List of Online Resources

Access World News features Orange County Register articles from 1987 to present, as well as international, national, regional, and local news, supporting a diverse range of research needs across many subject areas. Includes access to more than 13,000 sources from over 200 countries and territories.

Search businesses, people, mailing lists and sales leads, jobs, and more. Includes 30 million business and executive profiles; 240 million residents with interests, hobbies and lifestyles information; real-time job listings; new businesses; healthcare professionals; new movers; new homeowners. Ideal for sales leads, mailing lists, market research, employment opportunities, finding friends and relatives. Email, print or download 1,000 records per search with no overall limit.

Browse the cloudLibrary collection and download audiobooks and eBooks for free to your computer or device.

This collection uses geolocation to provide access to anyone physically located in the state of California. The library includes several thousand simultaneous use ebooks from leading publishers as well as the Indie Author Project Select collection, which features over 400 award-winning indie-published ebooks, some of which are right here in California!

Connect 24/7 with tutors in English and Spanish with help in Language Arts and Mathematics. For all major K-12 subjects, live tutors in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Tagalog are available from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.                                                                                       >Click here if you are outside California or using a VPN.

Book Connections strives to joyfully enrich everyone's experience reading children's and young adult books.

CultureGrams provides concise cultural information on countries around the world. Country reports feature basic information as well as perspectives on daily life and culture, including background, customs, and lifestyles of the world’s people.

Coursera partners with more than 200 leading universities and companies to bring free, flexible, job-relevant online learning to individuals and organizations worldwide. Coursera offers a range of learning opportunities: from hands-on projects and courses to job-ready certificates and degree programs.  Note: The California State Library (CSL) requires Coursera users to sign up again once their subscription ends. To do so, click on the Coursera link and complete the online registration form. Users may receive a “Program Full” message directing them to try signing up again Monday after 4pm, due to a limited number of seats being released by CSL over time.

 If you are new to computers, haven't used them for a while, are a little unsure and uncomfortable, or just need a bit of a refresher, we have the tools to help you tackle technology at your own pace and gain the confidence you need to succeed.

Escolar is the leading knowledge-building resource that is universally trusted for accurate and age-appropriate content in Spanish.

Britannica School is the go-to site for learning more about any subject—for all grades and all reading abilities—offering thousands of up-to-date, curated, and curriculum-relevant articles, images, videos, audio clips, primary sources, maps, research tools, recommended Web sites, and three separate databases—Elementary, Middle, or High.

Gale OneFile: Entrepreneurship provides insights, tips, strategies, and success stories for business schools and entrepreneurs.

Gale In Context: Environmental Studies helps students understand environmental issues that affect people globally through topic overviews, journals, news, and multimedia content.

Gale OneFile: Home Improvement places the research of hobbyists and professionals on a solid foundation with articles from more than 200 home improvement-focused titles. Home Improvement covers topics such as architectural techniques, tool and material selection, zoning requirements, and more.

Using Gale Interactive: Science, students can manipulate 3D interactive models to visualize and understand concepts in biology, chemistry, earth, and space science.

access to scholarly journals and magazines for use by novice historians and advanced academic researchers. World History offers balanced coverage of events in world history and scholarly work being established in the field.                              

Prepare for standardized tests with Gale Presents: Peterson’s Test Prep. This valuable resource includes full-length practice tests for GED, SAT, ACT, AP, PSAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, TOEFL, U.S. citizenship, and more. It offers information on undergraduate and graduate programs and tuition and scholarship assistance, as well as a resume builder and interviewing advice. Whether you’re a student planning for college or a professional embarking on a new career path, Gale Presents: Peterson’s Test Prep can help you along the way.

GetSetUp provides free online classes for older adults (ages 50+) taught by peers, with opportunities to ask questions, make friends, learn new things, and have fun. GetSetUp helps older adults stay mentally and physically fit, assists with jobs and re-skilling, and offers a community where people help each other and form new connections.

More than 650 in-depth articles on controversial topics in the news. Full text of Issues and Controversies On File from 1995 to the present, analyze and explain hundreds of controversial topics, in a language and format that students can understand. The annual National High School Debate Topic is given feature coverage.

