|
Favorite
Websites
Staff Picks
Ann's Favorite Websites
|
Web
Site |
Description |
|
Wikipedia |
Wikipedia has millions of encyclopedia
articles and it has excellent quality control
considering it's open to everyone to write their
own articles. It's the ultimate wiki and it
now includes Wikia, which allows you to create
your own wiki. Also check Wiktionary,
Wikiquote and Wikispecies. |
|
WebMD |
This
is great health information for everyone.
WebMd now includes Symptom Checker that helps you
figure out what may be wrong with you. Also
check out Find-A-Doctor, message boards and blogs,
and a mechanism to store your personal health
information. |
|
GORP -- Great
Outdoor Recreation Pages |
Search
by destination or activity, find a National park,
explore top ten lists, find equipment and clothing
and more. You can also search for the best
flights, hotels and rental car deals here
too. |
|
Trip
Advisor |
Trip
Advisor is a great place to check out what people
have thought about travel destinations, hotels,
restaurants and more. Some user reviews
include what people did on their entire trip,
summarized so that you can start to plan your trip
itinerary without leaving the web
site. |
|
Kayak |
One of the fastest trip planner
sites available for finding flights, hotels,
etc.
You can create a user profile for your
trips. |
|
American
Trails |
Find a walking or biking trail near
you.
Travel and find a trail. Also an
email newsletter. Lots of
information about being outdoors and what’s going
on in the environment. |
|
USA.gov |
The ultimate guide to finding out
what the federal government does! Explore
the NASA site, find how-tos, check out health
information, find statistics and more. A website
just for kids too. |
|
Knowplay |
One stop shopping to find
information quickly. Maps, driving directions,
dictionary, thesaurus, images, recipes, stock
quotes, people search, local movie listings,
weather… |
|
League of
Women Voters of Great Pittsburgh |
Find out who your elected officials
are, register to vote and find your polling
place.
You can also link to the national and state
LWV sites. |
|
Citysearch |
Use it to explore Pittsburgh or
some other city. And it
doesn’t have to be a major one because you’ll find
guides to Albany,
Saginaw and
Toledo too. The
strength of this site is in finding attractions,
events, restaurants and
businesses. |
|
Post-Gazette
dining |
Pittsburgh
is not just about pierogies. But you
can find the best joints for them and make your
mouth water at the same time. |
|
iVillage |
A website for women: parenting,
health, beauty, home, food and astrology. Fun
quizzes too. |
|
Whichbook |
A reader’s advisory database of
fiction and poetry books published since
1995.
The twist is that you can choose a plot,
setting, characters and even themes. For
example choose from descriptions like
“optimistic”, “bleak”, “larger than life”and “down
to earth”. |
|
Bookreporter.com |
This is an all-inclusive site for
readers.
Author information and interviews, an email
newsletter, reading group guides, teens and kids
reads, religious reads, lists of award-winning
books and contests with prizes.
Readinggroupguides.com is one of the many
children of Bookreporter. |
|
Powell's
Books |
Another great web site for
readers.
Lots of author interviews, used books,
textbooks, a kids page, and very
browsable. |
|
Oh,
Don't Forget |
Be like an elephant and never forget
your to-do list by typing in a cell phone number
and a brief reminder and you will receive a text
message to the cell phone on the date and time you
want. |
Back to the Top
Jill's Favorite Websites
|
Web
Site |
Description |
|
Internet
Movie Database |
This website has it all when it
comes to finding out more about a movie, actors
and television series. Read plot
summaries, watch trailers, get new releases
information and more from this “biggest, best,
most award-winning movie and TV site on the
planet”.
I use this website to find out when a tv
series or movie will be released on
DVD. |
|
Metacritic.com |
I really like how this website
compiles professional reviews of all types of
entertainment for you. Find
reviews of movies, books, music, games and
television shows all at this one
site. |
|
ConsumerSearch.com |
If you don’t want to pay for a
subscription to Consumer Reports, then this is the
website for you. Product
ratings and reviews from Consumer Reports, Good
Housekeeping and other sources are compiled here
for free.
