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Below are some of our most popular research tools. They offer a good place to start.

  • Academic OneFile – Search thousands of periodical, news content and journals.
  • Ancestry library edition – Largest family history site online with over 4 billion names in worldwide historical records, family tree services and genealogy (in-library use only).
  • Chilton’s – Provides photographs, step-by-step repair procedures, maintenance schedules, wiring diagrams, recalls and Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) for automobiles and light trucks.
  • Grolier- An encyclopedia oriented toward K-12 students. Includes New Book of Knowledge, Multimedia Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia Americana, America the Beautiful and Lands and Peoples.
  • General Reference Center Gold – A general interest database that integrates a variety of sources – newspapers, reference books, magazines, and trade publications.
  • Heritage Quest – Resource site for census data, family records, and local histories.
  • Kids InfoBits – Curriculum-related information on current events, artls, sciences, health, people, government, sports, history and more.
  • Novelist – Assists fiction readers in finding new authors and titles. It includes information on more than 150,000 titles, including authors, publication information, subjects, book reviews, discussion guides, and feature articles. Also featured are 1200 theme-oriented booklists, 150 award lists, and links to 1000 fiction related web sites.
  • OCLC on FirstSearch – Books, journals, videos, music scores and recordings, maps, and other materials in over 10,000 libraries around the world. Also includes about 30 million journal and magazine articles.
  • Reference USA - 10.5 million businesses with the ability to search by company name, type of business, geography, business size and more.

Auto Repair

  • Chilton’s – Reference sources for Do-It-Yourself automotive enthusiasts and professionals.

Biographies, Family History and Genealogy

Weblinks:

Books and Reading

  • Bookletters – Great resource for finding the latest bestsellers and award winning books. Signup for the book review newsletters here.
  • Books in Print Professional Edition – Patron-based online book, audio book, video, and publisher information source.
  • Literature Resource Center – Comprehensive literary collection.
  • Books & Authors – Uncover new reading adventures, find long-remembered favorites, and discover award-winning titles.
  • Michigan Authors & Illustrators – Authors and illustrators born in Michigan, who live in Michigan, or who have written books about or set in Michigan.
  • Novelist – Electronic readers advisory resource that helps fiction readers find new authors and titles.
  • TumbleBook Library – The TumbleBookLibrary is a collection of TumbleBooks (animated, talking picture books). TumbleBooks are created from existing picture books which we have licensed from children’s book publishers and converted to the TumbleBook format.
  • Tumblebookcloud – These Read-Alongs highlight the sentences as they are being read, turn the page automatically, and offer the ability to follow along in 3 text sizes. They also include an innovative bookmarking feature, the ability to switch to manual in order to read at your own speed, and cool color options for the skin of our new Read-Along player.

Weblinks:

Business

  • Business and Company ASAP – Provides access to all the business and management journals, trade journals, newspapers and directories needed for in-depth research on companies, products, markets, industries, economics and management disciplines.
  • Business Decision – BusinessDecision enables you to research consumer market data, demographic data, and market segmentation data associated with geographies you customize such as addresses, ZIP Codes, cities, and much more.
  • Business Insights: Global – Combines an international perspective and sophisticated research tools with convenient access to a range of comprehensive learning materials. Designed to move researchers quickly to higher levels of understanding and application. Uses case studies, statistical data sources, news articles, academic journals and topical reference materials organized by country, company and industry to quickly engage users in the global business environment.
  • DemographicsNow: Business & People – is a comprehensive business and residential reference and research tool. Users can produce comprehensive business and residential lists as well as detailed demographic reports — users can even utilize a unique mapping tool that ‘visualizes’ trends.
  • General BusinessFile ASAP – Access to a combination of broker research reports, trade publications, newspapers, journals and company directories.
  • Learning Express Library – Practice tests and tutorial course series designed to help patrons-students and adult learners-succeed on the academic or licensing test they must pass.
  • Morningstar Investment Research Center – This investment research source is now only available in digital format.
  • Reference USA – 10.5 million businesses with the ability to search by company name, type of business, geography, business size and more.

Weblinks:

Education and Scholarships

Scholarship Sites:

Jackson Area K-12 Schools:

Jackson Area Colleges and Universities:

Michigan Public Colleges and Universities:

General Educational Links:

Government/Legal

  • Gale Legal Forms Library – Provides convenient, authoritative means for understanding common legal procedures through access to “attorney forms”. Continuously updated to reflect the latest state laws.
  • LegalTrac – All major law reviews, legal newspapers, specialty law publications, bar association journals and thousands of law-related articles.

