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The Library will be closed friday, november 8 for staff training. we apologize for any inconvenience. 

Today's Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM

Online Resources

Requires Plainfield Library card to access remotely.

Check Illinois

Find contact information, criminal arrest records, information on properties, and more for these Illinois counties: Champaign, Cook, DeKalb, Dupage, Kankakee, Kane, Kendall, Lake, Madison, McLean, Mchenry, Peoria, Rock Island, St. Clair, Tazewell, Will and Winnebago.

Legal, Reference

Consumers’ Checkbook

Provides unbiased reviews, undercover price research, and advice on local businesses and healthcare professionals.  Available in Library only (no remote access).  See Adult Services desk for access.

Consumers

Driving Tests

Practice tests, resources and FAQs to help obtain or renew your driver’s license. Does not require a library card to use.

Reference

Explora

Explora provides research collections on thousands of topics to help you find the information you need quickly and easily. Search hundreds of professional journals, popular magazines, reference books, images, primary sources, and more by keyword or by topic.

Reference

Explora Secondary Schools

Full-text articles from thousands of magazines, journals, and newspapers on a wide variety of subjects, along with images, videos, and primary sources. Lexile reading levels included.

Homework, Reference

FamilySearch

Access to billions of digitized records, including millions of images that are only available to Affiliate Libraries and FamilySearch Family History Centers (Affiliate Library digital images are only available in the Library).

Genealogy

Fiero Code

Fiero Code is an e-learning platform designed to teach coding from the ground up. With a curriculum that spans HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, SQL, and block-based coding with Scratch, it’s geared toward turning beginners into proficient coders. Suitable for ages 8 to adult.

Learning & Tutorials

Health Source – Consumer Edition

Full-text database covering a variety of subjects including information on specific diseases and overall health topics. Also provides access to current health pamphlets and Merriam-Webster’s Medical Desk Dictionary.

Consumers, Reference

HelpNow!

A live tutoring service for students of all ages. Tutors are available Monday — Sunday 2:00 PM to 11:00 PM CST.
(iOS / Android)

Homework

Herald News Collection

Explore Joliet area history through local news, events and people with the Herald News Collection. Search current and archived issues with full-color newspaper pages, full-text articles and content only published online.

Newspapers

HeritageQuest

For genealogy research including U.S. Federal census records, PERSI Archive, local and family history books and more.

Genealogy

History Reference Source

Covering topics in U.S. and world history from the earliest civilizations through the 21st century, this research database contains full-text journals, magazines, reference books and thousands of primary source documents.

Homework, Reference

JobNow

Features expert resume assistance, live interview preparation and career coaching. Coaches are available Sunday — Saturday, 2:00 PM to 11:00 PM CST except holidays. 

Jobs & Careers

LearningExpress Library

Designed to help students and professionals with resources including interactive tutorials, practice tests, articles, e-books and high-stakes test preparation modeled after official tests. Learning centers include:

  • Job & Career Accelerator
  • High School Equivalency Center
  • Resources for high school and college students
  • Adult Core Skills
  • Computer And Internet Basics Center
  • Recursos Para Hispanohablantes
  • …and more

Homework, Jobs & Careers, Learning & Tutorials

LOTE Online for Kids

An online database of digital picture books in World Languages; provides over 1350+ book titles in 45+ World Languages, together with English translations, and new digital books and languages released every month.

Learning & Tutorials

New York Times

In-Library access | Unlimited access to News, Cooking, and Wirecutter while onsite at the Library. 

  • Visit the New York Times website.
  • Log into or create a free account.

Remote access | For offsite access to News, Games, Cooking, Wirecutter, and The Athletic:

  • Log into your Library Account.
  • Go to My Account, then My Record.
  • Click the link that says New York Times access code.
  • Click Redeem and log into or create a free New York Times account to redeem a 24-hour access code.

Newspapers

Points of View Reference Source

Covers hundreds of topics, each with an Overview (objective background/description), Point (argument) and Counterpoint (opposing argument) to help evaluate the controversy and enhance students’ ability to read critically, develop their own perspective on the issues, and write or debate an effective argument on the topic.

Homework, Reference

PressBooks via Inkie.org

Edit, format, and generate print-ready and eBook formats for your book through the Inkie. org site which also includes eBooks from local, self-published authors.

Writers

PressReader

Get access to more than 7,000 of the world’s top newspapers and magazines as soon as they’re available on shelves.

You can also use the PressReader app.

  1. Click Sign In.
  2. Click Libraries & Groups.
  3. Search for and choose Plainfield Area Public Library.
  4. Provide library card # and PIN.
  5. Create an account with your email and a password so you can favorite articles and publications across devices.

Newspapers, Reading & Literature

Proquest

Search, find and preview more than 900 million documents without authentication and retrieve Open Access full-text content curated by ProQuest.

Homework, Reference

Science Reference Center

Full text for hundreds of science magazines, journals, reference books and high-quality videos. The database also contains science experiments, curriculum-aligned lesson plans, and a vast image collection.

Homework, Reference

SELF-e/Indie Author Project

Submit your book through Self-e so it can be shared with patrons of participating libraries across your region. If your book is selected by Inkie.org’s curation partners, it will also be available alongside other great indie reads in participating libraries across the U.S. and Canada.

Writers

World Book

Includes World Book Kids, World Book Student, and World Book Advanced. These resources contain full-text articles as well as fun games and activities to enhance the learning experience.

Homework, Reference