Online Resources

Know what you are looking for? Use the search bar to find resources by name or descriptions, scan the listings in alphabetical order, or use filters to explore different subjects, formats, age groups and more.


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ABC Mouse

ABC Mouse

A subscription-based digital educational program that helps kids learn to read through phonics, and teaches lessons in math, social studies, art, music, and much more.

Only in library branches

Academic Search Premier

Academic Search Premier

Includes full text of many articles, plus index entries for others. Subject areas covered include arts & literature, humanities, science, social science and many other specialties. Updated daily.

Library card required

Black Short Fiction and Folklore

Black Short Fiction and Folklore

Collects African and African-American short stories and folktales published in more than 15 countries from the mid-1900s to the present. Includes full digitized runs of select literary magazines and black-owned journals and newspapers.

Library card required

Black Thought and Culture

Black Thought and Culture

Collects published works by leading African American writers, spanning the 1700s to the present. Includes books, interviews, journal articles, speeches, essays, pamplets and letters.

Library card required

Black Women Writers

Black Women Writers

Collects fiction, poetry and essays by black women published in Africa and the Americas from the 1700s to the present.

Library card required

BookFlix

BookFlix

Encourages reading by pairing streaming video storybooks with related fiction and non-fiction titles for children.

Library card required

Brainfuse HelpNow

Brainfuse HelpNow

Brainfuse HelpNow offers personalized academic assistance in core subjects (math, reading, writing, science), a 24/7 Writing Lab, academic content and practice tests for skills-building (including SAT preparation), and much more. Live tutoring from Brainfuse experts is available from 2:00 PM - 11:00 PM EST.

Library card required

Brainfuse JobNow

Brainfuse JobNow

Brainfuse JobNow is designed to support every step of the job search process:

  • Find live online coaches who assist with job search, resumes, interviews and more from 2:00 PM - 11:00 PM EST every day
  • Check out eParachute to discover careers that match your skills and interests
  • Check out SkillsFirst to find sample resumes in your profession
  • Check out SkillSurfer for study materials
Library card required

BrainPop

BrainPop

Watch animated movies, play learning games, and more. Includes BrainPOP Jr. (K-3), BrainPOP, BrainPOP Español, and, for English language learners, BrainPOP ESL. Videos and activities cover topic areas within Science, Math, Social Studies, English Language Arts, and more.

Library card required

Caribbean Literature

Caribbean Literature

Searchable collection of Caribbean poems, plays, novels, short stories, and other materials from 1700 to the present. Works are in English, French, Haitian Creole, Spanish and Dutch.

Library card required

Creativebug

Creativebug

Creativebug is a video-learning site for art and craft classes. New classes from top artists are released every day, with instructors bringing a lifetime of practice and proven teaching methods. Public Performance Rights are included for programming.

Interested in becoming a Creativebug Instructor? Brooklyn Public Library is partnering with the Creativebug editorial team to recruit Brooklyn-based creators and artists, particularly those who can help increase the diversity and representation of Creativebug's course catalog. Apply here: https://cbug.tv/BecomeAnInstructor

Library card required

Directory of Open Access Journals

Directory of Open Access Journals

Free community-curated directory that indexes and connects to full text, open access, peer reviewed scientific and scholarly journals.

Free & accessible anywhere

Ebscohost Espanol

Ebscohost Espanol

Artículos con texto completo de revistas, diarios y revistas académicas, índices generales, y otros recursos en ambos Español e Inglés. EBSCOhost Español tiene una función de traducción, pero no es garantizado obtener una traducción completamente exacta.

Library card required

Flipster

Flipster

Get access to major magazines and journals to read on your smartphone, tablet, or PC. Check out Flipster's getting started guide here. To get the free Flipster app, search for "Flipster" in either Google Play or  Apple's App Store

Library card required

Gale Academic OneFile

Gale Academic OneFile

Academic OneFile lets you access millions of articles from thousands of scholarly and authoritative sources in the humanities, science, social science, business, and more. The Topic Finder feature is an easy visual to help explore sub-topics of your initial search.

Free & accessible anywhere in NY state but requires a library card if outside of NY

Gale eBooks

Gale eBooks

24/7 access to reference ebooks. No checkout necessary. Titles can be browsed, searched, and downloaded anytime from any Internet-connected device. Topics include arts, business, education, history, law, literature, medicine, religion, science, and social science.

Library card required

Gale In Context: Elementary

Gale In Context: Elementary

Gale In Context: Elementary (formerly Kids InfoBits), introduces elementary school students to database searching with easy-to-use resources featuring age-appropriate, curriculum-related content

Free & accessible anywhere in NY state but requires a library card if outside of NY

Gale In Context: Middle School

Gale In Context: Middle School

Gale In Context: Middle School is a Gale database created specifically for middle school students, combining reference content with age-appropriate videos.

