Your library card is the most underused free tool in the country. With one valid card from your local public library, you can access databases that journalists, genealogists, and academics pay thousands of dollars a year to use. Ancestry, ProQuest historical newspapers, HeritageQuest, Newspapers.com, JSTOR, sometimes Westlaw and Lexis. All free, all from your couch.
Libraries do not market themselves the way Netflix does, so a lot of this is hidden in plain sight. But if you are researching family history, looking up old news articles, hunting for a specific document, or trying to track down a book that was never digitized, the library system is where the real archives are. WorldCat alone catalogs over 600 million items across 19,000 libraries in 170 countries.
WorldCat, Global Library Catalog
Library of Congress
Digital Library Resources, Free Access
Find Your Local Public Library
Most public libraries offer free access to: Libby/OverDrive (e-books), Hoopla (streaming), Kanopy (films), ProQuest newspapers, and HeritageQuest genealogy, all free with a library card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I access research databases for free through my local library?
Yes, and the list is longer than people realize. Most public library systems give cardholders free remote access to ProQuest (newspapers and academic journals), Ancestry.com (genealogy), HeritageQuest (Census, military, immigration records), Newspapers.com (modern newspapers), Mango Languages, Hoopla and Libby (e-books, movies, music), and sometimes Consumer Reports and Morningstar. Each library picks its own subscription bundle. Ask at your branch, or check the library's website under "research databases" or "online resources."
What is interlibrary loan (ILL)?
If your library doesn't own a book or document you need, they can borrow it from another library through the WorldCat network. You fill out a one-page request, the library handles the logistics, and the item shows up at your branch usually in 1-3 weeks. Most libraries don't charge anything for ILL. It's the closest thing to magic the library system has.
How do I access historical newspapers online for free?
Chronicling America (chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) is the Library of Congress's free archive of U.S. newspapers from 1770 through 1963. Fully searchable, full text, free. For papers after 1963, your library probably has a subscription to one of the bigger newspaper databases (ProQuest Historical, Newspapers.com, GenealogyBank). Ancestry's newspaper holdings are also surprisingly deep for genealogy purposes.