Alphabetical List of Online Resources
Academic Search Premier includes rigorous curation and indexing of open access (OA) journals, which has resulted in a growing collection of over 7,000 active global OA journals. Once validated and certified for inclusion, these OA journals are treated with high-quality subject indexing and sophisticated, precise/accurate full-text linking. In addition, The Academic Search Video Collection contains more than 6,700 videos from The Washington Post along with content from other reputable providers. Ranging from in-depth news reports to issue-focused segments across disciplines, the collection offers timely, credible, and professionally produced content to support student research.
On-demand, anytime, anywhere eLearning. View how easy, intuitive, and engaging Brainfuse HelpNow eLearning is for all ages and levels.
K-12: When student support is limited to school hours, gaps persist. Brainfuse extends academic support beyond the classroom with structured and on-demand tutoring, writing assistance, and test prep support (SAT, ACT, GED, ASVAB, TOEFL, and more) that improves measurable outcomes. Through CollegeNow prospective students get guidance on college applications, financial aid applications, and admission interviews
Higher Education: Brainfuse provides students in higher education with trusted online tutoring solutions that strengthen retention, improve graduation rates, and expand equitable access to academic support. Our platform delivers both on-demand higher ed online tutoring and specialized programs—such as nursing online tutoring—to meet the diverse needs of today’s university and community college students.
Adult Learning: At any age, Brainfuse provides support for high school equivalency prep, US Citizenship test prep, resume building, and Microsoft Office mastery. Brainfuse’s JobsNow program connects job seekers with experienced career coaches. Our tailored guidance and resources empower patrons to navigate all stages of the job search process, from resume writing to landing an interview. Special attention is offered to veterans through Brainfuse’s VetNow service.
Recent news and analysis from
- Bloomberg, Forbes, Fortune, and other business publications
- Academic journals and conference proceedings
- Trade publications
Company and industry profiles and surveys from private and government sources.
ComicsPlus
ComicsPlus provides unlimited, simultaneous access to thousands of comics, manga, and graphic novels. The diversity of content means ComicsPlus has something for everyone – with no wait, no holds, and no borrowing limits. You can access the ComicsPlus web page using one of the links below or by clicking on the icon to access the whole collection. OR you can install the ad-free app on your iOS or Android mobile device. Just look for Plainsboro Library, select the collection you want to access (children, teen, or full), and enter your library card number and PIN!
In the market for a laptop? A new car? A dishwasher? You name it. Consumer Reports has it covered. Consult this database for the results of scientific tests and ratings of thousands of products every year. More than 100 experts evaluate appliances, cars, products for infants and children, electronics, foods, health-related items, and recreation and home improvement products. This database will enable you to make the best purchasing decision possible!
Find biographical information on more than 149,000 modern novelists, poets, playwrights, nonfiction writers, journalists and scriptwriters. Sketches typically include personal information, contact information, career history, writings, biographical and critical sources, authors’ comments, and informative essays about their lives and work. Search by author’s name or book title and optionally refine the search using dates, publisher, or other details.
Data Axle from Reference Solutions
For the business professional or job seeker, Data Axle provides instant, real-time access to in-depth information on U.S. and Canadian businesses. Information includes names and contact information for executives, financial performance, and significant corporate relationships. Newly formed businesses and historical (closed) businesses are separated for easy search and analysis. Lifestyle profiles for over 320 million American individuals are also available. White pages support the creation of postal mailing lists by zip code, town, state, or even street. Data Axle provides job listings for government job opportunities and links to independent job boards for non-government job openings.
For consumers, search U.S. and Canadian white pages to find postal addresses and phone numbers for friends and relatives. Contact information for doctors and other healthcare professionals are separated into their own data set.
Free practice tests based on the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission’s materials. Includes practice tests and driver manuals for car, motorcycle and CDL licenses.
Tens of thousands of (mostly) non-fiction, (mostly) academic e-books. Titles come from industry-leading publishers of academic source material. Depending on the publisher, books can be downloaded as PDFs, read online, or both. Some publishers limit the number of pages that can be downloaded. Books are available in over a dozen languages and a few children’s books are also available.
