Internet Search Guides
Affordable Health Care (Obamacare) Information
For starters, the staff has compiled lists of what we feel are the best free websites. These websites are free, authoritative, and regularly updated.
Federal:
US Department of Health and Human Services
State:
New Jersey Hospital Association Healthcare Reform Resource Center
Other:
Best Friend Dog and Animal Adoption
Friends of Linden Animal Shelter
Sammy’s Hope Animal Welfare And Adoption Center
Summit Area Rescue Association
St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center
Homeless Animal Rescue Team (HART)
Pet Adoption Databases
Presents adoptable pet data from over 12,000 pet shelters in the US & Canada.
A database of animals who need homes as well as a directory of nearly 11,000 animal shelters and adoption organizations across the US, Canada, and Mexico.
This adoption website is a collaborative effort between two leading animal welfare groups to make shelters the first place potential adopters look to find a new pet.
Low cost spay/neuter clinics & veterinarians
Wildlife Rehabilitation and Refuges
Australia & New Zealand
Aboriginal Museums And Sites In Sydney
Azerbaijan
Museum of Miniature Books – Minibooks.az
Canada
Royal British Columbia Museum and Archives
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
Miners Museum – Glace Bay Nova Scotia Canada
Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum | Nunatta
MacBride Museum | Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Belgium
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
Czech Republic
The Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague
National Museum of the Czech Republic
National Gallery Prague (ngprague.cz)
France
The Gallery of Coaches | Palace of Versailles
Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers
Museum of Fine Arts of the city of Quimper
Greece
National Archaeological Museum
Italy
Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli
MIC International Museum of Ceramic in Faenza
Fortress Museum – Forte di Bard
Luxembourg City History Museum
Prince’s Palace of Monaco (palais.mc)
Oceanographic Museum of Monaco
Netherlands
Amsterdam Zoo and Nature Museums
Norway
Spain
Fundació Joan Miró | Barcelona Museum
Barcelona – Museu Olímpic i de l’Esport
Switzerland
U.K.
Museums and Galleries Edinburgh
Liverpool Museums Museums – Visit Liverpool
Cotswolds Museums Museums and Heritage in and around the Cotswolds
Royal Museums Greenwich Royal Museums Greenwich
Historic Royal Palaces Historic Royal Palaces
Auto Museums in the United States
Autry Museum of the American West
California African American Museum: CAAM
Art Museum of Greater Lafayette
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University
Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, University of Indiana
Newfields: A Place for Nature & the Arts
Institute of Egyptian Art and Archaeology
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
Montana Museum of Art and Culture
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Rockwell Museum – Art about the American Experience
Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in San Jose
Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
UMFA | The Utah Museum of Fine Arts
The Neon Museum Las Vegas | The history of Las Vegas through neon
International Cryptozoology Museum
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (mfa.org)
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
The American Writers Museum | Chicago, IL
ARTCYCLOPEDIA
Links everything art, including museums, artists, art history, galleries, art news, etc. Artcyclopedia takes us to museums with fine art collections and an online presence. Search by art museum, artist name, title of art work. There is a special link to lists of women artists broken down by the century in which they lived.
GOOGLE CULTURAL INSTITUTE ART PROJECT
Offers unique artworks from famous and obscure museums worldwide. The Art Project allows the user to discover and view art online in extraordinary detail in super high resolution which allows you to study details of brushwork and patina beyond the naked eye. The Project covers over 250 institutions, 6,000 artists and more than 45,000 works of art.
ART HISTORY (from the EDTECHTEACHER (Best of History Websites)
Links to the best museum websites, art history resources on the web, and resources for teachers, art quizzes, etc.
40 BEST WEBSITES OF MUSEUMS FOR YOUR INSPIRATION by Sizzling Magazine
This online magazine article focuses on and links to what they call the best designed museum websites. Museums include the Louvre, Brukenthal (Romania), Frida Kahlo, van Gogh, Art Institute of Chicago, MOMA, Versailles, Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow) to name a few.
LEARN ABOUT SELECTED NEW YORK CITY MUSEUMS
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, New York City
Search the collection of over 400,000 art records online. Highlights of current and future exhibits, and past exhibits going back to 1999. Special blogs give in-depth articles on the collections, events, research announcements and behind the scene activities. Use multimedia features to follow the collection and current exhibits.
MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
Website covers over 48,000 works searchable by artist, title and date.
GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM
19th and 20th century art housed in a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building.
WHITNEY MUSEUM
Web site is an outstanding resource for understanding art history and the creative process of artists in the United States from 1900 to today. Covers over 3,000 artists and 21,000 works.
