Research & Learn

Explore and stay informed about local and national topics, people and events in areas such as business, health, education, jobs, careers, political issues, social issues and more with America's News. This resource features a wide variety of credible, vetted news sources spanning the United States, including The Pantagraph. Available remotely 24/7 on any device. Online tutorials are available. 

If you're repairing your car at home, looking up a recalled part, or just need to identify a diagnostic trouble code, Auto Repair Source can help. This database provides repair information for Thousand of vehicles from 1974 to the present. Online tutorials are available. 

After partnering with McLean County Museum of History to house Bloomington Public Library's priceless collection of historical documents, the City Directory from 1854-1920 is now digitized and available for convenient access. Students, researchers, and community residents now have improved access to examine this treasure trove of material.

Live homework help and tutoring is available directly to students, as well as schools, libraries, businesses, and community colleges to help K-12 and adult learners succeed. Through Brainfuse HelpNow, live Homework help is available from 2-11pm every day in English and in Spanish. The Brainfuse Mobile App is available in both the iOS (Apple) and Google Play (Android) stores. Online tutorials are available. 

Brainfuse JobNow offers resume writing help, cover letter assistance, and interview tips -- including online mock interview practice, career coaching, and resume writing labs. Live help is available from 2-11pm daily in English and Spanish. The Brainfuse Mobile App is available in both the both the iOS (Apple) and Google Play (Android) stores. Online tutorials are available. 

DigitalLearn.org is a hub from the Public Library Association of video-based tutorials to help beginners learn computing skills and increase confidence using the Internet. Digital Learn is a free resource.

This groundbreaking collection includes thousands of high-quality eBooks on the topic of diversity, equity, and inclusion. This resource offers titles across subjects like African American Studies, Indigenous Studies, Poverty Studies, Gender Studies and more. With your library card from Bloomington Library, you can access Diversity & Ethnic Studies for FREE. To login from outside the library, patrons will need to enter their library card number and PIN/password.

Educate Station offers learning plans and educational worksheets for students in Pre-K through Grade 5. This resource offers content which works well in a home-school environment or for parents wanting to give their young scholars extra help in specific subjects. With your library card from Bloomington Library, you can access this resource for FREE. To login from outside the library, patrons will need to enter their library card number.

Find stories, photos, documents, and military records for the men and women who served our country using this military genealogy database. Fold3 helps you discover and share stories of the everyday heroes, forgotten soldiers, and the families who supported them. Online tutorials are available. 

Hispanic Life in America is the single most comprehensive digital archive of primary source documents related to Hispanic American life. This three-part collection is sourced from more than 17,000 global news sources, including over 700 Spanish-language or bilingual publications, dating from 1704 to today and gives patrons access to exclusive material. Online tutorials are available. 

Instantly borrow eAudiobooks, eBooks, comics, graphic novels, movies, TV shows, and music. Patrons can check out up to 7 Hoopla titles per month. All titles are always available; you never have to place a hold. Hoopla can be accessed on multiple devices including smart phones, tablets, Roku, FireTV, AndroidTV, Chromecast, AppleTV, and more. Online tutorials are available.

Access nearly 7,000 eBooks with information about computer science, business, technology, and programming through Information technology Collection (eBook Central). Books can be read in a browser or downloaded to be read offline. 

This suite of resources -- available to anyone living in the State of Illinois at no charge -- supports local authors with online creation and publishing tools. Inkie also allows readers to access locally-produced content.

Access this collection of free eBooks for Illinois residents published by Illinois authors. Titles are always available, and there are no limits on checkouts. With Inkie.org Library, formerly known as Biblioboard, there's no waiting, just reading! NO LIBRARY CARD NEEDED! 

Stream thousands of films, documentaries, and television shows with Kanopy. Included are selections from The Criterion Collection, The Great Courses, film festival winners, independent directors, and more. Patrons will receive 30 tickets each month. Each item borrowed will result in 0-5 tickets being subtracted from the patron’s monthly allotment. All titles are always available; you never have to place a hold. Kanopy can now also be accessed through Libby. Online tutorials are available.

Access practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard which empowers learners to study at their own pace both inside and outside the classroom. Tackle math, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics, and more with Khan Academy! NO LIBRARY CARD REQUIRED!

This resource is jam packed with test prep, tutorials, and lessons to teach skills in fundamental areas. Through LearningExpress, basic computer and internet skill guides are available. Job seekers can find tools needed to explore careers, build professional resumes, and even find job listings. College and high school students can access PrepSTEP to complete practice tests in some of the most common exams like GED, ACT, SAT and more. With your library card from Bloomington Library, you can access this resource for FREE. To login from outside the library, patrons will need to enter their library card number and PIN/password. You will need to set up an account once you get to the LearningExpress website.

This definitive database for LGBTQ+ studies provides scholarly and popular LGBTQ+ publications in full text. Historically important primary sources, including monographs, magazines, newspapers, videos, and a specialized LGBTQ+ thesaurus containing thousands of terms is also available. With your library card from Bloomington Library, you can access LGBTQ+ Source for FREE. To login from outside the library, patrons will need to enter their library card number and PIN/password.