Online Research & Entertainment

Resources for Your Online Research & Entertainment

If you have any questions regarding these resources, please call the library at 978-546-6934 or email us at info@rockportlibrary.org.  Also, if you are a Massachusetts resident, please see the bottom of this page for information about getting a Boston Public Library eCard to access additional electronic resources through the Boston Public Library. If you are a Rockport resident and need a library card, please click here for more information.

American Ancestors (formerly New England Ancestors) 
Online access in the library.  This link will only work on our public library computers or via our library’s wireless internet.
The New England Historic Genealogical Society’s new website reflects its expanding national collection and resources.  This collection of resources features over 110 million names, gleaned from church records, newspapers and periodicals, city and town directories, court records, census, tax, voter lists, diaries, journals, land records, and military records, published genealogies, and biographies and more.
Funded by the Rockport Public Library.

 

Ancestry Library Edition 
This link will only work on our public library computers or via our library’s wireless internet.
Includes the U.S. Census, U.S. Data Collection, UK & Ireland Collection, and Immigration Collection.
Funded by the Rockport Public Library.

 

Online access is available remotely.  Remote access will require a login- please contact the library or email danielle@bendybookworm.com to receive it. Available to all Rockport Public Library cardholders.
Streaming yoga and meditation classes for children and adults. Funded by the Rockport Public Library.
Online access is available in the library and remotely.  Remote access will require your Rockport library card number. Available to all Rockport Public Library cardholders.
Ratings for more than 5,000 products, expert reviews, product news, test results, product comparisons, user reviews, product video clips, and access to issues of  Consumer Reports magazine. Funded by the Rockport Public Library.

Creativebug
Online access is available in the library and remotely.  Remote access will require your Rockport library card number. Available to all Rockport Public Library cardholders. Register using your card number and an email address; after registering, you will only need your card number to log in again.
Features over a thousand video classes on arts and crafts taught by skilled professionals. The courses cover various interests, including painting, ceramics, knitting, quilting, jewelry-making, party crafts, and many more.  Funded by the Rockport Public Library.

 

Remote access will require your Rockport library card number. Available to all members of the consortium.
Looking for literary criticism, book suggestions, or help with a school project?  This is the place to start.  Various resources include:

  • eBook Collection (under EBSCOhost Research Databases)
  • Novelist
  • GreenFILE
  • Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts
  • Teacher Reference Center

Funded by the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium

 

Encyclopedia Britannica
Online access is available in the library and remotely. Remote access will require your Rockport library card number. Available to all Massachusetts library cardholders.
Includes the Encyclopedia Britannica, Dictionaries, Thesauruses, Atlases, World Data, Timelines, Notable Quotations, and more.

Funded by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners

 

Access will require your Rockport library card number. Available to all members of the consortium.
Our library subscription to Freegal will grant you up to five downloads per week and three hours of streaming per day. Freegal is a free music service from the library. All you need is your library card! Freegal offers access to about 7 million songs, including Sony Music’s catalog of legendary artists. In total, the collection is comprised of music from over 28,000 labels, with music that originates in over 80 countries. There is no software to download, and there are no digital rights management (DRM) restrictions.
Funded by the Rockport Public Library.
Online access is available in the library and remotely. Remote access will require your Rockport library card number. Available to Rockport Public Library cardholders.
It features information about 175 countries, including culture, history, language, and travel. Great for school reports and cultural exploration. Provided by World Trade Press, a publishing and information products company dedicated to providing reliable, up-to-date digital media essential for researchers, educators, travelers, logistics, and international trade professionals.
Funded by the Rockport Public Library.
HeritageQuest Online 
Online access is available in the library and remotely. Remote access will require your Rockport library card number.
Includes the U.S. Census, Periodical Source Index (PERSI), Revolutionary War Pension Records, Freedman’s Bank Records.
Funded by the Rockport Public Library.

InfoTrac® PowerSearch
Online access is available in the library and remotely. Remote access will require your Rockport library card number. Available to all Massachusetts library cardholders.
PowerSearch makes it possible to search multiple Gale periodical collections at once.  For a more targeted starting point, visit one of the individual collections listed below:

Funded by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

 

JSTOR – Early Journal Content
Online access is available to everyone.
JSTOR journal content published before 1923 in the United States and before 1870 elsewhere is freely available.  Early Journal Content spans the arts and humanities, economics and politics, and mathematics and other sciences.  It represents 6% of the content on JSTOR.
Available from JSTOR via the Internet Archive.

