Homer Township Public Library

Home & Life Center

= Key resource. To login, enter the 14-digit barcode number (without spaces) from your Homer library card.

Auto Repair Reference Center : Maintenance and repair instructions from Chilton's manuals. Also includes service bulletins and recall information.
Car & Driver: Reviews and road tests from the magazine, vehicle comparisons, Kelley Blue Book values, and more.
Edmunds.com: Reviews, pricing information, and buying tips for new and used vehicles.

Find free programs (tested and rated):
- Download.com
- Tucows
Adware/spyware protection:
- Ad-Aware Personal
- Spybot Search & Destroy
Instant messaging:
- AOL Instant Messenger
- MSN Messenger
- Yahoo! Messenger
- Trillian (manage multiple IM accounts)
File players and viewers:
- Adobe: Adobe Reader and Flash and Shockwave players.
- RealPlayer: Popular audio and video software.
Other software and utilities:
- Bookmarklets.com: Add handy search tools and other utilities to your Web browser. Also take a look at our bookmarklets for the library catalog.
- DesktopX: Lets you run widgets (like our catalog search widget) on your Windows desktop.
- OpenOffice.org: Free open-source office suite (word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, etc.).
- Typography Links: Microsoft's list of sites where fonts can be found.

AnnualCreditReport.com: Request a free copy of your report from each of the three major credit reporting companies.
ConsumerGuide: Product reviews, price guides, etc.
Consumer Reports: A paid subscription is required to see ratings and recommendations, but lots of general advice is available for free.
Consumer Reports via ProQuest : Archive going back to 1996; new issues are delayed 3 months. (Use the Publications tab to find Consumer Reports.)
Consumer's Guide to Energy Efficiency: From U.S. Department of Energy. Includes advice about sizing home heating and cooling systems.
ConsumerSearch: Analyzes reviews from magazines and other sources to get a consensus opinion about the best products.
Epinions.com: Products are rated by people who bought them.
Recalls.gov: Find product recalls and safety alerts issued by the federal government.

ERIC (in FirstSearch) : Articles and research about teaching methods and other educational issues.
LearningExpressLibrary : Online practice exams: AP, college admissions, civil service, fire and police, real estate, basic skills, and more. Also includes exam guides in ebook format.
FAFSA: Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid online.
FinAid: Information about college finance options, free scholarship search.
Interactive Illinois Report Card: Look up and compare test scores and other Illinois School Report Card data for schools and districts.
Local School Links: Links to local school Web sites, at HomerCommunity.org.
For homework and research help, go to our Student Center.

HeritageQuest : Search U.S. Census records, published genealogies and local history books, and other documents.
Chicago Heights Public Library: Has The Star newspaper on microfilm back to 1906, with indexes of obituaries, birth anouncements, and articles. Phone 708-754-0323.
Cyndi's List: An enormous directory of genealogy Web sites.
FamilySearch.org: Research site from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Lemont Public Library's Obituary Search: Search for names in an index of death notices published in Lemont newspapers.
National Archives
Newberry Library

Chicago Magazine: Runs an annual "Top Doctors" list.
Deciphering Medspeak: Translations of medical terms into plain English.
DIRLINE: Directory of Health Organizations Online, from the National Library of Medicine.
Illinois Poison Center
Mayo Clinic: Authoritative information about diseases and conditions, medicines, and general health issues.
MedLine Plus: Medical encyclopedia, articles, and other health information from the National Library of Medicine.
Merck Manuals: Free online versions of the popular medical reference books. Information about many conditions and treatments.
Nutrition and Health: Information from University of Illinois Extension.
RxList: Information about drugs, plus articles and video clips about health issues.
West Nile Virus: Links to information about the disease, prevention measures, and treatment.
Health pamphlets, booklets, and bookmarks available at the library for in-library use.

Better Homes & Gardens Home Improvement Encyclopedia
Do It Yourself: Collection of articles and instructions on many home-improvement and decorating projects.
HGTV: Illustrated instructions (gardening, decorating, remodeling, crafts) and videos of projects from the network's shows.
Home Purchases: Database of residential transactions, on the Chicago Tribune's site.
Gardening:
- Chicago Botanic Garden Plant Information: Recommended plants, gardening tips, etc.
- Morton Arboretum Plant Clinic: Info about trees and shrubs.

FCIC: Your Home: Federal Citizen Information Center's information on buying, selling, renting, moving, and other home related topics.
Homes and Communities- Dept. of Housing and Urban Development: Information on buying, selling, renting, grants, and other useful information
Home Mortgages: Understanding the Process and Your Right to Fair Lending :Federal Reserve Board's information about where to shop, what to look for, application process, rights to fair lending.
Home Purchases: Database of residential transactions, on the Chicago Tribune's site.
Illinois Housing Development Authority: Information on Home Ownership Programs and other Illinois housing information.
Mortgages: For Home Buyers and Homeowners: Mortgage facts, tips, and calculators.
MortgageLoan.com Find and compare current rates for home mortgages (include mortgage calculator.)
Zillow.com: Find real estate valuations, homes for sale, and real estate information.

LearningExpressLibrary : Online practice tests for basic job skills and some careers. Also includes exam guides in ebook format.
CareerBuilder.com: The Chicago Tribune is affiliated with this job search site.
Illinois Department of Employment Security: Information about unemployment insurance, resources for job seekers.
Monster: A large and popular site for job listings.
Riley Guide: Directory of Web sites that are useful to job hunters.
See additional resources in our Business Center.