Book Reviews & Recommendations
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Goodreads
Discover authors & books of all genres plus keep track of the books you want to read. Connect with friends to see what they’re reading or follow along with virtual book clubs. Join book lovers from across the globe on Goodreads, the world’s largest site for readers and book recommendations.
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NoveList Plus
A helpful resource to help readers match up with the books that are right for them. This database contains lists of recommended reads & award-winning books. It covers fiction & nonfiction titles for all ages. It also has extra content like professional reviews & reader reviews, book discussion guides, curriculum guides, & other book-oriented articles.
Brainfuse
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Brainfuse HelpNow
Please note: This service will be discontinued on July 15, 2025, due to cuts to federal library funding. It will be replaced with another service, but users may want to save any of their tutoring sessions or other content.
Brainfuse HelpNow provides free, live tutoring in all core academic subjects, including math, science, social studies, writing, English, and language arts. All live tutoring content is aligned to your state’s standards.
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Brainfuse JobNow & VetNow
Free online resources for job seekers, veterans, and their families, including personalized resume review, live job interview coaching, veteran benefit resources, and live help for VA benefits eligibility.
General Resources
Mometrix
Provides a wide range of study materials to help test-takers; create an account to access and save progress.
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Transparent Language
Learn over 100 languages (including American Sign Language & English) through listening, speaking, reading, and writing activities for free. Mobile apps are available for learning on-the-go. Please use your library card number to login and create a user account.
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Foundation Directory Online
*This resource is only available for in-library use.
**Please note: this service will be eliminated on June 30, 2025, due to cuts to federal library services.
The Foundation Directory Online is a great free, digital tool to help nonprofits find grants & other funding opportunities & is provided to us by the State Library of Iowa.
The following tutorials are not library databases, but are included to assist with learning publicly available programs such as Google applications, Microsoft applications, and popular social media platforms.
Zoom
Zoom has become a very popular means of communication as it enables all sizes of groups to gather and meet in a socially distanced manner. This tutorial can help you learn how to use Zoom based on the type of device you select (desktop or mobile).