COOPER HEWITT NATIONAL DESIGN MUSEUM
Decorative and design arts in Andrew Carnegie’s Upper East Side mansion.
General
Washington Post Glossary of Business Terms
The glossary contains more than 1,250 business terms, organized and cross-referenced for your convenience. You can search the glossary for a particular word or search the full text of the glossary to find every reference to a word or phrase.
Harvard Business School Working Knowledge
The site brings together timely business information and research from the intellectual capital of Harvard Business School, Harvard Business School Publishing and other highly regarded sources. Visitors to the site can browse more than a dozen management topics featuring timely articles and essays on diverse management topics, interviews with HBS professors.
Government
United States Department of the Treasury
This site is the main site for the U.S. Department of Treasury. The U.S. Treasury is the government agency responsible for the economic prosperity and security in the U.S. This site describes and links to the functions and structure of the U.S. Treasury.
United States Department of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor’s statistical snapshot of the United States economy.
The United States Federal Reserve
The website of the United States’ central bank.
Periodicals
Bloomberg Business
Business news from around the world. The Westfield Memorial Library subscribes to Bloomberg Business Week.
The Economist
The website of the venerable British magazine. The Westfield Memorial Library subscribes and has copies available on the 2nd Floor. (One article per day if not a subscriber.)
The Financial Times
The World of Business and Finance from the British daily newspaper. (registration required)
Blogs
Neighborhood Effects
Originally this was blog was about the economies of neighborhoods and towns, but it has now widened its focus to global scale issues.
The Simple Dollar
Practical advice on getting the most out of your money – from hotel rewards to college loans – from a team of bloggers.
Freakonomics Blog
A blog by the authors of the popular series of books. Exploring the “hidden side of everything.”
NPR’s Planet Money
A look at economics and economic history in everyday life.
NJ Jobs Data
Brought to you by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, this website offers macroeconomic data on the NJ economy like unemployment rate, information on mass layoffs. There is also help for job seekers, information on COBRA, and many kinds of legal information.
One Stop Career Center
One Stop Career centers are intended to help people begin their career searches. Get help writing a cover letter, putting together a resume, and receive job counseling all at no charge.
Resume Building: Letters of Recommendation Samples
Arranged through the Department of Labor, the Professional Services Group is a network of professionals helping professionals. Use this website to get in touch with a PSG facilitator, learn about job fairs, and get the chance to do mock interviews.
New Jersey State Library’s Economic Recovery
The New Jersey State Library’s Economic Recovery Wiki and Virtual Career Center. This Wiki is intended to be a one-stop clearinghouse for information concerning the recovery from the economic downturn with an emphasis on helping the people of New Jersey find employment.
glassdoor.com
A comprehensive career resource with information on thousands of companies. Glassdoor includes salary and bonuses and details for specific jobs at specific companies, as well as actual interview questions and hiring process details. Also included are reviews written by employees that highlight the pro’s and con’s of working for a particular employer.
NJCAN
This service is designed to support lifelong career exploration, planning, and decision making. NJCAN offers New Jersey-specific information on over 550 occupations, including current wages, job outlooks and occupational licensing requirements. NJCAN has five free assessments that let you uncover occupations best suited for you.
New Jersey Next Stop
New Jersey Next Stop is oriented towards teenagers, parents, and counselors but useful for everyone. Use this great tool for teenagers exploring their career options, whatever their post-high school path is. “Find cutting-edge career paths to satisfy your skills and talents.”
List of Start Up Resources
Learn more about what it takes to start a business and make it successful with this list of resources from SCORE.
Learn more about what it takes to start a business and make it successful with this list of resources from SCORE.
Resume Builder
Resume Builder is a free tool for creating resumes and for sharing resumes with potential employers. It provides multiple templates for users to choose from, organizational advice, and cloud storage.
Charity Choices
A great starting point for any donor. It lists large and small charities by alphabet and by category, and details their purposes. It also provides guidelines on how to choose a charity, what to do when a natural disaster hits and the pleas roll in, and even gives information on reading a charity’s tax statement.
Give.Org
The arm of the Better Business Bureau devoted to charities. Similar to the way the BBB approaches private companies, it reviews and reports charities based on a detailed list of criteria such as the makeup of the charity’s Board, conflicts of interest, effectiveness, and expenses.
Charity Watch
Rates charities based on where the dollars go and an organizations expenses, lists compensation packages for top-tier CEOs. Emphasizes that donors use the information as a starting point and not as the sole determining factor for choosing a charity.
