Library Databases for Parents

Parents worry.

• Are my children healthy?
• Are they learning what they need to know?
• How do I keep them busy and happy?

The Fresno County Public Library has databases that will help you take care of your children and meet their needs…for FREE.

Keep Them Healthy 

• Medline Plus is a website that has easy-to-understand articles and features on health issues from information on common childhood illnesses to health quizzes.

• Consumer Health Complete has information that is generally on a medical-journal level, but it is available in 17 languages.

Keep Them Learning

• Student Research Center is for middle-school and high school students, with encyclopedias, magazines, maps, and flags.

• These Reference Center databases focus on important school subjects and issues, and the people who made a difference.
• Science Reference Center
• Point of View Reference Center
• History Reference Center
• Biography Reference Center

• Kids Search is designed for elementary-school students
• Funk & Wagnall’s New Encyclopedia is a go-to resource for all members of the family.

Keep Them Happy

• Hobbies & Crafts Resource Center has articles and videos that cover everything from camping safety to making pop-up greeting cards.
• Bookflix teams video picture books with read-along non-fiction books that cover similar subjects for preschoolers and grade-school students.

All of these resources to help your family are FREE. Explore the Fresno County Public Library. You’ll be surprised at what you will find.

Curious About College?

College Prep Workshops

The Library is excited to announce that Lisa Vincent, College Relations Specialist for Fresno City College, will be speaking at several of the Library's new College Prep Centers. Whether you’re a high school student graduating soon or an adult thinking about going back to school, this program can help you prepare.

Become a College Prep Coach

If you're interested helping others attain their goal of a college education, consider becoming a College Prep Coach. Coaches help future college students enroll and get access to financial aid by spending two hours per week at one of the Library's College Prep Centers. College prep centers are located within  library branches in Mendota, Caruthers, Parlier, Orange Cove, San Joaquin, Riverdale, and Selma. Your time and experience could make a huge difference in a student's life! Call Elizabeth Finkle at (559) 600-9230 for more information.

Home Improvement--Fresno Edition

Is your toilet running when nobody’s there?

Do you need to replace a light switch?

Would a gazebo make your back yard a happier place?

The Fresno County Public Library has a database that has the answer for you—the Home Improvement Resource Center, as close as the library website, and it’s FREE!

What You’ll Find

·         Explanations of how things work

·         Lists of materials

·         The causes of everyday problems

Easy-to-understand articles on:

·         Outdoor projects

·         Plumbing

·         Decorating

·         Feng shui

·         Woodworking

·         Wiring

There’s a glossary of terms you might not know. It’s like a giant encyclopedia of how to fix what is wrong and add those improvements you always wanted to make.

Seeing is learning

Sometimes it's easier to learn by seeing how something is done instead of reading about it. Home Improvement Resource Center includes pictures, videos, and animations that demonstrate basic home projects and repairs.

You can even print out a Homeowner’s Journal, which can be used to record:

·         What work is done on your home

·         When it was done

·         Who did the work

·         How much it cost

It’s a way to keep a record of your maintenance and remind yourself of what needs to be done.

It Works! It Helps!

One of the Home Improvement Resource Center articles helped me figure out what was wrong with my toilet. Even if you aren’t a do-it-yourself handyman, the Home Improvement Resource Center will help you to know what needs to be done, save money, and understand what the professionals you hire are doing.

Lynda.com-- Now Available from Home!

We're excited to announce that Lynda.com is now available outside the library! This multifaceted tool was previously accessible from inside the library only—but recently access was extended outside of the branch to anyone with a Fresno County Public Library card number and PIN.

So how might this benefit you? Lynda.com has a number of video tutorials, covering software, technology, business and marketing. Tutorials often include downloadable exercise files so you get hands on practice as you learn. Some topics covered include:

• Business skills, leadership, and project management
• AutoCAD and 3D printing
• Instructional design and professional development for teachers
• Developer software
• Video and web editing

This is a very small sampling of what this database has to offer. Log in for yourself and check it out! You need a library card and PIN for access. If you’re not sure what your PIN is, give us a call. If you don’t have a card, bring your ID to any library branch and complete an application. And, as always, feel free to call or email us if you have questions.

FCPL databases provide cardholders with a vast amount of accurate, free online information. This blog post is a part of a weekly series highlighting FCPL databases and is tagged with the blog tag “Resource of the Week.”