Kanopy
Access will require your Rockport library card number. Limited to Rockport cardholders/residents
Kanopy includes acclaimed movies and documentaries on-demand from award-winning filmmakers.
Funded by the Rockport Public Library.

 

 

Newsbank
Online access is available in the library and remotely. Remote access will require your Rockport library card number.
Newsbank provides digital editions of newspapers such as the Gloucester Daily Times, Cape Ann Beacon, Boston Herald, and USA Today. Patrons can look at individual issues in newspapers or search for particular topics or subjects. Newsbank also offers patrons access to Black Life in America (a collection of news content documenting the experience and impact of African Americans) and Heritage Hub(a collection of obituaries and death notices dating back to 1704). These resources will also require your library card number.

 

Novelist
Access will require your Rockport library card number. Available to all members of the consortium.
It provides reviews, annotations, and much more for over 135,000 fiction titles. It also includes other content of interest to fiction readers, such as Author Read-Alikes, What We’re Reading, Book Discussion Guides, BookTalks, and Annotated Book Lists. All titles are linked to our Library catalog, so you can easily discover which titles the Rockport Library owns.
Funded by the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium.

 

OCLC® WorldCat 
Online access is available to everyone.
WorldCat.org lets you search the collections of libraries in your community and thousands more around the world.

 

Remote access will require your Rockport library card number. Limited to Rockport cardholders or visitors to the Rockport Public Library.

Gale’s  Opposing Viewpoints In Context is the premier online resource covering today’s hottest social issues, from capital punishment to immigration to marijuana. This cross-curricular research database supports science, social studies, current events, and language arts classes. Informed, differing views help learners develop critical-thinking skills and draw their own conclusions.

Opposing Viewpoints In Context is a rich resource for debaters and includes pro/con viewpoints, reference articles, interactive maps, infographics, and more. A category on the National Debate Topic provides quick and easy access to content on frequently studied and discussed issues. Periodical content covers current events, news and commentary, economics, environmental issues, political science, and more. Funded by the Rockport Public Library.

 

OverDrive and Libby
Access will require your Rockport library card number and PIN. Available to all members of the consortium. Enjoy downloadable eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines—download or stream across multiple devices. With your card, you can also access the collections in other networks using the Libby app.

Overdrive is the web version of this resource, and Libby is the mobile app. Information about compatibility of specific devices with Libby is available at this link.

Funded by the Rockport Public Library, Merrimack Valley Library Consortium, and Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

 

PebbleGo
Access will require your Rockport library card number. Available to all members of the consortium. PebbleGo is a curricular content hub specifically designed for K-2 students. Packed with informational articles, ready-made activities, and literacy supports for students of all abilities, it boosts engagement and fosters independent learning in core subject areas. PebbleGo offers detailed articles on animals and historical biographies!

Funded by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

 

Transparent Languages
Available to all members of the consortium. Transparent Languages offers full, structured courses for learning over 110 languages. It has a wide variety of learning activities to prepare learners to listen, speak, read, and write in their selected language. It also features a mobile app for use on tablets and phones, and a YouTube channel with helpful videos.

Funded by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

 

US Newsstream
Access will require your Rockport library card number. Available to all members of the consortium.
US Newsstream enables users to search current and extensive backfiles of U.S. news content and features top newspapers, wires, broadcast transcripts, blogs, and news sites in full-text format. Key U.S. titles include the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and Boston Globe – among many others.

Boston Public Library eCard

Do you live or work in Massachusetts?  Are you 13 or older?  Get a Boston Public Library (BPL) eCard and access the BPL’s wide range of electronic holdings.  If you have a physical library card with the BPL and know the card number and PIN/password, you already have access to these resources.  Otherwise, click here and get your BPL eCard today.

    • Supply a valid email address when you register.  The BPL will email you the number for your new eCard.  Be sure to write down the number!
    • Your eCard will give you access to downloadable ebooks and multimedia, research databases, digital magazines, streaming media, and more.
    • You can upgrade your eCard to a regular physical BPL library card at any Boston Public Library location.  Be sure to bring photo ID and proof of Massachusetts residence.