Finding information can be tricky. And there are better sources than just asking Google, or relying on Wikipedia.
The Abington Public Library has many reliable resources and librarians to help you with questions, downloading e-content, navigating the catalogue, and one of them is Rob, our Reference Librarian. He can help you search a database, find the right database to search, help you download an eBook or an eAdioobook, or hook you up with hoopla and kanopy!
So- Ask Rob!
You can fill out this form: https://forms.gle/s2fTJxoKgaAmDryQ6 or email your question(s) to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and Rob will get back to you.
Please remember that Rob is not here full time, but he is looking forward to helping you.
Research Links
Abington Public Library Reference Links
Online Databases / Quick Reference
Automobiles / Books & Literature / Business / Careers / Consumer Issues / Education / Environment / Food & Nutrition / Government / Health / Law / Libraries / Massachusetts Information / Research / Senior Citizens / Statistics / Studying & Report Writing / Taxes / Travel / Veterans / Weather
Information Please Almanac http://www.infoplease.com/
Includes almanac, atlas, dictionary, encyclopedia, thesaurus, country information, and timelines.
Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/
Searchable movie database – what’s playing, what’s coming on DVD, trailers, trivia.
RefDesk.com http://refdesk.com/ An extensive list of links to news, stock quotes, puzzles, and reference tools.
Library Spot http://www.libraryspot.com/ Find events in history, photos, podcasts, calculators, calendars, and more.
Map Quest http://www.mapquest.com/ Get road maps and directions.
Vital Records http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm Where to write for birth, marriage, death records.
Telephone Numbers http://www.whitepages.com
Zip Code Lookup – United States Postal Service https://www.usps.com/zip4/
Edmunds http://www.edmunds.com/
Provides information on pricing, car reviews, ratings, and advice.
Kelley Blue Book http://www.kbb.com/
Fuel Economy Guide http://www.fueleconomy.gov/
Compare vehicles or find fuel economy ratings, gasoline prices, gas mileage tips, information on hybrid vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety http://www.iihs.org/
Provides top vehicle safety picks and crash test results.
Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles http://www.mass.gov/rmv/
Online transactions include registrations, licenses, address changes and tickets.
NADA Guides http://www.nadaguides.com/
Find information on new, used, and classic cars as well as motorcycles, boats, recreation vehicles, and manufactured homes.
Bartleby.com http://www.bartleby.com
Find reference works, literature, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction.
Book Awards http://www.goodreads.com/award Look here for winners of the Newbery and Caldecott medals, National Book Awards, Booker, Pulitzer, Edgar prizes, and more.
Project Gutenberg https://www.gutenberg.org/
Electronic archive of full-text literature to read or search.
Reading Group Guides http://www.readinggroupguides.com/
More than 4,000 guides are searchable by author, title, awards, and categories. Also find tips for reading groups from getting started to keeping things going and even some recipes!
Kirstein Business Library http://www.bpl.org/kbl
South Shore Chamber of Commerce http://www.southshorechamber.org/
Mass Hire Greater Brockton Career Center https://www.mass.gov/locations/masshire-greater-brockton-career-center
The MassHire Greater Brockton Career Center is providing both virtual and in-person services and is open for walk-ins.
ht job and lists available job openings and the skills they require.
Occupational Outlook Handbook http://www.bls.gov/ooh/
This source provides information about hundreds of types of jobs including: training and education needed, earnings, job prospects, what workers do, and working conditions.
BankRate http://www.bankrate.com
Provides free rate information to consumers on more than 300 financial products, including mortgages, credit cards, new and used automobile loans, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, checking and ATM fees, home equity loans and online banking fees.
Federal Bureau of Consumer Protection https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection
Features complaint assistance.
Massachusetts Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation http://www.mass.gov/ocabr/
Fighting Back Against Identity Theft http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/
“Deter, Detect, Defend – Avoid ID Theft.” This site tells you what to do.
Household Products Database https://www.whatsinproducts.com/
Includes health and safety information about household products.
National Do-Not-Call Registry http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/donotcall/
Prevent unwanted phone calls from telemarketers for a five-year period by registering your phone number for free.
On Guard Online https://www.onguardonline.gov/
Provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help you be on guard against Internet fraud, secure your computer, and protect your personal information.
Recalls http://www.recalls.gov/
Six federal agencies join to alert consumers about recalls of unsafe, hazardous or defective products.
USAGov https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/usagov
USAGov, formerly known as the Federal Citizen Information Center, provides free, timely, and useful government information to the public through websites USA.gov and USA.gov en español, and operates the USAGov Contact Center.
Abington Public Schools http://www.abingtonps.org
United States Department of Education http://www.ed.gov
Massachusetts Department of Education http://www.doe.mass.edu
Endangered Species http://www.fws.gov/endangered/
Follow the links to search for endangered species.
United States Environmental Protection Agency https://www3.epa.gov/
Search Issues, Science & Technology, Laws & Regulations
Massachusetts Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/
Information about Air & Climate; Water, Wastewater & Wetlands; Waste & Recycling; Toxics & Hazards; Cleanup of Sites & Spills.
All Recipes.com http://allrecipes.com/
This searchable recipe database includes more than 40,000 recipes.
Food Safety http://www.foodsafety.gov/
Gateway to government food safety information offers links that include News & Safety Alerts, Consumer Advice, Foodborne Pathogens, National Food Safety Programs, and more.
USDA National Agricultural Library – Food and Nutrition Information Center https://www.nal.usda.gov/
Provides accurate and useful resources about food and nutrition. Includes diet, food safety, food labeling and more.