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affair Charities Registration Section
What you need to know about small and large charities and fund-raising organizations in New Jersey. Includes a list of registered charities and fund-raising companies in the state and their status.
Give Well
An overview of charitable giving analysis. Includes guidelines for charitable giving and support of fundraising efforts, lists of top charities along with an explanation of their evaluation process, and blogs with topics of interest to new and experienced donors.
Many hands (and sets of eyes) make light work! Researchers and scientists worldwide have taken to the Web to enlist the aid of people like you to perform simple Internet-based identification and transcription tasks.
New Jersey Resources
Scientific American: Citizen Science
Explanation of Citizen Science and list of projects
Zooniverse
A hub for multiple crowdsourced projects on space, climate, the humanities, nature, biology and physics–many projects to choose from
Project Mosul
Help researchers digitally reconstruct antiquities that have been damaged or destroyed by ISIS
What’s on the menu?
Help the New York Public Library transcribe their huge collection of historical menus
Smithsonian Transcription Center
Browse and select a work from the Smithsonian Institution’s archives to transcribe
Biodiversity Heritage Library
The Biodiversity Heritage Library improves research methodology by collaboratively making biodiversity literature openly available to the world as part of a global biodiversity community.
Computer/Technolgy Resources
CNET
Offers advice on purchasing computers and technology and shows you how to get the most out of what you already own.
Computer World
One of the oldest computer magazines, Computer World is where IT people get their information.
PC Magazine
PC World is also intended for the Technology shopper. It offers labs-based testing of a variety of products.
Webopedia
Online encyclopedia of computing technologies.
Computer Science Web Guide
This comprehensive subject guide contains links to many interesting websites in computing and related fields.
History of Computers
IEEE Annals of the History of Computing
covers the breadth of computer history through scholarly articles by leading computer scientists and historians, as well as firsthand accounts by computing pioneers.
University of Virginia–Computer Museum
The University of Virginia’s Computer Museum contains various computer-related artifacts, both historical and modern.
PBS: Triumph of the Nerds
“Learn in vivid detail how youthful amateurs, hippies and self-proclaimed “nerds” accidentally changed the world.”
A Timeline of How Computers Changed History
“Computers have evolved and advanced significantly over the decades since they originated. Many years ago, in their most rudimentary form, computers were very large and slow. Gradually, computers have become smaller and faster, enabling people to use them virtually anywhere.”
Consumer Help
N.J. DIVISION OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS
Takes online consumer complaints against businesses.
LICENSING BOARDS
Information on various licensing boards and committees overseen by the Division of Consumer Affairs. You can make specific complaints directly to the correct board.
OUT OF STATE COMPLAINTS
To find the proper out of state agency.
POSTAL INSPECTION SERVICE
Report scam letters and other mail issues.
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
To file a complaint with the FTC.
NATIONAL DO NOT CALL REGISTRY
To complain about unwanted phone calls and to get your number on the Do Not Call List.
NEW JERSEY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES
Handles Complaints against utilities, third party energy companies, and cable companies.
Taxes
TREASURY INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR TAX ADMINISTRATION.
To report IRS impersonation fraud and other tax-related fraud.
IRS TAXPAYER ADVOCATE SERVICE
If you have a problem with the IRS that you cannot solve yourself.
NEW JERSEY OFFICE OF THE TAXPAYER ADVOCATE
Financial Services
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU:
Takes complaints about financial products and services.
THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORP. (FDIC)
Takes complaints about financial products, services or institutions.
FINANCIAL INDUSTRY REGULATORY ASSOCIATION (FINRA)
Banking Regulators
THE FEDERAL RESERVE
To file a complaint with the Federal Reserve.
OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY
To file a complaint with the Comptroller of the Currency.
NEW JERSEY BUREAU OF SECURITIES
Takes complaints about brokerage firms and investment advisors.
NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF BANKING AND INSURANCE
To file complaints about banking, real estate and insurance entities.
CREDIT
FREE CREDIT REPORT
Everyone is entitled to a free copy of their credit report once a year.
THREE MAJOR CREDIT BUREAUS
Equifax
Experian
TransUnion
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Food Safety homepage, including information on foodborne outbreaks, and preventing food poisoning
Safe Food Handling Fact Sheets from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
The World Health Organization (WHO) Food Safety page , including links to recent publications and a video on the Five Keys to Safer F ood
Courtesy of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station is this great food safety resource, with different versions targeted to consumers, professionals, and researchers. The latest FDA recalls, market withdrawals, and safety alerts are included here.