A top-notch, one-stop database that covers over 4,600 journals and newspapers with expansive search capabilities. Full text for 1/3 of citations. Web-based interface, updated daily. Courtesy of the New Jersey State Library.
ERIC, the Educational Resource Information Center, is a national information system supported by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Library of Education, and the Office of Educational Research and Improvement. It provides access to information from journals included in the Current Index of Journals in Education and Resources in Education Index.
Ebscohost Explora for kids provides a safe and trustworthy environment for students to look up articles and facts for research papers, class projects, or homework with easy-to-browse categories by popular topic overviews with content from the world’s leading magazines and reference books.
Search the online database or download the latest US Department of Energy “Fuel Economy Guide”. Find and compare cars from 1984 to the present. The Find-a-Car feature provides up-to-date fuel economy information – as well as environmental and safety data – for many model years. Search by make and model, by model year, or by category. Information is updated weekly with new vehicles and fuel cost estimates.
Funk and Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia
For students and adults alike, the Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia provides over 25,000 articles covering an array of topics. Full text for each record may be easily accessed by double clicking on the topic from the display. The database contains images, biographies and information in subject areas from computer science through music and history.
GreenFILE covers the connections between the environment and a variety of disciplines such as agriculture, education, law, health and technology.
Subjects include
- Global climate change
- Green building
- Pollution
- Sustainable agriculture
- Renewable energy
- Recycling
Health Source: Consumer Edition
This rich collection of consumer health resources provides access to full-text consumer health magazines and reference books. It also includes searchable full text for current health pamphlets. Subjects Include:
- Fitness
- Nutrition
- Diabetes
- Aging
- Women’s health
- Children’s health
Information provided in this database should not be viewed as a means for self-diagnosis or a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition
Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition is a trusted full-text database covering nursing and allied health topics, including pediatric nursing, critical care, mental health nursing, nursing management, medical law, and more.
It provides nurses, allied health professionals, researchers, and medical educators with access to scholarly journals focusing on many medical disciplines. It includes indexing, abstracts, and full-text for hundreds of nursing and allied health journals, many of which are peer-reviewed.
Heritage Quest is a genealogical database with access to government records, census data and auxiliary resources to help find information regarding your family history.
Borrow and enjoy audiobooks, eBooks, comics, movies, TV, magazines, or music everywhere you have a screen – your computer, your phone, even your TV. All you need is a library card. Hoopla syncs across all your devices, so you can stream titles immediately or whenever you’re in the mood. Most titles can also be downloaded to your phone or tablet. And it’s all free thanks to your library!
Use the link above to access Hoopla through your current web browser. Or download the app for Apple iOS, Google Android, or Amazon Kindle. (Note the Kindle version only works with Kindle Fire. It is not compatible with Kindle eReaders such as the Kindle Paperwhite.)
- Hoopla walkthroughs to get you started
- FAQ and support
If you are a Plainsboro Library cardholder, select “Plainsboro Public Library” as your public library in the registration.
JerseyClicks is New Jersey’s statewide portal for searching the statewide full-text databases offered by the New Jersey State Library, the New Jersey Library Network, and funds from the Library Services and Technology Act.
Kanopy is a video-streaming platform dedicated to thoughtful and thought-provoking films. Think Netflix, Amazon, or Hulu, but without all the fizz. Kanopy delivers a diverse collection of 30,000+ of the world’s best films and television shows, including award-winning documentaries, rare and hard-to-find titles, film festival favorites, indie and classic films, and world cinema with collections from BBC, PBS, The Criterion Collection, Kino Lorber, Music Box Films, Samuel Goldwyn, Lionsgate, The Orchard, The Great Courses, and thousands of independent filmmakers. Checkout up to eight items per month and stream them on your computer, TV, tablet or mobile device (Apple iOS or Google Android). All free, of course, with your library card. Also, while other content is limited to eight items per month, you get unlimited access to children’s titles.
