected sites have been reviewed and selected by librarians across Illinois.  If you don’t see the category you’re looking for, try “Homework Help,” which has even more categories and topics. (http://www.illinoisclicks.org)

Britannica Online School Edition

Reader’s Guide Full Text Select Ed.

RefDesk.com

When you’re looking for quick answers to basic questions, start here.  You can browse the various sections on the home page or go to the “Reference Desk” drop-down menu to focus in on the kind of resource you need. (http://www.refdesk.com)

NationMaster.com and StateMaster.com

These 2 sites are authored by Australian Luke Metcalfe, who wanted to develop an easy way to access the enormous wealth of statistics available from the CIA World Factbook, the United Nations, and other organizations and publications.  Statistics are presented in a variety of formats and the source for the data is provided. (http://nationmaster.com) (http://statemaster.com)

American Fact Finder

Provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, these are updated statistics on a variety of social, political, and economic variables. (http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html)

USA.gov

This is the portal site for the United States government departments, offices, etc.  It was formerly called FirstGov.(http://www.usa.gov)

New York Times CyberNavigator

Compiled as a reference source for New York Times reporters, it has a comprehensive subject list as well as collections of government documents and links to reliable web sites.  Also has good guidance on which search engines to use for a particular purpose. (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/technology/cybertimesnavigator/index.html)

Second Hand Songs: A Cover Songs Database

A resource for finding out who performed the original version of a song, as well as who covered that song.  Holds close to 50,000 songs (originals and covers).  The database was founded by 3 Belgian “cover song fanatics.”  Content is added by a team of volunteer editors. (http://www.secondhandsongs.com)

Color Matters

Authored by J.L. Morton, former faculty at the University of Hawaii School of Architecture, she is now an author and consultant.  This whole website is about color, including how color interacts with the brain, body, vision, art, science, computers, etc. (http://www.colormatters.com/entercolormatters.html)

American Ballet Theatre Ballet Dictionary

Definitions and demonstrations of some of the basic terms in ballet. (http://www.abt.org/education/dictionary/index.html)

Dance Style Locator

A growing collection of illustrated descriptions of dance styles from around the world.  Authored by World Arts West, a California-based dance organization. (http://www.worldartswest.org/main/locator.asp)

The College Zone

Sponsored by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, this site provides reliable information about college selection and financial aid. (http://www.collegezone.com)

State and Federal College Aid Calculator

This calculator is part of the What’s Next Illinois site.  It can provide an estimate of how much financial aid may be available to help you pay for college.  What’s Next Illinois is also sponsored by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

Peterson’s Planner

By the publishers of Peterson’s Guides, this site can guide you through the college search process.  You can also use the “Find a School” feature to quickly search for colleges and universities by major, location, or other descriptor. (http://www.petersons.com)

Occupational Outlook Handbook

Published by the U.S. Dept. of Labor, the OOH provides basic and reliable information about various occupations, including a description of the work and preparation needed. (http://stats.bls.gov/oco)

FinAid

Published by Mark Kantrowitz, a financial aid and college planning author, this site provides information about financial aid, scholarships, loans, and other programs.  Also provides a number of calculators to help students and their parents plan for college costs. (http://www.finaid.org)

CNET Reviews

CNET Publishing provides reviews and buying assistance for everything tech, from camcorders to PDAs to laptops. (http://reviews.cnet.com)

How Internet Search Engines Work

The article is authored by Curt Franklin.  The How Stuff Works website was originally founded by a North Carolina State University professor and is now owned by the Convex Group.  This article explains how Internet search engines index web pages. (http://computer.howstuffworks.com/search-engine.htm)

Latin American Network Information Center

Authored by the Institute of Latin American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, this is a large site which includes Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America, and provides links on topics from Sustainable Development to Recreation to Government. (http://lanic.utexas.edu)

The HistoryMakers

Identity by Design : Tradition, Change and Celebration in Native Women’s Dresses

Library of Congress Country Studies

Reliable facts on more than 100 countries and regions.  Use the Search box along the right side of the page to find information across all countries or to limit your search to several countries.  Provided by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress. (http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshome.html)

CIA World Fact Book

Basic information and statistics about different countries, including geography, government, economy, communications, and transportation. (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html)

BBC News Country Profiles

Authored by the British Broadcasting Company’s News Division.  Provides historical background as well as political and economic information. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/country_profiles/default.stm)

Cities Around the World

From the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, you can access over 6100 photographic images from the slide collections of the American Geographical Society Library.  Use the Search box or select a city or country.  Click on the thumbnail to get a larger view and detailed information about the photograph.  Use the “About” tab for a link to the Copyrights and Permissions section. (http://www.uwm.edu/Library/digilib/cities/)

Current Issues in Health

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Find general fact sheets, information for those newly-diagnosed, the latest medical research, and links to events to promote breast cancer awareness. (http://www.nbcam.org)

Get Fit

From the American Council on Exercise, you can find basic information on fitness, exercise, and nutrition.  It’s especially good for people beginning an exercise program.  Also includes a section of research studies on various fitness-related topics. (http://www.acefitness.org/getfit/)

HealthFinder

Sponsored by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.  Comprehensive site for news and information on diseases, healthy living, drug use and abuse, and other topics. (http://www.healthfinder.gov)

Teens Health

Authored by the Nemours Foundation, KidsHealth has sections for Teens, Kids, and Parents.  Covers physical, mental, emotional, and social topics. (http://www.kidshealth.org)

