Digital Resources
Explore the world with your library card
Your library card gives you access to more than twenty databases to help you learn, work, and play.
How to login
- Enter your 14-digit library card number, the entire number on the back of your card. (i.e., 23610704097509)
- Your PIN is the last four digits of your library card number. (i.e., 7509)
Need help?
If you need help with any of these databases, check out the SCPL Academy, which consists of ready-to-use tutorials for our library services and databases.
You may contact SCPL Staff for further assistance by calling (502) 633-3803 or visiting us at 309 Eighth Street in Shelbyville, Kentucky.
Our most popular databases
Featured database
Kanopy is a streaming movie service that offers instant access to an extensive, curated catalog of educational, entertaining, and enriching films. It includes content from leading producers such as Criterion Collection, The Great Courses, Paramount, PBS, BBC, and many more. This service includes Kanopy for Kids with content specifically geared towards children. Kanopy Kids features a collection of films and TV series that inspire and inform, helping children develop social-emotional skills and reinforcing valuable learning topics, such as history, science, and new languages. A diverse selection of educational and entertaining content that ranges across movies, television series, animated storybooks, and animated favorites can be found on Kanopy Kids.
Explore Lexington history through local news, events, and people with Lexington Herald-Leader Collection.
Agriculture and Environment
Environment Complete
- Learn about the natural world with Environment Complete.
Ebsco Environment Complete offers extensive coverage in the areas of agriculture, ecosystem ecology, energy, and affiliated areas of studies.
This database is co-sponsored by the Shelby County Conservation District.
GreenFILE
See how environmental effects impact everyone and learn about the connections between the environment and agriculture, education, law, and more with GreenFILE.
Art & Crafting
Creativebug
Access hundreds of crafty tutorials for crocheting, jewelry making, painting, and more with Creativebug.
The MET Museum’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History
- Explore art history with the Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.
Education
Academic Search Complete
Find scholarly articles, including content dating back as far as 1887, with Academic Search Complete.
Read The Sentinel-News, USA Today, Associated Press News Service, and more with America’s News.
Find information on topics related to business, education, the environment, health, jobs and careers, politics and government, sports, STEM more including newspapers, videos and web-only content featuring The Sentinel-News, USA Today and more.
Search scholarly ebooks by topic with eBook Collection (EBSCOhost)
Articles about current events, business and careers, health, and more on Explora for Public Libraries
Find unique quotes on Familiar Quotations
Search over 25,000 segments of the encyclopedia with Funk and Wagnalls New Encyclopedia
Free Online Learning at GCFGlobal powered by Goodwill Industries. Includes in-depth tutorials and classes for subjects such as computer basics, internet skills, graphic design, resume writing, and smartphones, plus basic skills in subjects such as math and grammar.
Explore encyclopedias, Novelist, health information, and more with Kentucky Virtual Library
A consortium of over 60 research and education databases for students, adults, librarians, and professionals.
Test prep for GED, ACT, SAT, AP tests, ASVAB, nursing, postal worker exams, U.S. citizenship test, and more on Learning Express Library
Explore Lexington history through local news, events, and people with Lexington Herald-Leader Collection.
Search current and archived issues with full-color newspaper pages, full-text articles and online-only content. The Lexington Herald-Leader Collection is available remotely 24/7 on any device.
Learn over 70 languages with Mango Languages
Read and learn with unlimited digital access to the New York Times.
Note that access to the New York Times requires that you create a free New York Times account. If you already have a New York Times account, log in to your existing account.
Records for more than 800,000 electronic theses and dissertations from around the world on OpenDissertations
Education: K-12
Ever wonder why Yoda talks backwards, or what a group of flamingos is called? Find out on Answers.com
Look up biographies on Biography.com
Discover articles and encyclopedias on elementary grade level with Explora for Primary Schools
Articles about math and science, history, and more on Explora for Secondary Schools
Read scholarly journals and articles via Gale Virtual Reference Library
Excellent resource for scholastic research.
Explore encyclopedias, Novelist, health information, and more with Kentucky Virtual Library
A consortium of over 60 research and education databases for students, adults, librarians, and professionals.
Free online courses, lessons, and practice tests on Khan Academy
Test prep for GED, ACT, SAT, AP tests, ASVAB, nursing, postal worker exams, U.S. citizenship test, and more on Learning Express Library
Learn over 70 languages with Mango Languages
Search primary source documents, reference books, and a vast image collection with Middle Search Plus
Find popular children’s magazines, easy-to-read encyclopedia entries, and many images on Primary Search
Explore World Maps
Education: for Teachers
Search education research information with ERIC (Education Resources Information Center)
Read more than 600 core journals and more than 80 selective journals about Library, Information Science, & Technology Abstracts with LISTA
Read magazines such as American History and Popular Science, see Lexile levels for full-text articles, and access image collections with MAS Ultra – School Edition
Search for peer-reviewed journals about assessments, best practices, continuing education, instructional media, literacy standards, and more on Teacher Reference Center
Explore classroom-discussion-ready government information, periodicals, public opinion polls, and international newspapers on TOPICsearch
Digital Libraries & Resources - eBooks, Movies, Magazines, and Music
Booklist Reader
- Booklist Reader is a digital magazine featuring diverse readers’ advisory recommendations for readers and listeners of all ages. Filled with high-interest, themed lists that showcase books that are out now.
Author Check
- Author Check allows you to track your favorite authors, get email notifications when books written by your favorite authors arrive at SCPL, and explore author profiles.
