All the resources on this page are reputable free online sources or are available through a library subscription. They should be useful to students and people with general information needs. It it loosely arranged the same way as the nonfiction collection in the library.
Updated 6/1/21
GCFLearnfree.org has some of the best free computer tutorials available for users of every level. You can learn the basic parts of a computer, take an advanced tutorial in Excel, or anything in between. It’s really great if you’re looking to learn skills for a new job, and it’s a great page to bookmark if you want to check back on something quickly.
Through OSL, RI libraries subscribe to World Book Encyclopedia, which has resources for people of all ages and abilities.
The school databases provide similar information to the student and researcher; the language and layout are geared toward each specific age group.
Working Americans looks, decade-by-decade, into the kind of work that Americans did, focused on the 20th century.
(If there is no link to a title, we only have it available in print. Visit the library’s reference section in person to have a look.)
Mango is an online language-learning program that can help patrons learn more than 70 foreign languages including Spanish, French, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Pirate, German, Mandarin Chinese, Greek, Irish, Italian and many more, in an easy-to-learn manner. Mango Languages for Libraries also offers English as a Second Language courses for non-English speakers.
The Solar System covers the features of our solar system, including every major body and phenomenon: from the astrophysics of the Sun and major features of every planet, their satellites, and small bodies such as comets and asteroids, to scientific methodologies, interplanetary phenomena, and related topics in stellar astronomy and cosmology.
The URI Cooperative Extension offers hour long virtual classes on a variety of topics related to renewable energy, water resources, ticks, land stewardship, gardening and horticulture, youth engagement in nature, and more.
The Merck Manuals are one of the world’s most widely used medical information resources. The provide information on health disorders, symptoms, first aid, and drugs. The site includes 3D models, images, and audio. It is available for free online. Click here to visit the Merck Manual.
D&D Beyond tool and resource for players of D&D. It provides free access to basic rules and statistics to players, as well as powerful character creation tools and an online dice roller.
In July 2020, the library received an amazing donation from Wizards of the Coast that gives us and any members of our campaign access to nearly 40 books on the site. If you’re interested in joining our game, email Katherine.
Novelist provides access to information on 155,000 fiction titles and a wide range of feature content to enable readers and library staff to find the next thing to read. It includes author read-alikes, book discussion guides, reading lists and more.
The Critical Insights Series brings together the best of both classic and current literary criticism of the world’s most-studied literature. We have online access to the following titles:
The Great Events from History series offers a far-reaching view of history, organized around significant events.
The Great Lives from History series provides biographies of important people from all historical periods and from every part of the globe.
Milestone Documents in American History is a series that is a comprehensive collection of primary source documents important in shaping American society, from the revolution to the 21st century. Each chapter provides the full text of a document, and gives an overview of its purpose, places it in context, and analyzes its meaning and impact.
Milestone Documents of American Leaders is a series that collects letters and speeches written by important Americans throughout history. Each chapter provides the full text of several primary sources written by a particular historical figure, each with an explanation and analysis.
These encyclopedias provide in-depth descriptions of American history by decade.
This service is an awesome way to find old records for your family, from vital records and census data, to more interesting ephemera like draft cards and high school yearbook photos. Take a look around and see what you can find!
