Research and Reference Resources

Online Resources by Name

All resources are available to all libraries in the South Central Library System service area and remotely to all those libraries' customers unless otherwise indicated.

*Available in library only at all South Central Library System libraries, including Madison.
** Available in all Madison libraries, and remotely to City of Madison residents only.
***Available in some or all Madison libraries. Must ask staff for login information due to licensing restrictions.
****Available to some, but not all, South Central Library System libraries, including Madison.

Ancestry Library -- IN LIBRARY ONLY -- connect now
Search AncestryPlus for access to genealogy information in more than 4,000 databases, including census data, passenger lists, the Social Security Death Index, and much more. THIS DATABASE IS ONLY AVAILABLE IN THE LIBRARIES.
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Consumer Reports Online -- IN LIBRARY ONLY -- connect now
Find printable, full-text current issue articles of Consumer Reports, as well as additional online-only updates and features. THIS DATABASE IS ONLY AVAILABLE INSIDE THE LIBRARY AT MADISON LIBRARIES. Ask staff for login information.
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EBSCOHost -- connect now
EBSCOhost offers databases of general interest, academic and business magazine titles, health reference information, and much more. Many articles are available in full text. Access to EBSCOhost is provided as part of the BadgerLink project.
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Gale Virtual Reference Library -- connect now
Ten titles of popular multi-volume reference sets: Encyclopedia of Education; Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia; Dictionary of American History; Encyclopedia of Food and Culture; Gale Encyclopedia of Everyday Law; Reference Guide to World Literature; Encyclopedia of Science and Religion; Space Sciences; Encyclopedia of Aging; Encyclopedia of Crime and Justice. See a more descriptive list of titles.
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HeritageQuest -- connect now
HeritageQuest provides access to genealogy records and books, including census data, local histories, tax rolls, cemetery lists, military rosters, and more.
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LearningExpress Library -- connect now
LearningExpress Library provides an interactive online learning platform of practice tests and tutorial course series designed to help students and adult learners succeed on the academic or licensing tests they must pass. Create your own individual username and password to take tests and track your progress. You'll get immediate scoring, complete answer explanations, and an individualized analysis of your results.
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Literature Resource Center -- connect now
Search the Literature Resource Center to find information about authors and their works. The Literature Resource Center covers more than 90,000 novelists, poets, essayists, journalists and other writers.
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LitFinder -- connect now
Includes thousands of full-text poems, short stories, essays, speeches and plays. Also includes biographies, work summaries, photos, and a glossary. Access to LitFinder is provided as part of the BadgerLink project.
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Mitchell OnDemand -- IN LIBRARY ONLY -- connect now
Find repair information and wiring diagrams or estimate repair costs for automobiles and trucks. THIS DATABASE IS ONLY AVAILABLE AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY. Ask staff for login information.
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Morningstar Investment Research Center-- IN LIBRARY AND CITY OF MADISON RESIDENT USE ONLY -- connect now
Stock and mutual fund information from Morningstar.com. Find current and historical quotes for over 90,000 investments, and in-depth analysis for nearly 7,000 mutual funds and stocks. Plus, company and industry information and financial education tutorials. This service is courtesy of the Madison Public Library Foundation.
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NetLibrary -- connect now
The NetLibrary collection includes the searchable full text of over 6,000 online books and it will continue to grow. This collection was purchased from NetLibrary by a consortium of more than 165 Wisconsin Public Libraries.
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Newspaper Archive --connect now
Newspaper Archive is a unique database of historical newspapers offered through EbscoHost. It includes close to 30 million scanned pages from newspapers spanning over 200 years. The content of the newspapers is not indexed by subject, and advanced searching of this very large database is not available. You may only search NewspaperARCHIVE in two ways: search the full-text by keyword or browse the collection by date and newspaper location & title. This is an invaluable primary resource for historical research and a unique tool for genealogists.
Access to this resource through EBSCOhost is provided as part of the BadgerLink project.
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NoveList -- connect now
NoveList is a fiction database that provides reviews, annotations, and much more for over 135,000 fiction titles. It also includes other content of interest to fiction readers, such as Author Read-alikes, What We're Reading, Book Discussion Guides, BookTalks, and Annotated Book Lists.
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Overdrive -- connect now
A collection of Digital Audio Books that can be downloaded to a computer, burned to CDs, or loaded onto many portable devices.
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ProQuest -- connect now
ProQuest offers access to over 850 regional and national newspaper indexes including many articles in full text. Access to ProQuest is provided as part of the BadgerLink project.
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ReferenceUSA Business -- AVAILABLE TO MADISON AND SOME OTHER LIBRARIES -- connect now
ReferenceUSA Business provides directory information for about 13 million U.S. businesses of all sizes. Search by phone number, address, CEO, estimated sales and much more. This service is intended for in-library use and for home-use only.
NOTE: Beginning January 1, 2009, this database will only be available in the library at the following libraries and remotely to these library's cardholders: Adams County Library, Baraboo, Belleville, Black Earth, Brodhead, Cambria, Cambridge, Columbus, Cross Plains, Dane County Library Service, Deerfield, Lodi, Madison, Marshfield, Middleton, Monroe, Monona, Monticello, Mount Horeb, New Glarus, Oregon, Portage, Portage County Public Library, Poynette, Prairie du Sac, Verona, Waunakee, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Rapids.
The database will also be available remotely to cardholders of these libraries.
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TeachingBooks.net -- connect now
A multimedia website to generate enthusiasm for books and reading by providing original, up-close profiles of authors and illustrators, audio excerpts of book readings, guides to thousands of titles and a wealth of resources on children's and young adult literature all in one place. Access to TeachingBooks.net is provided as part of the BadgerLink project.
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Value Line -- IN LIBRARY ONLY -- connect now
Value Line Investment Survey stock reports and rankings, as well as news, commentary, and investment planning tools. THIS DATABASE IS ONLY AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING LIBRARIES: Alicia Ashman, Central, Lakeview, Monroe Street, Pinney, and Sequoya. Ask staff for login information.
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What Do I Read Next? -- connect now
Looking for something new to read? Using What Do I Read Next, you can find it. Search more than 100,000 recommended titles and 58,000 plot summaries by genre, subject, author, title, and more!
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WorldCat -- connect now
Worldcat is a database of millions of records describing books and other library materials from around the world. Use it to find items you are unable to find in LINKcat . You may request these items through Outerlibrary Loan (OLL). Please read the OLL FAQ first. WorldCat is a registered trademark of OCLC, Inc. Logo used with permission.
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