Abington Public Library Reference Links
Quick Reference
- Information Please Almanac – Includes almanac, atlas, dictionary, encyclopedia, thesaurus, country information, and timelines.
- Internet Movie Database – Searchable movie database – what’s playing, what’s coming on DVD, trailers, trivia.
- RefDesk.com – An extensive list of links to news, stock quotes, puzzles, and reference tools.
- Map Quest – Get road maps and directions.
- Vital Records – Where to write for birth, marriage, death records.
- Telephone Numbers
- Zip Code Lookup – United States Postal Service
Automobiles
- Edmunds – Provides information on pricing, car reviews, ratings, and advice.
- Kelley Blue Book
- Fuel Economy Guide – 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 – Provides top vehicle safety picks and crash test results.
- Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles – Online transactions include registrations, licenses, address changes and tickets.
- NADA Guides – Find information on new, used, and classic cars as well as motorcycles, boats, recreation vehicles, and manufactured homes.
Books & Literature
- Bartleby.com – Find reference works, literature, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction.
- Book Awards – Look here for winners of the Newbery and Caldecott medals, National Book Awards, Booker, Pulitzer, Edgar prizes, and more.
- Project Gutenberg – Electronic archive of full-text literature to read or search.
- Reading Group Guides – 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!
Business
Careers
- Mass Hire 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 – This source provides information about hundreds of types of jobs including: training and education needed, earnings, job prospects, what workers do, and working conditions.
Consumer Issues
- BankRate – 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 – Features complaint assistance.
- Massachusetts Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation
- Fighting Back Against Identity Theft – “Deter, Detect, Defend – Avoid ID Theft.” This site tells you what to do.
- Household Products Database – Includes health and safety information about household products.
- National Do-Not-Call Registry – Prevent unwanted phone calls from telemarketers for a five-year period by registering your phone number for free.
- On Guard Online – 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 – Six federal agencies join to alert consumers about recalls of unsafe, hazardous or defective products.
- 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.
Education
Environment
- Endangered Species – Follow the links to search for endangered species.
- United States Environmental Protection Agency – Search Issues, Science & Technology, Laws & Regulations
- Massachusetts Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs – Information about Air & Climate; Water, Wastewater & Wetlands; Waste & Recycling; Toxics & Hazards; Cleanup of Sites & Spills.
Food & Nutrition
- All Recipes.com – This searchable recipe database includes more than 40,000 recipes.
- Food Safety – 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 – Provides accurate and useful resources about food and nutrition. Includes diet, food safety, food labeling and more.
Government
- Massachusetts City and Town Websites – Visit the websites of Massachusetts cities and towns – compiled by the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
- Massachusetts Legislature – Find Bills & Laws, Legislators, Committees, Events.
- Mass.gov – Links to state agencies, tax information, vehicle registration, vital records, driver’s license, unemployment, sex offender registry.
Health
- A Users Guide to Finding Health Information on the Web – Created by medical librarians, this site offers a guide to searchers seeking reliable health information.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics – Healthy Children
- Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs – Free guidance for consumers on prescription medicines.
- Healthfinder.gov – This award-winning Federal Web site for consumers is a guide to reliable health information.
- MedLine Plus – Includes health topics, drug information, clinical trials, an illustrated medical encyclopedia, interactive patient tutorials, and latest health news.
- NIH Senior Health – Locate aging-related health information that is reliable and easy to understand.
- National Institute of Mental Health – Find information on mental illness and behavioral disorders.
- 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.
Law
- Office of the Attorney General
- The Massachusetts Court System – Resource links include: Attorney Referral; Forms; Guidelines and Standards; Juror Information; Trial Court Law Libraries; Opinions; Press Releases; Probation.
Libraries
- Boston Public Library – Lists exhibits, programs, Internet links, and more.
- Dyer Memorial Library – Located in Abington, the Dyer focuses on genealogy and local history of Old Abington and surrounding communities.
- Library of Congress – Browse online exhibitions, research guides, American Memory Collections.
- Massachusetts Libraries – Locate library catalogs for Massachusetts libraries through the official website of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
- Perkins Library Website – 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.
Massachusetts Information
- Mass Moments – Electronic almanac of Massachusetts history allows users to listen to or read about events and people in Massachusetts history.
- Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism – Things to do and places to go in Massachusetts.
- Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation – Learn about 450,000 acres of parks, campgrounds, forests, mountains and beaches. Borrow a Massachusetts Parks Pass at Abington Public Library.
- Museums New England
- Massachusetts Attractions
Senior Citizens
- AARP
- Medicare – 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 – 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 – This web site makes aging-related health information available in a reliable, easy-to-understand online resource.
Statistics
- FedStats – Includes statistics from more than 100 agencies.
- State Health Facts
- National Center for Health Statistics
- The U.S. Census Bureau – The Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about the nation’s people and economy.
Studying & Report Writing
- Landmark Son of Citation Machine – Select citation format and follow directions
Taxes
- Internal Revenue Service – Search for forms, file taxes or research tax information.
- Massachusetts Department of Revenue – Find tax forms, information and regulations.
Travel
- CDC Travelers’ Health Information – Offers specific information about your travel destination. Includes vaccinations, diseases and more.
- Currency Converter
- Fodor’s Travel Guides
- Frommer’s Travel Guides
- Let’s Go Travel Guides
- National Park Service
- Rick Steves Travel Guides
- U.S. Department of State – U.S. Passports and International Travel
Veterans
- Massachusetts Veteran Services
- United States Department of Veterans Affairs
- Veterans Employment Resource Center – Tools and resources for all U.S. Veterans – job opportunities, forms, benefits, and program information as well as training assistance for private sector employment.