Massachusetts City and Town Websites www.mma.org/city-and-town-web-sites
Visit the websites of Massachusetts cities and towns - compiled by the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
Massachusetts Legislature https://malegislature.gov/
Find Bills & Laws, Legislators, Committees, Events.
Mass.gov http://www.mass.gov
Links to state agencies, tax information, vehicle registration, vital records, driver’s license, unemployment, sex offender registry.
USA.gov https://www.usa.gov/
Search for government information by topic or agency or use the search window.
A Users Guide to Finding Health Information on the Web http://www.mlanet.org/resources/userguide.html
Created by medical librarians, this site offers a guide to searchers seeking reliable health information.
The American Academy of Pediatrics – Healthy Children http://www.healthychildren.org
Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs https://www.consumerreports.org/drugs/consumer-reports-best-buy-drugs/
Free guidance for consumers on prescription medicines.
Healthfinder.gov http://www.healthfinder.gov/
This award-winning Federal Web site for consumers is a guide to reliable health information.
MedLine Plus https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/
Includes health topics, drug information, clinical trials, an illustrated medical encyclopedia, interactive patient tutorials, and latest health news.
NIH Senior Health https://www.nia.nih.gov/health
Locate aging-related health information that is reliable and easy to understand.
National Institute of Mental Health http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
Find information on mental illness and behavioral disorders.
Physician Profile Site for Massachusetts http://profiles.ehs.state.ma.us/Profiles/Pages/FindAPhysician.aspx
Locate information about the education, training, and experience of all licensed physicians.
PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed
Search over 17 million citations from MEDLINE and other life science journals for biomedical articles back to the 1950s. Use the tutorial links to learn how to use this resource.
Guide to Massachusetts Laws by Subject http://www.mass.gov/courts/case-legal-res/law-lib/laws-by-subj/about/
Office of the Attorney General https://www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-attorney-general-maura-healey
The Massachusetts Court System http://www.mass.gov/courts/
Resource links include: Attorney Referral; Forms; Guidelines and Standards; Juror Information; Trial Court Law Libraries; Opinions; Press Releases; Probation.
Boston Public Library http://www.bpl.org
Lists exhibits, programs, Internet links, and more.
Dyer Memorial Library http://www.dyerlibrary.org/
Located in Abington, the Dyer focuses on genealogy and local history of Old Abington and surrounding communities.
Library of Congress http://www.loc.gov/
Browse online exhibitions, research guides, American Memory Collections.
Massachusetts Libraries
http://libraries.state.ma.us/
Locate library catalogs for Massachusetts libraries through the official website of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
Perkins Library Website http://www.perkins.org/library
Offers free public library services to those who cannot use traditional print due to visual, physical, or reading disabilities. Materials are mailed directly to patrons and returned through the mail.
Mass Moments http://www.massmoments.org
Electronic almanac of Massachusetts history allows users to listen to or read about events and people in Massachusetts history.
Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism http://www.massvacation.com/
Things to do and places to go in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/
Learn about 450,000 acres of parks, campgrounds, forests, mountains and beaches. Borrow a Massachusetts Parks Pass at Abington Public Library.
Museums New England http://museumsnewengland.com/
Massachusetts Attractions http://www.visit-massachusetts.com/state/
Massachusetts Facts http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cismaf/mafidx.htm
From history and symbols to statistics and politics, find it here.
AARP http://www.aarp.org
Medicare http://www.medicare.gov
This is the official government website with information about what’s covered, health plans, prescription drug plans, and your rights.
Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs http://www.mass.gov/elders/
Includes phone numbers and information links about Housing, Home Care, Caregiver Support, Regulations and Statistics, Health Care, Meals and Nutrition, and Service Organizations and Advocates.
NIH Senior Health https://www.nia.nih.gov/health
This web site makes aging-related health information available in a reliable, easy-to-understand online resource.
FedStats https://www.library.ucdavis.edu/database/fedstats/
Includes statistics from more than 100 agencies.
State Health Facts http://kff.org/statedata/
National Center for Health Statisticshttp://www.cdc.gov/nchs/
The U.S. Census Bureau https://www.census.gov/
The Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy.
Landmark Son of Citation Machine http://citationmachine.net/index2.php?regstyleid=99
Select citation format and follow directions
Internal Revenue Service http://www.irs.gov/
Search for forms, file taxes or research tax information.
Massachusetts Department of Revenue http://www.mass.gov/dor/
Find tax forms, information and regulations.
CDC Travelers’ Health Information https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel
Offers specific information about your travel destination. Includes vaccinations, diseases and more.
Currency Converter https://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/
Fodor’s Travel Guides http://www.fodors.com/
Frommer’s Travel Guides http://www.frommers.com/
Let’s Go Travel Guides http://www.letsgo.com/
National Park Service http://www.nps.gov/
Rick Steves Travel Guides http://ricksteves.com
U.S. Department of State – U.S. Passports and International Travel http://www.state.gov/travel/
Massachusetts Veterans’ Guide to Benefits http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cisvet/vetidx.htm
United States Department of Veterans Affairs http://www.va.gov/health
Veterans Employment Resource Center http://www.dol.gov/vets
Tools and resources for all U.S. Veterans - job opportunities, forms, benefits, and program information as well as training assistance for private sector employment.
AccuWeather http://www.accuweather.com/
National Weather Service http://www.weather.gov/
Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/
Weather Underground – Historical Weather http://www.wunderground.com/history/