Free & accessible anywhere in NY state but requires a library card if outside of NY

Gale OneFile: Fine Arts

Gale OneFile: Fine Arts

Customized selection of journals from the New York State Online Virtual Library database collection relating to the fine arts and music, from filmmaking, jazz and Mozart to Shakespeare and Van Gogh.

Free & accessible anywhere in NY state but requires a library card if outside of NY

Gale OneFile: Home Improvement

Gale OneFile: Home Improvement

Search home improvement topics such as architectural techniques, tool and material selection, zoning requirements, and more. 

Free & accessible anywhere in NY state but requires a library card if outside of NY

Gale OneFile: Leadership and Management

Gale OneFile: Leadership and Management

Provides access to authoritative periodical content covering topics such as 21st-century skills, organizational dynamics and leadership, adult learning and continuing education, and more. Updated daily, this library resource is useful for researchers or any professional interested in career development.

Free & accessible anywhere in NY state but requires a library card if outside of NY

Gale OneFile: Pop Culture Studies

Gale OneFile: Pop Culture Studies

Access scholarly journals and magazines that both analyze and contribute to popular culture. 

Free & accessible anywhere in NY state but requires a library card if outside of NY

Gale Presents: Peterson's Test and Career Prep

Gale Presents: Peterson's Test and Career Prep

An online learning resource that offers a central hub for standardized test prep, college planning, career assessment, job searches, and more. 

There is an English version of the website and a Spanish version.

Please note that you will need to create a username and password (no email address necessary).

Free & accessible anywhere in NY state but requires a library card if outside of NY

GCFLearnFree.org

GCFLearnFree.org

Video tutorials and self-paced courses to learn computer basics and build skills, including in Microsoft Office, the Internet, Email, and Google Workspace

Free & accessible anywhere

HeritageQuest

HeritageQuest

Genealogical tool that includes U.S. Federal Census records, genealogical and historical sources for more than 60 countries, Census data, slave schedules, maps, local history books and articles, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant application files, and the Freedman's Bank Records 1865-1874.

Library card required

JSTOR

JSTOR

JSTOR offers researchers the ability to retrieve high-resolution, scanned images of journals, books, and primary sources as they were originally designed, printed, and illustrated. The material available spans many disciplines in the arts, sciences, and humanities.

When browsing or searching, you may find locked content. We apologize that some content is not available via Brooklyn Public Library's subscription. 

Only at Central Library

LearningExpress Library 3.0

LearningExpress Library 3.0

This resource supports those looking to improve core academic skills, pass standardized tests, prepare for college, join the military, obtain occupational certification, find a job, change careers, become a U.S. citizen and much more. Includes practice tests and other study materials for the GED/HSE/TASC, HiSET, TASC, SAT, elementary school and middle school standardized tests, civil service, technical, and other professional exams.

Hay recursos para hispanohablantes, incluyendo herramientas de aprendizaje, carrera y ciudadanía en español.

Please note that you will need to create a username and password.

To learn more about using this resource, check out this video tutorial.

Library card required

LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com)

LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com)

LinkedIn Learning offers more than 16,000 online courses in seven languages, hosted by expert instructors with real-world experience. Courses on LinkedIn Learning include Leadership, Project Management, Mental Wellness, Job Hunting, Digital Marketing, Data Science, 3D Animation, and CAD.

For Mobile users: 
1. Download the LinkedIn Learning app from Google Play / App Store 
2. Open the app 
3. Select - "Sign In" 
4. Select "Sign in with your library card" 
5. You'll be prompted to "Enter your Library ID". Tap on the box and enter "bklynlibrary" (all lowercase, no quotation marks) 
6. Use your BPL library card number or username and PIN and click on "Continue". 
First time users will be prompted to select topics of interest.

Library card required

Mango Languages

Mango Languages

Learn a new language or brush up current skills.  Contains 52 language learning courses including Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, and Vietnamese as well as 17 English courses for speakers new to English.  There is a mobile app to use to learn on the go and there are feature films to complement select courses.

Library card required

MasterFILE Premier

MasterFILE Premier

Full text articles covering a broad range of subjects including general reference, business, education, health, general science and multicultural issues.

Library card required

Metrix Learning

Metrix Learning

Metrix Learning is an online learning management system that helps jobseekers upgrade their skills and study for certification exams to help secure employment.

