Written by Mackenzie Manley, Content Specialist, Downtown Main Library
Facing a paywall? Looking to pick up a new craft? Whatever the reason, you can access reliable news sources and learn from experts for free with a library card!
The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library (CHPL) grants access to dozens of research databases, newspapers, magazines, encyclopedias, online courses, and more. You can explore by age, interest, and format, but here are a few highlights.
Pick Up a New Hobby – or Revive an Old One – with Creative Bug
Tired of sifting through the internet for informative tutorial videos? Enter Creative Bug, which features thousands of award-winning arts and crafts video classes taught by design experts and artists. Log in with your library card credentials and enjoy unlimited access.
New York Times Online
Calling all news hounds! If you’ve ever clicked on a New York Times link just to be met with a paywall, don’t fret. Log in through the Library’s “Group Pass” account for free and unlimited access to new stories, multimedia content, and special features on the New York Times website and apps.
Now that’s a reason to yell, “Extra! Extra! Read all about it!”
Get Local with Cincinnati Business Courier
Local news is vital to connecting with and understanding our community. Use your library card to read current and past issues of The Cincinnati Business Courier.
If you’re looking for more historical context, scroll through the Library’s Cincinnati Enquirer archives, which dates to the 1840s.
Learn Personal History
If you’ve ever watched PBS’s Finding Your Roots and wanted to do the same, look no further than Ancestry Library Edition. You can access Ancestry at any of CHPL’s 41 locations while using a Library computer or while logged into the Library’s Wi-Fi on your personal device.
Ancestry Library Edition gives access to U.S. federal census records, military records, the Social Security Death Index, New York and other passenger records, selected records from the United Kingdom and Ireland, biographical materials, and more.
Go ahead, trace your family tree back to its roots!
Build Your Skillset
Meet LinkedIn Learning: a resource available via your library card that gives you access to 16,000 expert-led online courses. Plus, you can receive professional certificate prep and continuing education credits. Your resume will thank you!
You can also learn new skills with Kanopy, which includes The Great Courses: 6,500 videos covering professional skills, mathematics, language, and more.
And if all that researching (or studying) has you craving a break, try soundtracking your next walk with Freegal Music. You can stream or download more than 18 million songs in over 200 genres, including Sony Music’s catalog of legendary artists. The best part? You don’t have to pay for a subscription.
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