Kanopy Kids, included in the Kanopy streaming service, is a curated collection of thoughtful films, TV series and educational videos for children ages preschool and up. Kanopy Kids includes read-along storybooks, storytime classics, educational videos from around the world and some favorite children’s TV programming such as PBS Kids, BBC Muzzy, Highlights for Children, Sesame Street, Arthur, Dinosaur Train and many more. Kanopy Kids provides unlimited plays without using your Kanopy monthly film credits. See Kanopy above for links to the apps for mobile devices.
Learning Express is an easy-to-use online test prep resource for college admissions and placement (SAT, ACT, AP, etc), graduate admissions (GRE, GMAT, LSAT, etc), and professional certification (nursing, law enforcement, etc). Additional resources facilitate change in careers, becoming a U.S. citizen, and more.
New members are encouraged to click on the drop down menu labeled “Centers” and choose their area of interst:
- Career Development.
- Grade 4-8 Educational Enhancement.
- College Admission Test Preparation.
- High School Level Study Enhancement.
- Adult Core Skill Enhancement (including Citizenship Test Preparation)
In compliance with COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) regulations, LearningExpress provides an alternate registration option that does not require a name or email address. To access this option, registrants should select the “Register without Email” option during sign-up.
Legal Information Reference Center
Legal Information Reference Center contains hundreds of full-text publications and thousands of legal forms, with more content being added on a regular basis. Access the latest editions of titles from Nolo Press on divorce, how to be a landlord, tenant rights, small claim courts, business formation, and other topics important to consumers. Download legal forms for patent filings, wills and living trusts, bankruptcy, and almost any other legal topic you can imagine.
Libby offers tens of thousands of ebooks and audiobooks that have been hand selected by eLibraryNJ (NJ State Library) and Plainsboro Library. Libby also offers thousands of magazines. Available on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Amazon App Store for Kindle, you can access Libby through various devices, including your phone, tablet, PC, and ereader (eg: Kindle, Kobo). Platforms can be synced so you can read your item on an ereader in bed at night and on your phone on the train on your way to work or while you wait at the doctor’s office. Search for books by title, author, or keyword. Browse suggested titles selected by category (eg: medical mysteries, romances, scifi), target audience (eg: young adult), format (eg: audiobook or ebook), release date, language, or any combination of factors. For more information, check out Libby App by Overdrive or visit the eLibraryNJ website. When registering, Plainsboro Library cardholders should select “STELLA” as your public library. STELLA is the name of our library consortium.
Library, Information Science, & Technology Abstracts (LISTA)
LISTA indexes more than 560 core journals, nearly 50 priority journals, and nearly 125 selective journals; plus books, research reports and proceedings. Subject coverage includes librarianship, classification, cataloging, bibliometrics, online information retrieval, information management and more.
Choose from thousands of online courses to learn in-demand skills from real-world industry experts to expand and develop your skill levels. LinkedIn Learning is an essential resource for business professionals hoping to stay on top of the competition and move ahead in their careers. Master applications such as Power BI, MS Project, SAP ERP, SharePoint, Google Analytics, and many more. Top up your skills and knowledge about marketing, finance, operations, sales, business analytics, project management and other essential business fields. Many courses include extensive discussions of the impact of artificial intelligence (A.I.) on a broad range of functions and roles in business.
A comprehensive literary reference database, providing a broad spectrum of reference information from antiquity to the present day. LRC combines information from over 1,000 books and monographs, major literary encyclopedias and reference works, hundreds of literary journals, and unique sources not available anywhere else.
LOTE4Kids is the leading digital library of children’s audio-picture books, designed for libraries and schools to support English and bilingual language learning through storytelling. All books are read aloud by native speakers (not AI), with English translations, reader levels, various reading formats, and built-in quizzes. Over 9,000 titles in over 100 languages. You can access the web page using the link above or clicking on the icon. OR you can install the ad-free app on your mobile device. Just look for Plainsboro Library and enter your library card number!
Lumos Learning provides skill building and practice tests for New Jersey Student Learning Assessments (NJSLA). Lumos Learning helps students in grades 3 through 8 by reinforcing their classroom learning to prepare for the English Language Arts (ELA) and Math assessments.