Weblinks: Laws and Codes:

Courts and Prisons:

Find a Lawyer:

Taxes:

Grants/Foundations

Funders:

Resources & Tools:

Health

Weblinks:

Homework Help for Students

  • Academic OneFile – Search thousands of periodical, news content and journals.
  • Culture Grams – A leading reference for concise, reliable, and up-to-date cultural information on countries across the globe, this database includes four editions: the World Edition (for middle school and up) and the Kids, States, and Canadian Provinces editions (for upper elementary school students)
  • Expanded Academic ASAP – Full text articles of every academic concentration journals in a large database.
  • eLibrary Elementary – Recommended for: K-12. All full text. Video, audio, books, pictures, magazines, maps, newspapers, & transcripts of TV and radio shows.
  • Grolier Online- It includes seven encyclopedia databases: Encyclopedia America, Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, The New Book of Knowledge, La Nueva Enciclopedia Cumbre, America the Beautiful, Lands and Peoples, and The New Book of Popular Science.
  • InfoTrac Junior Edition – Magazines, newspapers and reference books (most are full-text) for information on current events, the arts, science, popular culture, health, people, government, history, sports and more.
  • InfoTrac Student Edition – Quick and easy way to do classroom assignments and get answers to general reference questions.
  • Kids InfoBits – Curriculum-related information on current events, arts, sciences, health, people, government, sports, history and more.
  • Learning Express Library - Practice tests and tutorial course series designed to help patrons-students and adult learners-succeed on the academic or licensing test they must pass.
  • SIRS Discoverer- This interactive tool strengthens research, reading, writing and computer skills. Articles and graphics from more than 1,400 U.S. and international magazines, newspapers and U.S. government documents are carefully selected for their educational content, interest and level of readability.
  • Opposing Viewpoints- Designed to aid students in the study of today’s hottest social issues.

Jackson

Weblinks:

Jobs and Careers

  • Learning Express Library - Practice tests and tutorial course series designed to help patrons-students and adult learners-succeed on the academic or licensing test they must pass.

Weblinks:

Career Planning and Job Application Process

Job Seeker Tutorials and Tips from the State of Michigan and others

Websites for Special Interest

Michigan Jobs

General Job Sites

Technology

Finance and Business

Medical

Government

Automotive

Media

High Tech

Engineering and Sales

Internet job source

Out of State

National Jobs

Magazine and Newspapers

  • General OneFile – Online periodicals and newspapers.
  • General Reference Center Gold – General interest magazines, business periodicals, reference books, maps, historical images, and newspaper articles.
  • Informe Academico – Created exclusively for Spanish-speaking users, this full-text electronic reference tool is the first system to provide indexing, images and full text of popular Hispanic magazines — not just translations.
  • Infotrac Newstand – Collection of full-text newspapers from around the United States and the world.
  • Jackson Citizen Patriot (2000-Current) – Provides access to Jackson Citizen Patriot articles dating back to 02-13-2000.
  • New York Times – Full text newspaper.

Science, Environment, and Technology

  • Computer Database – Comprehensive information about the computer, electronics, and telecommunications industries.

Genealogy Resources in the Library

The Minter VanOrman Room at the Carnegie Library houses the library’s Genealogy and Jackson Local History collections. The materials in these collections are available to the public during normal Carnegie Library hours. All materials in the Minter VanOrman Room are restricted to in-library use only. Staff members and volunteers are happy to assist the public as time permits.

Online Genealogy Resources

  • Ancestry.com (on-site access only) – Search thousands of periodical, news content and journals.
  • Heritage Quest – Resource site for census data, family records, and local histories.
  • Historic Map Works – View historical maps throughout the U.S.
  • Seeking Michigan – Records, photographs, maps, death records, state census records, and much more.

All genealogy inquiries are accepted in person, by telephone (517-788-4087), in writing, or by email.
Research questions from outside Jackson County Michigan must be sent in writing or by email.

Use our contact form or send inquiries to:

Reference Department
Jackson District Library
244 W. Michigan Ave.
Jackson, MI 49201

Research Tools

Jackson Historic Photos

  • Coming Soon

Related Resources

Tax Resources

Free tax help, available free for individuals or families with a combined income of $58,000 or less in 2013.Free online tax help is available to Jackson District Library patrons that meet certain requirements. Find out more.

Federal Income Tax Forms

  • Federal Income Tax Forms and publications are available for download on the Internal Revenue Service website.
  • Reproducible copies of Federal Income Tax Forms are available at all Jackson District Library Branches. The copying fee is 10 cents per page.
  • All branches try to stock the following paper forms: 1040, 1040 Schedule EIC, 1040A, 1040 Schedule A/B, 1040A Schedule 1, and 1040 EZ, as well as instruction booklets for forms 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ. The Carnegie Library has a large selection of forms and instructions. In addition, the Carnegie, Eastern, Meijer, and Summit branches stock Schedule D. Due to demand, not all forms and booklets may be available at all times.

State Income Tax Forms

  • Michigan income tax forms and publications are available for download on the State of Michigan Department of Treasury website.
  • All library branches stock the Michigan 1040 Individual Income Tax Forms and Instructions booklet.
  • All library branches stock the Michigan 1040CR-7 Home Heating Credit Claim Form and instructions.

City of Jackson Income Tax Forms

  • Jackson income tax forms and publications are available for download on the City of Jackson website.
  • All library branches stock the Jackson Form J1040 with Instructions.