You can even find out where to go to buy
the product for the best
price. |
|
Epinions.com |
Go to this website first before you
spend a lot of money on a new product or
service.
Find out how people just like you and me
rated all different kinds of things from books and
music to travel destinations and sports
equipment.
Share your own thoughts about a recent
purchase as
well. |
|
Bankrate.com |
Find the best
interest rates, use loan calculators (my favorite)
and get good financial advice all on this free
website.
|
|
SchoolMatters |
This website does a side-by-side
comparison of up to three different public schools
in a state that you can use to determine the best
school for our child. It’s a
great resource for those who are moving to a new
area and want to get more information about the
schools there. |
|
Pbskids.org |
Your kids from ages 1-12 will enjoy
interacting with characters from many of their
favorite PBS television shows. You and
your children can listen to music, play games and
printout activity sheets. This
website is safe, educational and fun for the whole
family. |
|
itools.com |
This website is a one-stop source
for all answers to all types of questions from
definitions and language translation to phone
directories and maps to legal and financial
information. |
|
MedlinePlus |
This is the most reliable website
for health-related information on the Internet and
it’s all free! Use this
website to get more information about symptoms and
treatments; doctors and hospitals; prescriptions;
health organizations; medical terms;
health-related news and so much
more. |
|
Runner's
World |
This website has
a wealth of information for anyone wanting to live
healthier.
It’s geared toward runners of all levels
with training techniques, race schedules,
discussion forums, recipes and injury prevention
tips.
|
|
Readinggroupguides.com |
Anyone who leads
a book discussion should visit this website. It
provides discussion questions for hundreds of
fiction and non-fiction books, offers tips on how
to run a book discussion group and gives
suggestions for book club selections.
|
|
LibraryThing |
Online catalogs
aren’t just for libraries anymore. This
website allows users to enter information about
their favorite books and links them to other users
with similar reading tastes from around the
world.
|
|
eHow.com |
Whenever I need
to know how to do anything, I go to this website
first.
Type in any topic or use the categories
along the left side of the screen to get
instructions on “how to do just about everything”
from repairing your refrigerator to starting a
business to picking out the right
outfit.
|
|
Yahoo! |
This website offers so many great
services for free. I use
Yahoo! for my email and as a place to store my
digital photos. Its maps
and newsgroups are terrific resources,
too. |
Back to the Top
Sharon's Favorite Websites
|
Web
Site |
Description |
|
Lists
of Bests |
Would you like some suggestions for
what to read, watch or listen to next? On Lists
of Bests you can create and find lists of movies,
books, music, places, goals and people. From the
Pulitzer Prize to the Oscars and beyond; you can
start the list yourself or find existing
lists.
My own favorite feature: the ability to
search for a specific institution or
organization’s history of lists, ie AFI, BBC, or
Entertainment Weekly. |
|
MedlinePlus |
Your tax dollars pay for this site,
so use it.
MedlinePlus brings together authoritative
information from the National Library of Medicine
(NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and
other government agencies and health-related
institutions.
When seeking medical information, it is
always important to check your source and
MedlinePlus makes it easy to do that. My
favorite features: the easy-to-use drug
information index and a vast library of
interactive health tutorials. |
|
HowStuffWorks.com |
This site doesn’t just explain how
your ordinary “stuff” works. From how
grassoline works to how sarcasm works, from how
your car works to how your heart works, this site
covers everything.
HowStuffWorks is the leading source of
credible, unbiased, and easy-to-understand
explanations of how the world works. My
favorite features: the browse feature that
includes “Top 10” lists on fascinating subjects
and the “how people work” section explaining
psychology and societal
issues. |
|
about.com |
Have a person walk you through
anything you want to know on or about the
Internet.