LearningExpress Job & Career Accelerator gives job seekers the tools they need to explore careers, find open positions, apply for jobs and get hired.

LearningExpress Library is an easy-to-use online test prep resource that helps people improve their core academic skills, earn a high school equivalency, prepare for college, join the military, obtain occupational certification, find a job, change careers, become a U.S. citizen, and much more.

Library Speakers Consortium features high-quality online author talk programs, both live events and archived recordings. The consortium’s mission is to dramatically increase access to the most influential authors of our time. Books and authors selected will cover a wide range of fiction and non-fiction genres including historical fiction, contemporary fiction, romance, #OwnVoices, poetry, business, personal growth, career advancement, social justice, history, art, culture and more.

LinkedIn Learning offers over 16,000 online courses covering everything from the latest technologies to basic computer literacy. Learn the in-demand hard and soft skills companies are hiring for right now, in courses taught by real-world experts and instructors. Courses are offered in English, Spanish and five other languages.

Visit National Geographic Kids to explore amazing adventures in science, nature, culture, archaeology, and space! Designed for children ages 6-14. 

Enjoy complimentary access to the world’s finest journalism on nytimes.com. To get started follow these simple steps: 1. Select your Library, 2. Enter your Library Card Number or ACES ID; 3. Choose "Redeem"; 4. Enter your email address, choose a password, then select "Create Account"; 5. Select "Get Started" to enjoy three days' unlimited access. After the three days are up, you can repeat the process to enjoy continued nytimes.com access.

Northstar Digital Literacy offers help with the basic skills needed to use a computer and the internet in daily life, employment, and higher education. You can test your existing skills in each of 14 areas, build new skills, and demonstrate your knowledge by earning certificates and badges. Prepare for your future now!

Includes the O.C. Register database for articles from 1987 to present, for local and regional news stories. 

With over 100 instructional videos, plus interactive drills and quizzes, ProCitizen provides the civics, vocabulary, plus reading and writing practice that new citizens need to succeed in the United States naturalization test. ProCitizen en español.

This database of millions of articles from more than 10,000 full-text scholarly journals provides information in science, technology, education, social sciences, humanities, and news.

Reference Solutions is a searchable database that provides contact information and data on more than 14 million U.S. businesses and 120 million U.S. households. The directory contains verified, accurate data about industries and companies to help you research a potential investment, employer, or service provider; find executives and company descriptions.

Information literacy is a key component of the education process today. Research Companion tools and tutorials help to guide students through the research process and develop critical thinking in information literacy skills.

Schools & Educators Complete provides access to over 12,000 full-text eBooks that support learning in multiple subject areas, from science to social studies, as well as aligning with the Common Core standards.

SIRS Discoverer consists of selected information for beginning researchers, especially elementary and middle school students and educators, helping them find reliable age-appropriate content for classwork, homework, and research assignments.

Examining over 360 complex issues, SIRS Issues Researcher is a curriculum-aligned database of content geared to middle and high school students and educators, with a focus on current and relevant analysis of today’s most important controversial issues.

Last day to sign up: Saturday, Sept. 30 at 5 p.m. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes for creative and curious people, on topics including illustration, design, photography, video, freelancing, and more. Anyone can join to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities. On Skillshare, millions of members come together to find inspiration and take the next step in their creative journey.  Note: If you get an error message when signing up, the California State Library recommends that you try signing up again using a different email address.

Teaching Books features a suite of instructional resources that enrich the fiction and nonfiction books read by children and young adults. Includes Book Guides & Lesson Plans, Diverse Books, Literature-Based Vocabulary Lists, Meet-the-Author Videos and Book Readings, and Resources for Award-Winning Books.

Science news written for students. Includes full text of Today's Science On File from 1992 to present. Today's Science bridges the gap between textbooks and what's happening in science today. Drawing on major scientific journals, magazines, and newspapers in the United States and abroad. Today's Science covers all the topics that today's students study: health, environment, technology, life science, physical science, earth, and space science, and science and society.

 Access an array of tools for veterans, such as unemployment assistance, resume building, and interview resources.