The Food Safety Web page from Iowa State University includes links to educational and training materials.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest is a consumer advocacy organization that maintains a Web page on food safety issues, with links to recent news stories and areas of nutrition and food safety activism.
The “Expert Answers” section of the Mayo Clinic’s Nutrition and Healthy Eating Web page includes answers to such questions as, “How long can you safely keep leftovers in the refrigerator?”
Foodsafety.gov, a chart with an answer to that same question
Food safety and quality information from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, which provides an international and scientific perspective
Eating Disorder Recovery Guidance on recovery from an eating disorder.
NJ Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
NJ Division of Criminal Justice – Financial & Cyber Crimes Bureau
NJ Office of the Public Guardian for Elderly Adults
NJ Bureau of Securities Website
What Type of Investment Professional is Right For Me handout
NJ Long Term Care Ombudsman Website
Nursing Home Residents’ rights
Questionable Nursing Home Practices Flyer
To report elder abuse, neglect and/or financial exploitation go to the NJ MFCU website at and utilize the hotline telephone number (609-292-1272) and/or the online Medicaid Fraud & Elder Abuse & Neglect Reporting Form
North American Securities Administrative Association
NJ Bureau of Securities – https://www.NJSecurities.gov,
Emergency Preparedness: These Websites can help you and your family stay informed and prepared in case of weather-related emergencies or other crises.
Practical Information
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
National Fire Protection Association
National Flood Insurance Program
PSEG/Sesame Street Let’s Get Ready! Planning Together for Emergencies bilingual toolkits
Background information
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Notifications
Activities for ESL Students
Quizzes, exercises and puzzles to help learn English as a second language. Project of the Internet TESL Journal.
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
Rules of grammar, punctuation, capitalization, etc., plus quizzes.
Dave’s ESL Café
Internet meeting place for ESL and EFL teachers and students. Also contains grammar, idioms, slang and quizzes.
Interesting Things for ESL Students
Word games, puzzles, quizzes, slang, proverbs, vocabulary, tongue twisters and listening practice.
About.com: English as 2nd Language
Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced lessons. Grammar, rules, listening and reading comprehension exercises.
The Internet Picture Dictionary
A beginner level dictionary that uses a keyword search to find the picture/definition.
National Institute for Literacy
This is a clearing house for information on improving one’s literacy.
OWL (Online Writing Lab)
Grammar, spelling, punctuation, numbers, and writing. Easy download of handout materials for students and teachers of ESL.
Internet Public Library
A terrific website for those who want to know something about everything
Information
An online almanac—encyclopedia, atlas, and thesaurus all in one
Wolfram Alpha
Enter any date, math formula, city name, calculation, or city name and get an answer from this “computational knowledge machine”
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Bartlett’s Quotations
Find out the source of a specific quote, or find quotes that match any topic
Wikipedia
An encyclopedia created by everyday people for everyday people. The facts in the entries are not checked for accuracy, but it’s a fun website to discover new things. You can create your own entry, or add to an existing one.
New York Public Library Best of the Web
The most useful websites for learning about absolutely anything, curated by the librarians at the New York Public Library.
Afrigeneas
Designed for those exploring African-American roots. Search marriage, death, and slave data records. Message boards and chats allow easy communication between members.
Atlas of Historical County Boundaries
Interactive map and historical data confirms actual county names in a certain year, includes cross-name checking and information on the session laws that created and changed counties. An excellent tool designed to confirm geographical information, even in non-county areas and territories.
Genealogy: The Complete Reference Guide
This serves as an introduction to genealogical research, finding records, verification of records, and ways to share what you have learned.
Family Search
Offered by the Church of Latter-Day Saints, this site has search capabilities, access to library catalogs and genealogy indexes. Users can develop and share family trees and photo albums.
Family Tree Magazine
How-tos, podcasts, ebooks, newsletters, and article of interest for beginner and experienced genealogists.
Find a Grave
Discover burial information through thousands of images of tombstones. Search by name, death or birth date, or location. Browse through famous and historical tombstones. Share and add information and images.
General Land Office Records
The Bureau of Land Management provides images of the 5 million land title records purchased from 1820 to the present, mainly in the Midwest and West. A research library also contains field notes, survey plats, and information on federal public land sales.
Geni
This is a genealogical social network that lets you build a family tree and then connect with other users who have done the same thing and have common ancestry.
JewishGen
Explore Jewish ancestors through location or surname. Databases include Holocaust names, a town finder, and family trees. Join discussion groups or take free online genealogy classes.
My Heritage
Designed for the tech-savvy and mobile-friendly. Create online family trees, receive email alerts discoveries, and chat with other members. The site can be accessed through a tablet or smartphone as well as a computer.