Over 600 expert “Guides” (subject-area
authorities, ie real live humans, that About.com
selectively recruits) steer About.com’s content –
sharing their passions, expertise and how-to
information with visitors everyday. My
favorite subject topics: about: Pittsburgh (of
course), about: walking and about: Lost (TV
show.) |
|
nolo.com |
Nolo.com is an excellent online law
resource center for non-lawyers. This web
site publishes reliable, easy-to-understand tools
and information that just about anyone can
use.
My favorite features: their step-by-step
guides on complicated topics. |
|
The
World's Healthiest Foods |
This website is created by the
George Mateljan Foundation, a nonprofit whose goal
is to provide up-to-date information on how foods
affect our health and can boost energy. My
favorite feature: the list of 130 healthiest foods
with links to information, history and
recipes. |
|
allmusic |
All Media Guide’s allmusic is an
exhaustive resource for music chronologies,
history, biographical information and
criticism.
Search by artist, album, genre or song and
receive all the information that you need to
complete your musical knowledge. My
favorite feature: artist discographies includes an
album pick by AMG telling you which album is the
best bang for your buck. |
|
npr |
News coverage doesn't get much
better than NPR, which runs the gamut in terms of
coverage, from serious to silly. My
favorite feature: All Songs
Considered’s live concert
series. |
|
etsy.com |
Whether you are buying or selling
home-crafted items, this website is a must.
Etsy is a
thriving marketplace for handmade items of all
sorts, including clothing, jewelry and other personal items,
home décor and housewares. My favorite feature: Shopping by
color… you never know what you will
find. |
|
Expert
Village |
A vast and varied repository of
how-to videos ranging from how to fold a
fitted-sheet to how to change a car battery and
how to do yo-yo tricks.
The philosophy of
Expert Village is
“to
film and interview leading experts who teach you
what they know.” My
favorite feature: watching random how-to videos
like “How to recover from losing a
ski.” |
Reference Websites
Arts &
Entertainment
|
Web
Site |
Description |
|
AskArt.com |
This
website is "[y]our complete resource for
information about 42,000 American artists" and
contains artist biographies, explanations and
examples of different art styles, a glossary of
art terms and directories for artists, museums,
galleries, appraisers and auction
houses. |
|
Great Buildings
Online |
"More
than 1,000 great buildings from around the world
and across history are listed and illustrated on
this web site...with photographic images,
architectural drawings, discussion, bibliography,
architect info, and live 3D walkthrough computer
models." |
|
Grove Dictionary
of Art Online |
"Grove Art Online provides web access
to the entire text of The
Dictionary of Art, ed. Jane Turner
(1996, 34 vols.) and The
Oxford Companion to Western Art,
ed. Hugh Brigstocke (2001)." This
resource is accessible for library card holders
only. |
|
Grove
Dictionary of Music Online
|
"The New Grove Dictionary of Music and
Musicians, second edition, edited by
Stanley
Sadie and John Tyrell,
was published simultaneously in print and online
as Grove Music Online in January 2001. Grove Music
Online began to develop independently immediately;
regular revisions and additions to the content
began in Spring of 2001 and continue today through
an ambitious editorial programme. In addition to
the regular programme of revisions and new
articles, Grove Music Online has grown to include
The New Grove Dictionary of Opera
(published in print in 1992 and online in 1999)
and The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz,
second edition (2001)." This
resource is accessible for library card holders
only. |
|
Internet
Movie Database |
Get
information about movies, actors and television
series. |
|
Kovels
Online |
The
online equivalent to the many print editions of
this very reputable resource for antiques and
collectibles. Free registration is required
to get price information for items. |
|
Movie Review Query
Engine |
An
excellent source for links to movie reviews
from magazines and newspapers. |
|
Screen
It! |
A good
source for parents wanting detailed plot summaries
and reviews of movies they are considering letting
their children watch. |
|
The
World Images Database |
This
website "[p]rovides access to California State
University images for education and
research....[It] contains almost 50,000 images, is
global in coverage and includes all areas of
visual imagery. |
Back to the Top
Consumer Information
|
Web
Site |
Description |
|