Kanopy
- Instantly borrow movies with Kanopy! Kanopy is a streaming movie service that offers instant access to an extensive, curated catalog of educational, entertaining, and enriching films. It includes content from leading producers such as Criterion Collection, The Great Courses, Paramount, PBS, BBC, and many more. This service includes Kanopy for Kids with content specifically geared towards children. Kanopy Kids features a collection of films and TV series that inspire and inform, helping children develop social-emotional skills and reinforcing valuable learning topics, such as history, science, and new languages. A diverse selection of educational and entertaining content that ranges across movies, television series, animated storybooks, and animated favorites can be found on Kanopy Kids.
Need help getting started with Kanopy? Visit these self-help guides or stop by the Library for help.
Now Streaming by Amanda Perry
Need help getting started with hoopla? Check out these How to hoopla guides for help.
Guides on How to hoopla by Amanda Perry
Need help getting started with Libby? Follow the instructions on the User Guide or watch the video below.
User Guide for Libby by Amanda Perry
OverDrive to Libby - Make the Switch
Important: The OverDrive app is set to be retired by the end of 2022. Beginning in February 2022 the OverDrive app will be removed from the Apple App Store, Google Play, and Microsoft Store. Current OverDrive app users can continue to use the app, however, new users looking for the OverDrive app will be directed to Libby. All users can continue to use, borrow, and open titles from the library’s OverDrive website via a browser. All OverDrive app users will need to switch over to using the Libby app for all OverDrive services. The Libby app is currently unavailable on Kindle Fire tablets, those users will continue to use the OverDrive app until further notice. To get started with Libby click on the link above.
Read the latest books with Online Book Clubs
Genealogy
Research your family history with Ancestry
Explore your family history with the premier collection of U.S. obituaries and death notices for in-depth genealogical research from 1704–today with Heritage Hub.
Access census records, books, and magazines for genealogy with Heritage Quest
Helpful genealogy websites:
Government and Legal Resources
Navigate legal matters of all kinds with reliable how-to information and thousands of federal, multi-state, and state-specific legal forms using the Legal Information Reference Center.
Just for Kids!
Read the latest issue of the ChopChop newsletter for kid-friendly recipes and cooking tips.
Read children’s books with animation, music, and narration on Tumble Book Library.
You can also check out the Spanish language version, Biblioteca Tumble.
Find children’s ebooks, audiobooks, and videos with Kentucky Libraries Unbound
Local Information
Explore and stay informed on local and national topics, people and events in areas such as business, health, education, jobs and careers, political and social issues and more. Features a wide variety of credible, vetted news sources spanning the U.S., including the Sentinel-News with America’s News.
Find information on community issues and events, business, education, politics, people in the news, and more.
Medical and Psychology
Search medicines to find out how it’s used, side effects, and more with AHFS Consumer Medication Information
Search and access full texts of more than 600 nursing and allied health journals with CINAHL
Find answers about mainstream medicine and holistic medicine on Consumer Health Complete
Search and read health magazines, health pamphlets, explore in English and Spanish the Clinical Reference Systems reports, and use Merriam-Webster’s Medical Desk Dictionary in Health Source: Consumer Edition
Information for libraries about the Coronavirus
Search information about medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system, preclinical sciences, and much more with MEDLINE
Find food nutrition information on Nutrition.gov
Provides more than 530 full-text journals, perfect for psychologists, counselors, researchers, and students via Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Peer-reviewed content for behavioral and social science research, dissertations and scholarly literature abstracts on PsychINFO
Find 28 million citations for biomedical literature on PubMed
Search full-text articles for sociology literature for sociology and social work researchers, professionals, and students on Sociological Collection
Reference
Read The Sentinel-News, Associated Press News Service, and more with America’s News.
Explore and stay informed on local and national topics, people and events in areas such as business, health, education, jobs and careers, political and social issues and more. Features a wide variety of credible, vetted news sources spanning the U.S., including the Sentinel-News, USA Today, and more. America’s News is available remotely 24/7 on any device.
Access DIY vehicle repair, recall notices, guides, and manuals for over 25,000 vehicles with Auto Repair Source
Access full reviews of thousands of products, including TVs, mattresses, vehicles, washing machines, and more with Consumer Reports.
Read reviews about products before you buy with Consumer Search
Explore Lexington history through local news, events, and people with Lexington Herald-Leader Collection.
Search current and archived issues with full-color newspaper pages, full-text articles and online-only content. The Lexington Herald-Leader Collection is available remotely 24/7 on any device.
Read and learn with unlimited digital access to the New York Times.
Note that access to the New York Times requires that you create a free New York Times account. If you already have a New York Times account, log in to your existing account.
Read magazines about business, health, education, general science, and multicultural issues with MasterFILE Premier
Cover-to-cover full text of regional, national, and international newspapers, and TV and radio transcripts of major broadcasts on Newspaper Source
Use the phonebook online with Switchboard (White Pages)
Small Businesses and Jobs
Look for jobs, find businesses, generate mailing lists, and more with AtoZdatabases
Premier reference and marketing database that provides details on every business and every household within the U.S.
Read The Sentinel-News, Lexington Herald-Leader, Associated Press News Service, and more with America’s News.
Find information on topics related to business, education, the environment, health, jobs and careers, politics and government, sports, STEM more including newspapers, videos and web-only content featuring The Sentinel-News, Lexington Herald-Leader, USA Today and more.
Learn about Intellectual Property Basics in this free video series from Michigan Engineering, University of Michigan
Find articles, industry and market reports, company profiles and more with Business Source Premier
Create a professional resume with Cypress Resume
A free resource for global patent and scholarly knowledge about patents on Lens.org.
Find information about presidential candidates, franchise restaurants, the retail industry, business planning, or political participation on Regional Business News
Information on starting a company, management, growing your business, and more on Small Business Reference Center
If you’re interested in learning about patents and trademark law, check out USPTO: United States Patent and Trademark Office