National Archives
Databases, research tools, chats, forums, and a wealth of digitized records. Search military records, census data, and land records. Ability to order some records online.
Celiac Disease Foundation
The official website of the CDF includes links to the gluten-free diet, nutrition tips and product information.
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC)
Government sponsered website which offers a chart of specific diet information (allowed foods, foods to be avoided) and hidden sources of gluten in food.
Celiac Disease Center
The Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University. Offers nutrition information, Kid’s corner, cooking classes
Celiac Sprue Association
Offers a Grains and Flour glossary, and recipes
Gluten-Free On the Go
Celiac friendly guide to restaurants, cafés and hotels
New Jersey Resources
New Jersey Statutes
Full Text, Unannotated.
New Jersey Court Rules
N.J. Court Opinions
The New Jersey Courts website provides links to all published and unpublished Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Tax and Trial Court opinions. You can remove the next three categories through Trial Court Decisions.
Governors’ Executive Orders
from 1990 forward, with selected earlier ones. Note: Arrangement is by administration, latest first, and numerically within each administration
New Jersey Administrative Code and Register
Freely accessible from this site are: the entire New Jersey Administrative Code (updated quarterly), and the New Jersey Register from July 1995 through the latest issue. Instructions are provided for updating the N.J.A.C. using the N.J.Register.
New Jersey Building Codes
New Jersey editions of the International Building Code and related codes.
N.J.Administrative Law Decisions from Oct.1997 forward
Legal Services of New Jersey Self Help Publications
Federal Resources
United States Code
Thomas
Congressional bills, Public Laws, & Congressional Record from 101st Congress (1989) forward; Congressional Committee Reports from 104th Congress (1995) forward.
Code of Federal Regulations
U.S. Supreme Court Cases, 1791 on.
U.S. Supreme Court Cases, 1991 on.
U.S. Court of Appeals for Third Circuit
Decisions from May 1994—
Tax Forms
EDGAR
Registration statements for publicly traded companies.
Background Notes
State Department background information on other countries.
Guide to Health Care Quality
General Information
GovEngine
Compendium of Federal and State Information on the Internet.
Justia
Legal search engine. Can search U.S. District Court Opinions.
Findlaw
Where to Write
Where to write for vital records from the National Center for Health Statistics.
Internet Law Guide
Internet Law guide compiled by Rutgers University Law Library.
www.ushistory.org
Owned by the IHA (Independence Hall Association) which supports our mission to educate the public about the Revolutionary and Colonial eras of American history, as well as Philadelphia generally.
World History Matters
World History Matters is a portal to world history websites developed by the Center for History and New Media.
Best of History Websites
Best of history websites, created by EdTechTeacher, is an award-winning portal that contains annotated links to over 1200 history websites and activities.
History World
More than 1,000,000 words on world history in linked narratives, More than 10,000 events from world history to search for timelines.
Great Websites for Kids: History and Biography
Great websites for kids Sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association.
Websites for Knitting & Crocheting
Ravelry
Ravelry is a free community for knitters and crocheters. It’s a great place to keep track of your yarn, tools, project and pattern information and to look for ideas and inspiration. The content is all user-driven. Find the perfect pattern and connect with people who love to work with yarn from all over the world.
Knitty
Knitty is one of the first knitting magazines available online. Published four times a year, Knitty offers a pattern library and interesting articles.
Knitting Help
At this site, you’ll find knitting videos to help you learn techniques. From the very first stitches to advanced techniques, it has everything you need to learn how to knit.
About.com Knitting & About.com Crochet
About.com has great information on knitting and crocheting. On these sites, you will find tutorials on how to knit and crochet, links to patterns and reviews of new products and books.
Yarn Council of America
The Craft Yarn Council represents the leading yarn companies, accessory manufacturers, magazine, book publishers and consultants in the yarn industry. For more than 30 years the Council has sponsored a wide range of promotional and educational programs including Discover Knit and Crochet classes.
Lion Brand Yarns
This widely-know yarn company site describes its purpose as a place to “enhance your enjoyment of knitting and crafting with yarn.” In addition to being a place where you can purchase yarn, this site offers free patterns and instructions, a directory of clubs, a free weekly email newsletter, inspirational essays and informative articles and much more.
The Joan Schick Blanket Project
This organization makes and delivers baby blankets to the infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
Yarnspirations
This is the website for the yarn company known as Bernat. It provides yarn for purchase as well as free patterns, instructions and a free email newsletter.