Better Business Bureau |
As an
advocate for the consumer, the BBB offers
information on over 2 million organizations and
provides a database of articles that inform
consumers on how to make wise purchasing
decisions. |
|
Bankrate.com |
This
website "provides free rate information to
consumers on...mortgages, credit
cards,...automobile loans, money market accounts,
certificates of deposit checking and ATM fees,
home equity loans and online banking
fees." |
|
AnnualCreditReport.com |
Get
your free credit report through this official
website. |
|
Consumer
Product Safety Commission |
Use
this website to get product recall and safety news
information. |
|
ConsumerSearch.com |
PC
World named this website "the best source of
expert product reviews on the
Internet." |
|
Epinions.com |
Find out what other people think about a
product and where to go to buy
it. |
Back
to the Top
Education
|
Web
Site |
Description |
|
College
Source Online |
This database is "A virtual library
representing 34,527 college catalogs in full
cover-to-cover, original page format with 2-year,
4-year, graduate, professional and international
schools." This resource is
accessible for library card holders
only. |
|
Highschoolgraduate.com |
For
high school students looking for information about
certain professions and programs offered by local
colleges and universities. |
|
PreK-12 Schools
Statistics |
This
web page from the Pennsylvania Department of
Education website provides information on
enrollment, high school graduates and personnel
for private, nonpublic and public schools in
Pennsylvania. |
|
PSSA Resource
Materials |
This
web page from the Pennsylvania Department of
Education's website provides practice tests of the
PSSA exam. |
|
Pittsburgh
Foundation Scholarships |
This
searchable database gives students access to
"scholarships [that] focus on both academic
ability and financial need...[A]nd run the gamut
from athletics to religious studies, community
service, adult education, agriculture, archeology,
speech therapy and law
enforcement." |
Back to the Top
For Kids
|
Web
Site |
Description |
|
Facts
for Learning |
FactsforLearning is "a reference
database for elementary and middle school students
and professionals. It is produced by Facts On File
News Services, in conjunction with Weekly Reader,
Gareth Stevens, Inc., and World Almanac Books.
Together these companies have more than 300 years'
experience publishing reference and curriculum
material." This resource is
accessible for library card holders
only. |
|
SIRS
Discoverer |
"SIRS Discover® is an award-winning
database designed with the young researcher in
mind. 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." This resource is
accessible to library card holders
only. |
|
Funschool.com |
Watch
your kids learn while they play with these fun,
interactive computer games for all age
levels. |
|
Learningplanet.com |
Fun,
interactive learning games for preschoolers
through sixth graders. |
|
Prongo.com |
Free
educational and fun games for kids of all
ages. |
|
Yahooligans! |
A fun
website geared toward 7 to 12-year-olds with
games, jokes and links to evaluated websites on
virtually any topic. |
|
The White House for
Kids |
The
official site of the White House...for kids!
Learn all about the President, Vice President,
First Lady, and Mrs. Cheney. Also, get a
tour of the White House with Spotty, the
President's dog, as your
guide. |
Back to the Top
General Reference
|
Web
Site |
Description |
|
The
World Factbook |
A
great source for country profiles, maps and
flags. |
|
Facts
on File |
"FACTS.com delivers the full text of
52 years of the print edition of Facts On File
World News Digest, from January 1950 through the
end of the most recent weekly issue, along with
overview materials, primary source documents,
photographs, maps, biographies, and country
profiles, and newswire updates from
Reuters." This resource is
accessible to library card holders
only. |
|
Dictionary.com |
A
simple online dictionary with an audio
pronunciation tool and a thesaurus. |
|
OneLook
Dictionary.com |
A
reverse dictionary that allows you to "describe a
concept and get back a list of words and phrases
related to that concept." |
|
Webopedia.com |
"The
only online dictionary and search engine you need
for computer and Internet technology
definitions." |
|
Wikipedia |
This
free, online encyclopedia is a starting point for
basic information about a person, place or
thing. |
|
iTools.com |
This
website provides all types of language tools, such
as dictionaries, thesauruses, language translators
and puzzle solvers. |
|
Mapquest |
This website helps people
find places, get there, and find places nearby.