State Health Facts

Sponsored by the Kaiser Family Foundation, this site offers statistics and comparisons on a variety of health-related topics.  You can focus on a single state or compare across states. (http://statehealthfacts.org)

Working Heroes : Men and Women Who Shaped America's Labor Movement

Sponsored by the AFL-CIO, this site provides brief biographies of some of the most important labor leaders in the U.S. (http://aflcio.org/aboutus/history/history/bios.cfm)

Center for American Women and Politics

Part of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, this site features fact sheets, research, and other resources about women in government and politics, including historical women office holders and female elected and appointed officials in each state. (http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu)

Library of Congress

In addition to the Library of Congress catalog, there are 3 specialized sections:  American Memory (historic maps, photos, documents, audio, and video), Exhibitions (various themed exhibits), and Thomas (everything about Congress). (http://www.loc.gov)

The End of Europe’s Middle Ages

A tutorial that focuses on the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.  It provides “a brief overview of the conditions at the end of Europe’s Middle Ages.” (http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/endmiddle)

Encyclopedia of Chicago

An online version of the massive print volume, this is the place to go for information about the city and its history.  The “Entries” tab provides an alphabetical index to the authored articles.  The Chicago History Museum hosts this site. (http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org)

Gale Literature Resource Center

Gale Literary Index

Provided by Thomson Gale Publishers, this site is a basic, easy-to-use index to all of Gale's literature reference series.  It's a good way to locate literary criticism in the various Gale publications.  The same index is available through the Gale Literature Resource Center. (http://www.galenet.com/servlet/LitIndex/)

British Library

In addition to a number of online exhibits, the British Library has digitized important works of English literature and documents of English history. (http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/index.html)

Poetry 180

Created by Billy Collins, former Poet Laureate of the United States, this site provides a poem for each of the 180 days of the school year. (http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/)

Sponsored by the Annenberg/CPB Project.  This interactive site aims to show how you use math when playing games, cooking, predicting retirement savings, etc. (http://www.learner.org/exhibits/dailymath/)

Urban Legends Reference Pages

Authored by Barbara and David P. Mikkelson.  Not only for urban legends, but for checking on all kinds of strange news, old wives’ tales, and rumors. (http://www.snopes.com)

Online Crossword Puzzle Maker

An easy-to-use crossword puzzle maker -- you just enter the words and the clues and the puzzle is formatted for you.  Sponsored by Variety Games, Inc. (http://www.puzzle-maker.com/CW/)

FACTS.com

CQ Researcher

Provides in-depth coverage of political and social issues, with regular reports on topics in health, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the U.S. economy.  The Res Library subscribes to this database.  Check the blue sheets available in the Library for the correct username and password. (http://www.cqel.com)

Christian Science Monitor

Excellent international coverage and good features.  You do not need to register or pay to view or print articles. (http://www.csmonitor.com)

Catholic Social Teaching

Authored by the Office of Social Justice, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.  Sections include: Social Teaching Documents, Major Themes, Notable Quotations, Reading List, and Web Links. (http://www.osjspm.org/catholic_social_teaching.aspx)

Religion and Ethics Newsweekly

The Vatican

Enter the site by clicking on the language of your choice. (http://www.vatican.va)

Religions

The British Broadcasting Company provides an A-Z guide to religions.  Includes information on holy days, worship ceremonies, and customs. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/index.shtml)

BustedHalo.com

This site bills itself as “An online magazine for spiritual seekers in their 20s and 30s."  It is sponsored by The Paulists, an order of Catholic priests.  Sections of the site include: Features, Faith Guides, Podcasts, and Ask Fr. Joe. (http://www.bustedhalo.com)

EBSCO Science Reference Center

Provides access to a variety of science resources, from reference books to peer-reviewed journal articles.  The Res Library subscribes to this database.  Check the blue sheets available in the Library for the correct password.  (http://search.ebscohost.com)
Click here for an introduction to this database.

FACTS.com Today’s Science

Useful for science-related research as well as controversial topics related to science, medicine, and technology. The Res Library subscribes to this database.  Check the blue sheets available in the Library for the correct username and password. (http://www.2facts.com)

Earth From Space

This companion site to the Smithsonian Institution's traveling exhibition features satellite imagery of Earth.  Sections include: Living Planet, Water & Air, Structure of the Land, and The Human Presence. (http://www.earthfromspace.si.edu)

Amusement Park Physics

Sponsored by the Annenberg/CPB Project, this interactive site lets you design your own roller coaster and find out how the laws of physics affect amusement park rides. (http://www.learner.org/exhibits/parkphysics/)

Cell Structure

Authored by Wiley Publishing, this site provides animated lessons about three types of cells. (http://www.wiley.com/legacy/college/boyer/0470003790/animations/cell_structure/cell_structure.htm)

Introduction to Biomes

Authored by Susan Woodward, geography professor at Radford University in Virginia.  Provides basic information on 8 biomes: Tundra, Boreal Forest or Taiga, Temperate Broadleaf Deciduous Forest, Temperate Broadleaf Evergreen Forest, Tropical Savanna, Desert Scrub, Temperate Grasslands, Mediterranean Scrub. (http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/intro.html)

Exploring Chicago

Click on the “Exploring Chicago” tab and find out all there is to do and see. (http://egov.cityofchicago.org)

Everyrule.com

Rules for all kinds of sports and games. (http://www.everyrule.com/index.html)

Learn to Juggle

A personal site authored by Steve Glimpse.  You can find instructions (text and animations) for 3-ball and 4-ball juggling. (http://www.frontiernet.net/~steve_glimpse/juggle.html)