Websites for Knitting & Crocheting for Charity
Pink Slipper Project
The Pink Slipper Project is an endeavor to warm the hearts and toes of women and children living in shelters for victims of domestic violence. Their philosophy is that not only will a pair of handmade slippers help keep someone warm, but remind them that they are not alone.
Knit Your Bit: The National WWII Museum
This program organizes handmade scarves that are donated to veterans in Veterans’ Centers somewhere in the United States. The site offers pattern suggestions and information on starting a group.
Knots of Love
This project coordinates the donation of hand crocheted and knitted caps for chemotherapy patients and others facing life-threatening illnesses.
Red Scarf Project of Foster Care to Success America’s College Fund for Foster Youth
This organization has helped over 50,000 young adults from foster care achieve success through education. Their philosophy is that little things make a big difference in the life of a college student. Their scarf project provides handmade red scarves to students as they move forward to graduation.
Warm Up America!
Warm Up America! is the charity that has warmed peopl es’ lives since 1991. It started in a small Wisconsin town with neighbors knitting and crocheting afghans for neighbors in need. Thanks to the creativity of founder Evie Rosen who came up with the idea of having volunteers knit or crochet small sections and then others join them together, the idea quickly caught on. Today Warm Up America distributes warm afghans, caps and other items to tens of thousands of people, thanks to the generosity of knitters and crocheters around the country.
MUNICIPAL PARKS
Westfield Parks:
PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS
New Jersey Playgrounds Worth Travelling To: New Jersey Family Magazine List of the top playgrounds in the State.
New Jersey Playgrounds: Lists indoor and outdoor playgrounds.
Fun New Jersey Magazine: Top Ten Playgrounds in New Jersey:
COUNTY PARKS
Union County Parks: Lists parks with amenities and a link to a map.
Essex County Parks: Provides a map of the parks in the County. Clicking on a particular park links to a page with information about events and ameniites.
Morris County Parks: Allows you to search by activities and features.
Somerset County Parks: Links to a comprehensive pdf Parks Guide.
STATE PARK SYSTEMS
New Jersey State Parks: Allows you to find State Parks by location and activity.
New York State Parks: Provides information about events as well as containing a search function.
Pennsylvania State Parks: Includes a list of 25 must-see State Parks.
NATIONAL PARKS
US National Parks: Allows you to find National Parks in all 50 States.
New Jersey National Parks: Lists all New Jersey National Parks as well as links to events and maps.
A podcast is an online episode, sometimes of a radio or television program, that can be subscribed to or listened to or watched at your leisure. You can use your computer or mobile device. The following is a list of podcasts that are popular or have appeared on “Best of” type lists:
The Best Show with Tom Scharpling
A music, call-in and comedy show, formerly hosted by New Jersey station, WFMU.
NPR
A directory of NPR podcasts by topic. Here you will find many favorites includingThis American Life, Freakonomics Radio, Radiolab, and Science Friday.
Library of Congress podcasts
Mystery Show
A podcast where Starlee Kine solves mysteries.
Presidential Libraries podcasts
BBC World Service Podcasts
Stanford’s Entrepreneurship Corner
TED Talks
A series of global conferences on “ideas worth spreading” in the areas of technology, entertainment and design.
The World in Words
A podcast from PRI focused on language.
Free Library of Philadelphia
Author interviews from the Free Library of Philadelphia.
In Black America
Podcasts from KUT, a station of the University of Texas at Austin.
Voice of America
Material of special interest to English Language Learners.
Grammar Girl
Tips to improve your writing.
Latino USA
The Librarian is In
New Yorker Radio Hour
Slate’s monthly audio book club podcast
Talks about books from Slate.
Nice White Parents
School Colors
Welcome to the Night Vale
Sci-fi podcasts originating in the Southwest.
This Sounds Serious: Grand Casino
LBJ and the Great Society
Dead Eyes
Wind of Change
Articles of Interest: A Project of 99% Invisible
The Promise
Lost: Notes 1980
Unfinished: Short Creek
Reveal: American Rehab
Floodlines: The Atlantic
American Psychological Association Topics
The APA’s topics page gives information on various psychological topics. Use this site to find press releases, scholarly articles, articles in popular newspapers and magazines, and book recommendations. Note: Not everything is available to non-APS members.
National Women Health Resource Center
The NWHRC has a selection of psychological topics tailored to women’s needs. Use this site to find information on dieting, motherhood, health insurance and more.
Encyclopedia of Psychology
The Encyclopedia of Psychology offers links to hundreds of websites and scholarly articles on virtually every topic in psychology. Use this resource to find biographical information on notable psychologists.