Beginning in September 2026, Lumos Learning’s test prep incorporates adaptive learning. Unlike a fixed-form test, where every student in a grade sees identical items in identical order, the NJSLA-A adjusts the difficulty of questions based on how each student performs. Content standards do not flex — every student is measured against the same grade-level expectations — but the specific items a student sees are calibrated to that student’s demonstrated ability.
Magill’s Medical Guide is the perfect mix of accessibility and depth, providing general readers with an authoritative reference source that helps bridge the gap between medical encyclopedias for professionals and popular self-help guides. It is an up-to-date and easy-to-use compendium of medical information suitable for student research as well as use by general readers, including patients and caregivers.
The link will take you to Salem Press. Sign in with your library card and navigate to Magill’s Medical Guide on the home page under “Health”.
For those who like to browse large data sets or really get into the weeds on a search, MasterFILE Elite is the place to start. MasterFILE Elite brings together all the data in most of the other databases. It provides full text for magazines and publications covering many general interest topics including business, health, education, general science and multicultural issues. It also includes an image collection of more than 2 million photos, maps and flags.
MedlinePlus is an online information service produced by the United States National Library of Medicine. The service provides curated consumer health information in English and Spanish. The site brings together information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), other U.S. government agencies, and health-related organizations.
Middle Search Plus contains full text for nearly 150 popular magazines plus thousands of biographies, historical essays, and student pamphlets created for middle school students. In addition to the full text items, MiddleSearch Plus offers indexes and abstracts for nearly 200 magazines and nearly 2 million images. All full text articles are assigned a reading level indicator (Lexiles).
Military & Government Collection
EBSCO’s Military & Government Collection features full-text journals and periodicals relevant to all branches of the military and government. Content is designed to help you stay up-to-date on current news and events. It includes more than 270 full-text journals and periodicals, indexing and abstracts for 440 journals and periodicals, and searchable pdfs. Subjects include aviation and aircraft, diplomacy and international relations, military history and science, military policy, military technology, peace and conflict studies, politics and government, and more.
Coming July 15, access Morningstar Investing Center for financial research. Morningstar provides in-depth research and ratings on stocks, funds, and ETFs. Through Morningstar Investing Center you can screen for stocks, funds, CEFs and ETFs, create side-by-side comparisons of investment options, stay current on daily market news, take self-study courses to sharpen your investment knowledge, and learn about retirement planning, 529 College Savings Plans, and more.
Morningstar Investing Center is a professional grade resource and we encourage patrons to access the instructional resources in pdf and video format that are available in the HELP section of the Morningstar web site.
As a Plainsboro Library patron, you have complimentary access to everything The New York Times has to offer, including News, Games, Cooking, Wirecutter and The Athletic!
Onsite at the library: Ensure that you are using the library’s WiFi connection (or a library computer) and simply visit nytimes.com. Go to the upper right-hand corner of The New York Times front page and click on “Log in” to create a free account or log-in to your existing account. You now have full access to all the resources of The New York Times web site while at the library.
From home: Visit plainsborolibrary.org/nytimes and follow instructions on the webpage to get unrestricted access to The New York Times.
Newspaper Source Plus provides a full-text digital collection of the world’s major news content. It includes millions of articles from newspapers, newswires and news magazines. In addition, it offers television and radio transcripts and ongoing daily updates from many popular news sources.
- 460 U.S. newspapers, including The Washington Post, The Star Tribune, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- 370 international newspapers, including The Sydney Morning Herald, Hindustan Times, Toronto Star, and The Kuwait Times
- 1.6 million TV and radio news transcripts, including ABC News (American), CBS News, CNN, and PBS.
- Real-time news through popular news sources such as CNN Wire and Xinhua (China).
Newsreel
Newsreel delivers journalist-written stories every day in a swipeable stack. Quizzes test what sticks. Polls show where you stand. Streaks keep you coming back. No infinite scroll. No ads. No low-quality algorithm. Newsreel is optimized for use on mobile devices. If you like Tik-Tok and Instagram and want a news medium that satisfies the same activity style, Newsreel was built for you.
