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 also schedule an appointment with our Adult Services Librarian, Shana, by emailing reference@scplibrary.net, or calling (502) 633-3803, ext. 119.
Our most popular databases
Featured database
With Learning Express, you can prepare for almost any test. Study for ACT, SAT, GED, AP classes, GRE, the U.S. Citizenship test, plus improve your math, reading, grammar, science, and computer skills. Read more on our blog.
Agriculture and Environment
Explore agriculture information with Agricola
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
See how environmental effects impact everyone and learn about the connections between the environment and agriculture, education, law, and more with GreenFILE
Education
Find scholarly articles, including content dating back as far as 1887, with Academic Search Complete
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.
Explore art history with The MET Museum’s Art History Timeline
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
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.
To access this database from home, you will need to use the following login information:
Username: shelby#public
Password: toadstool#20
The login for this database changes every few months.
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
Records for more than 800,000 electronic theses and dissertations from around the world on OpenDissertations
Take computer, real estate, business, U.S. Citizenship test prep, and hundreds of other classes with Universal Class
Learn at your own pace hundreds of free online continuing education classes facilitated by dedicated instructors.
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.
To access this database from home, you will need to use the following login information:
Username: shelby#public
Password: toadstool#20
The login for this database changes every few months.
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
E-reading, Books, and Music
Get an email when new books by your favorite authors arrive at SCPL with Author Check
Need help picking out your next book? Check out NoveList
Listen to audiobooks for free with Freading
Download (and keep!) music with Freegal
Access 8 million songs and permanently download 5 songs per week.
Download ebooks for your Kindle or reading apps, listen to audiobooks, read magazines, and stream movies with Overdrive
Want to read on your phone or tablet? For a user-friendly experience, try Overdrive’s new app, Libby
Read popular magazines and listen to audiobooks with RB Digital
Access magazines with no holds, no checkout periods, and no limit to the number of magazines you can download.
Read the latest books with Online Book Clubs
Genealogy
Research your family history with Ancestry
Full access in-library only.
Access census records, books, and magazines for genealogy with Heritage Quest
Helpful genealogy websites:
Government and Legal Resources
Just for Kids!
Read children’s books with animation, music, and narration on Tumble Book Library
Find children’s ebooks, audiobooks, and videos with Overdrive
Download 5 free songs per week your kids will love with Freegal
Local Information
Read Sentinel-News articles from 10/10/2007 – current 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
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, 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.
Access DIY vehicle repair, recall notices, guides and manuals for over 25,000 vehicles with Auto Mate
Read reviews about products before you buy with Consumer Search
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