National Alliance on Mental Illness
NAMI’s website offers help for people studying mental illness for their own selves and for research purposes. Not only are conditions covered, but treatments, Medicare Part D, and support.
National Institute of Mental Health
This website from the NIH’s National Institute of Mental Health has a good science news section and serves as a gateway to the NIMH’s many publications on mental health.
Psychology Today
Psychology Today’s website offers selected articles from the magazine, discussion boards, and information about various psychological issues. Use this site to research a condition, find a therapist, join a discussion board with people who can relate to you, and even explore a career in psychology.
Psych Scholar
A Collection of Web Resources for Psychological Scholars and Budding Psychological Scholars
Royal College of Psychiatrists
The Royal College of Psychiatrists offers links to research and pamphlets on mental health issues.
SelfGrowth.net
This website claims to be the #1 self-help website on the internet. The website includes articles, pamphlets, and videos. Like many other websites, selfhelp.net has a news feed, but unlike many other sites selfhelp.net categorizes articles by topic.
Social Psychology Network
This website offers 16,000 links related to psychology. Full-text searchable.
Suicide and Depression Awareness for Students
People contemplating suicide or experiencing the depths of a severe depression need to know they are not alone. From teenagers to college students, LGBT to the elderly, people struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts need options, reassurance, hope and help.
Judaism
Dead Sea Scrolls: Qumrom and Modern Scholarship
Qumrum and Modern Scholarship, a companion site to a Library of Congress exhibit Scrolls From the Dead Sea: The Ancient Library of Qumran and Modern Scholarship.
JewishHistory.com
online museum dedicated to Jewish history. The extremely well-designed website offers illustrated features like “The Bible Through Rembrandt’s Eyes,” sections on the days of the Bible, and all periods of Jewish history.
Jewish Theological Society Library: Special Exhibitions
The JTS offers a small, yet substantial, portion of its collection for viewing at this website. Through this website, a user can browse Medieval illuminated Haggadahs, siddurs, and various three-dimensional art.
Internet Jewish History Sourcebook
This is one of the broadest collections of research materials on Jewish Studies (in the broadest sense) available on the internet. Resources are convienently organized by subject.
Christianity
Anno Domini: Jesus Through the Centuries
this website focuses on views of Jesus Christ over the past two millennia. The articles tend to be short, but are well written and on very interesting topics. While the website is about Jesus, there are frequent tie ins to Judaism and Islam. Views of Jesus are represented in Eighteen Themes, from Jesus the Jew to Jesus, the Man who Belongs to this World.
Christian Classics Ethereal Library
associated with Calvin College, hosts 118 Christian texts. The authors range from the early Church Fathers to Thomas a Kempis to 19th century American evangelicals.
Internet Theology Resources
This website, from Southern Methodist University, offers a massive collection of primary sources related to Christianity.
Islam
Internet Islamic History Website
The IIHW is a great resource for anyone doing a paper on Islamic history. This website contains articles, sound recordings, and some videos dealing with the history of the Islamic world. Perhaps the most valuable portion of the website is its large collection of primary sources. The primary sources are organized very logically by chronology and nation.
Islam and Islamic Studies Resources
This website has a large number of well-organized links to websites and articles about Islam. The links are categorized by topics like “Islam and Terrorism,” “Islamic Arts,” and “Sufis and Sufi Poetry.”
The Prince Alwaleed Bin-Talaal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU)
based at Georgetown University. It works to attempt to explain Islam and Muslim opinions to Americans and other Westerners. The ACMCU website offers articles and analysis by Georgetown scholars.
Buddhism
Dreams of Tibet
This Web site, created in support of the PBS documentary of the same name, discusses the fate of Tibet under Chinese rule. It includes interviews, book excerpts, maps, a historical chronology, links to other relevant sites, and even a discussion of Tibetan Buddhism. Also covers how Tibet and Tibetan culture are perceived by Westerners.
Himalayan Art Resources
This website attractively presents over 2,000 years of Buddhist art from museums around the world. Art is categorized by medium (sculpture, painting, textile). The website also delves into the rich symbolic meanings of Buddhist iconography, the relationships between different Buddhist sects, and Buddhist history.
Introduction to Buddhism
This site, written to complement a Buddhist Psychology course at Shippensburg University, offers a concise but thorough introduction to Buddhist history, teachings, morality, and practice.
Journal of Global Buddhism
The JGB is a scholarly journal devoted to Buddhism’s spread beyond Asia to the rest of the world.
Tricycle
Tricycle Magazine has articles on many aspects of Buddhism. Topics covered include purely religious issues, political questions, and even issues like diet.