Course content covers academic, workplace and personal skills for industries like Business, Construction, Healthcare, Hospitality, Information Technology, Manufacturing, Human Services and more. Search for courses, add them to your "Plan", and click "Launch" when ready to take a course. Select "Career" and "Pathways" to rate your skills and readiness for a particular career. Metrix will help you identify skills gaps and courses needed to fill those gaps.

Access

To access Metrix Learning, click "Visit This Resource" below, "Request a Login", and "Sign up Now". You must live in New York State to access Metrix through Brooklyn Public Library. You will receive a Welcome email from Metrix Learning containing your username and password. Access will last for six months. If you wish to continue learning after six months, please email   support@metrixlearning.com to request an extension.

10.2022 The Medcom license for medical classes is no longer available. We're sorry for the inconvenience.

Library card required

Middle Search Plus

Middle Search Plus

Middle Search Plus is a full-text database providing popular middle school magazines, reference e-books, and thousands of primary source documents and videos. Subjects include history, current events, science and sports.

Library card required

Mometrix eLibrary

Mometrix eLibrary

Unlimited access to test preparation materials for over 1,000 different standardized exams. Access study guides and practice questions for exams including the GED, SAT, ACT, TEAS, HESI, Praxis, TOEFL, career and technical certification.

Library card required

Oxford Very Short Introductions

Oxford Very Short Introductions

The full text of the entire catalog of Oxford University Press's Very Short Introductions series. The books in this platform offer concise overviews to a range of academic subjects in the arts & humanities, law, medicine & health, science & mathematics, and social sciences. 

Remote users: Type your Brooklyn Public Library card number in the box "Sign in with your library card", click Sign In, and then select Brooklyn Public Library.

Library card required

PressReader

PressReader

Access to current newspaper editions from around the world in a full color readable online format.  

Library card required

Project Muse

Project Muse

Humanities and social science content for the scholarly community. Complete, full-text versions of scholarly journals and books from many of the world's leading university presses and scholarly societies. 

You may encounter locked content. When browsing or searching "All Muse", select "Only Content I have access to" to find subscription content. We apologize that some content is not available via Brooklyn Public Library's subscription.

Library card required

Smarthistory

Smarthistory

Smarthistory is an always-free resource for learning about global art history featuring curated article, image and video content—created by respected scholars in collaboration with museum curators—that is engaging, informative, and accessible. Patrons can explore a wealth of high-resolution images of art from museums, galleries and cultural heritage sites throughout the world, all of which are free to download and use for classroom presentations and projects under Creative Commons (CC) licensure. 

Free & accessible anywhere

Sports Market Analytics

Sports Market Analytics

SBRnet and the Sports Market Analytics Data Platform are a comprehensive online platform of nationwide sports business data and analytics, using syndicated and custom proprietary research for the professional and college sports categories as well as sports participation and equipment sales information. Data is driven from consumer research, industry reports, and licensed industry articles. Topics include:

  • · Sports Fan Demographics
  • · Attendance
  • · Television Viewing
  • · Streaming Media
  • · Social Media Usage
  • · Logo Merchandise Sales
  • · Sponsorship Influence
  • · Sports Participation
  • · Fitness Participation
  • · Sports Gambling
  • · Sports Travel
  • · Collectibles
  • · Device Usage
  • · Fantasy Sports Play
  • · Consumer categories: Sports Drinks, Homeowners Insurance, Driver’s Insurance, Cell Phone Carrier, Banking, Credit Cards, Hotel/Motel, Air Travel and Quick Service Restaurant.


On the SMA log-in page, enter only your library card number. The username and password fields are auto-populated by the vendor.

Library card required

Transparent Language

Transparent Language

Transparent Language Online provides a fun, effective, and engaging experience for learners of all levels looking to build their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in another language.  

Combining robust courses, supplemental vocabulary, and grammar resources, Transparent Language Online is the most complete language-learning system. With over 110 languages to choose from, including American Sign Language, and English for speakers of over 30 languages, there is something for every learner. Best of all, with mobile apps for iOS and Android devices, learners can enjoy the freedom to learn at home, in the library, or on the go. 

Library card required

Tumblebooks

Tumblebooks

Search from a selection of read-a-long and animated talking picture books, eBooks, graphic novels, non-fiction, and educational videos, puzzles, and games.  Titles include accelerated reading, Lexile, and grade reading levels.  Create your own playlists of favorite titles.

Library card required

World Digital Library

World Digital Library

Images of historic items from countries around the world, curated by the U.S. Library of Congress and the United Nations.  Materials include photographs, maps, newspapers, journals, books, and manuscripts from museums, libraries, and national archives from around the world, representing over 100 languages.  Easily search by time period, institution, type of material, language, place, or topic.

Free & accessible anywhere