|
|
Yahoo! Maps |
Offers
maps, driving directions, local information,
yellow pages and real estate
information. |
|
Google
Maps |
Offers
maps, satellite views and hybrid
maps. |
|
Anywho |
This
website is for finding addresses and phone
numbers. Offers white pages, yellow pages
and reverse look-up services. |
|
International
White and Yellow Pages |
This
website connects to phone and address directories
throughout the world. Also offers a list of
worldwide universites and country calling
codes. |
|
Zip Code
Look-Up |
Find a
ZIP code by entering an address. |
|
iTools
Currency Converter |
Get exchange rates and
convert currency from any of the world's 164
currencies. Find out the rates in the
present or any time in the
past. |
|
Roman
Numeral and Date Conversion |
Is it
Super Bowl XXXX or XL? Find out on this
website. |
|
Conversion
and Calculation Center |
This
website provides links to measurement and currency
converters, date and financial calculators and
other general reference
resources. |
Back to the Top
Health Information
|
Web
Site |
Description |
|
MedlinePlus |
The place to go for accurate, up-to-date
information about diseases and conditions,
medications and health news. This website
also includes a medical dictionary, encyclopedia
and directories to health professionals,
organizations and institutions. |
|
Clinical
Trials |
This
website "provides regularly updated information
about federally and privately supported clinical
research in human volunteers.
ClinicalTrials.gov gives you information about a
trial's purpose, who may participate, locations,
and phone numbers for more details." |
|
National
Organization for Rare Disorders |
A good
resource for links to organizations for specific
disorders that provide information and support for
someone dealing with a particular
illness. |
|
AMA DoctorFinder |
Find
any licensed physician or specialist using this
database provided by The American Medical
Association. |
|
Consumer and Patient Health Information
Section's Top 100 Websites |
This
annotated list of websites provides links to
accurate, reliable information on health topics
pertaining to men, women and
children. |
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Job and Career
|
Web
Site |
Description |
|
Pennsylvania
CareerLink |
"Pennsylvania's one-stop on-line resource
for job seeker services, employer services, social
services and training." |
|
Monster.com |
Search
for a job, post your resume and get career advice
from this nationwide database of job
listings. |
|
HotJobs |
Create
a customized job search that will notify you when
a new job is posted that matches your
criteria. |
|
PAJobMatch.com |
Employment listings from the
Tribune-Review. |
|
Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette |
The
online version of the newspaper's
classifieds. |
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Readers' Resources
|
Web
Site |
Description |
|
Novelist |
Novelist is a guide to fiction. Ever
wonder what to read next? Need to know the
next book in a Series? What would be a good
book for my 4th Grader? Here is your
source. |
|
Lauri
Ann West Memorial Library Online
Catalog |
Visit
this catalog to search for items within our
library or to search for items at any of the
networked libraries. |
|
Sunday
New York Times Book Review |
Reviews popular and newly-released fiction
and non-fiction titles. |
|
Book-Clubs-Resources.com |
This
"guide to book clubs and reading groups" provides
links to online sources for book discussion guides
and summaries. |
|
Bookreporter.com |
This
website provides brief biographical information
and/or an interview or discussion for each fiction
or non-fiction author listed. |
|
Caldecott Award
Winners |
The
Caldecott Medal was named in honor of
nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph
Caldecott. It is awarded annually by
the Association for Library Service to
Children, a division of the American Library
Association, to the artist of the most
distinguished American picture book for
children. |
|
Newbery Award Winners |
The
Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth-century
British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded
annually by the Association for Library Service to
Children, a division of the American Library
Association, to the author of the most
distinguished contribution to American
literature for
children. |
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Tax Information
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