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Databases Are Not Just for Data

Your library card gives you and your family access to all sorts of materials like books, movies and music. But you probably already knew that. Did you know it also gives you access to useful and fun digital content through our databases?

There are more great databases than we can write about in a blog post, so let’s explore a few favorites. These are only a small handful of the options available, most of which you can even access from home using your library card.

Get creative with Creativebug

If you want to do anything creative, from cooking to knitting to jewelry-making, Creativebug is a great place to find inspiration and learn something new. It has a kids’ section, too! Learn how to make slime, do origami, draw manga characters and more. Step-by-step videos guide you through each activity or craft. You can also search their pattern library for crochet and knitting projects.

Image snapshots of classes available through Creativebug.

Get homework help with Tutor.com

This might sound too good to be true: free, live homework help with real tutors. You can use text chat or voice chat to get help with math, writing, languages and much more. School-age kids through adults can all use it. Tutors help you think through the problem rather than just giving the answer. There are even built-in tools like a white board, text editor and calculator you can use together with the tutor.

Dive into books with BookFLIX

BookFLIX pairs fiction titles with related non-fiction books and presents them as narrated videos. For example, kids can watch and read along with The Ant and the Grasshopper, then see a non-fiction book about ants and ant colonies. Each book also has related games like word puzzles and true/false trivia, as well as links to other online resources.

Find your next read with Novelist and Novelist K-8

Looking for a good book? Library staff are happy to help, but here’s a secret… You can find read-alikes (or search for books by genre, recommended age and more) from home. With Novelist, you can enter a title and see a list of books with similar appeal. If you have a book in mind but want to learn more about it before borrowing it, Novelist can help with that, too.

Image of Novelist K-8 Plus

Megan B. is a Youth Services Librarian at CLP – Squirrel Hill. She enjoys writing and has had several short stories and poems published. She also enjoys playing games, reading and trying new foods (eating them, not cooking them).
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