Download for Apple products from the App Store
Download for Android devices from Google Play
Whether you’re looking for the latest best-selling author, science-fiction, spy story, mystery, fantasy, graphic novel, or a classic like Mark Twain, this kid-friendly database has all the information you need. Includes author bios, information on award-winning fiction, recommendations, reviews. Information for teachers too.
This reader’s advisory database will help fiction readers find the next great read, or identify a long-lost favorite. It is web-based and offers links to various author-related sites. Courtesy of the New Jersey State Library.
Ebsco Open Dissertations (previously “American Doctoral Dissertations”), is an open-access database built to assist researchers in locating both historic and contemporary dissertations and theses. Created with the generous support of the H.W. Wilson Foundation and the Congregational Library & Archives in Boston, it incorporates EBSCO’s previously released American Doctoral Dissertations, and features additional dissertation metadata contributed by select colleges and universities from around the world. Spanning from the early 20th century to the present, this database will continue to grow through regular updates and new partnerships with graduate degree-granting institutions.
Peterson’s Test and Career Prep
Prepare for standardized tests using online texts and courseware. Practice with full-length sample tests for GED, SAT, ACT, AP, PSAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, TOEFL, U.S. citizenship, and more in Gale Presents: Peterson’s Test and Career Prep.
Research undergraduate and graduate programs and find tuition assistance.
Explore career options – whether you’re entering the workforce for the first time or searching for new opportunities. Interactive tools develop personalized career recommendations and insights on programs, knowledge, skills, and abilities that will help with career achievement.
Search for jobs and create visually interesting résumés, cover letters, and websites that can be externally shared with prospective employers using prebuilt templates.
Points-of-View Reference Center
Perfect for researching a school report or preparing a debate presentation. Whatever your subject — pacifism, abortion, political action, organic food, drilling for Arctic oil, flu vaccine, or anything else — you can always find arguments pro and con here, as well as a guide to critical analysis.
PressReader contains current and back issues of thousands of domestic and international newspapers and magazines, including The South China Morning Post, Harper’s Bazaar, The Economist, and The New York Times. Many of the publications are in languages other than English and all the current issues are available on PressReader as soon as they are available anywhere else. In addition, PressReader can translate between dozens of languages including English, Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Russian, and Arabic.
At the library, simply connect your device to library wifi and launch the PressReader app or visit the PressReader web site (linked above).
At home, select “Sign In” on the PressReader App or at the pressreader.com web site, select “Library or Group,” and search for “Plainsboro”. Sign in using your library card. PressReader is available on iOS through the Apple AppStore and on Android through Google Play.
Primary Search – Elementary Age Magazines
Primary Search is designed specifically for elementary school libraries and public library children’s rooms. It contains full text for more than 60 popular, elementary school magazines. All full text articles are assigned a reading level indicator (Lexiles). No illustrations
Referencia Latina es una base de datos integral en español que ofrece acceso a una amplia variedad de fuentes de informacion, incluyendo mas de 49,000 articulos de enciclopedia. Muchas de estas entradas estan disponibles como imagenes digitalizadas de las publicaciones impresas originales.
Referencia Latina, a comprehensive Spanish-language database, offers content from a variety of sources including 49,000 encyclopedia entries. Many are scanned images of original print publications.
Regional Business News incorporates coverage of 75 business journals, newspapers, and newswires from many metropolitan and rural areas within the United States and abroad including The Washington Post and the online edition of The Wall Street Journal. This resource is updated on a daily basis.
Small Business Reference Center
For the entrepreneur and small business executive, the Small Business Reference Center pulls together a wide variety of practical resources including books in both digital and downloadable formats, videos, and web pages. Download legal documents and templates for other essential business materials. Research business formation options, state laws, tax implications and obligations, etc, etc.
Teacher Reference Center provides indexing and abstracts for hundreds of periodicals. In addition, 96% of journals indexed in TRC are peer-reviewed. Topics include: Assessment, Best Practices, Continuing Education, Current Pedagogical Research, Curriculum Development, Elementary Education, Higher Education, Instructional Media, Language Arts, Literacy Standards, School Administration, Science & Mathematics, and Teacher Education.