Hinduism
Encyclopedia of Authentic Hinduism
Based on the book “The True History and the Religion of India”, this site is a concise encyclopedia of articles on Hinduism. It “gives complete information about the Hindu (Bhartiya) religion, scripture, history, and their Divinity.”
Hindu American Foundation
The Hindu American Foundation’s mission is to sustain a leading institution of Hindu American advocacy for the promotion of human dignity, mutual respect, and pluralism.
Hindu Online
One of the web’s most active websites on Hindus and Hinduism.
A Summary of What Most Hindus Believe
“In the 1980s and early ’90s the publishers of Hinduism Today magazine crafted a simple summary of Hindu beliefs. These were printed side-by-side with their Christian counterparts in Christianity Today magazine in February 1993 so Christians could better comprehend Hindus. These nine beliefs offer a basic summary of Sanatana Dharma’s spirituality.”
Life Reimagined
This AARP website that offers free online tutorials on topics including setting goals and career planning. Developed by experts including author and executive coach Richard Leider.
MyMoney.Gov
This site is from the U.S. Financial Literacy and Education Commission. The site is largely a compendium of links to other government Web sites, which can be helpful if you want to apply for Social Security benefits or learn which laws protect your benefits in the event of a job loss.
Forbes Best Places to Retire 2020
Forbes’ Magazines Listing of the Best Places to Retire
Kiplinger’s Best Places to Retire
Kiplinger’s Best Cities to Retire
Social Security Benefits Calculator
Help plan for your retirement by knowing what your benefits will be.
Understanding Reverse Mortgages
Guidance on reverse mortgages from the Federal Trade Commission
“Ask Carrie”
Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz of Charles Schwab gives advice on securing one’s financial future.
A major theme about aging well is the power of independence and spirit in maintaining wellness and also healing. As we all get older we’re inevitably and indubitably more susceptible to disease, but there are steps we can take to reduce how vulnerable we are. Here are some useful websites:
NIH Senior Health
Health for Seniors
22 Senior Health Risk Calculators for Healthy Aging
Cats and Seniors
Canine Caregivers for Alzheimer’s and Dementia Patients
Pets for the Elderly Foundation
Older Adults & Anxiety
Assisted Living Regulation and Laws
Aging in Place
Senior-Friendly Home Remodeling
National Center on Elder Abuse
Considerations for Older Travelers
Tips for Senior Travelers in Southeast Asia
Tips for Senior Travelers to Morocco
Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance
About Darwin
About Darwin is dedicated to the life and work of the great naturalist Charles Darwin, the father of natural selection.
Biology Websites
Cellupedia
Cellupedia is devoted to everything about cells, such as their processes and anatomy.
University of Arizona Biology Project
The Biology Project is intended to help teachers teach biology and students learn it. It has lessons on various biological topics
Meteorology Websites
Astronomy Websites
Astronomy Magazine
Includes astronomy and space news, sky events, and telescope resources.
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Solar systems, stars and planets, galaxies, cosmology, laboratory astrophysics, and extreme astrophysics.
Hubblesite
News, picture gallery, discovering astronomy, and education links.
Kennedy Space Center
NASA site devoted to space shuttle, lauch and mission schedules, information on astronauts, launching rockets, and space station.
NASA
News, links, mission schedules and a section for kids. Includes an image gallery, information of the space shuttle, the moon, the solar system, the earth, and aeronautics.
Sky & Telescope
News, photo gallery, community groups, “sky at a glance,” observation tips, and tips on how to stargaze.
A NASA online textbook designed for those working in mission operations but accessible to teachers and students at the high school and college levels.
National Archives Space Exploration page
Information about the United States’ space flight programs, including NASA missions and the astronauts who participate in the efforts to explore Earth’s galaxy.
Wikipedia’s chronology of events leading to space exploration and the missions that followed, listed by date and country.
Ten Significant Events in Early 21st Century Space Exploration
Described by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in conjunction with some of their recent acquisitions.
Space Exploration History, Milestones, Applications and Debates
The Encyclopedia Britannica’s comprehensive and up-to-date article on the subject of space exploration.
The International Space Station
International cooperation and the International Space Station (ISS)
Images, videos, news and blog posts from one of the largest, most versatile space telescopes.
Information about the planets from the National Air and Space Museum.
Experiments in Space
Ethical Considerations in Space Exploration
COSPAR planetary protection policy, an explanation, and recent recommendations for review
What’s the difference between…
So you want to be an astronaut
Astronaut requirements and training
Article about the prospects of astronaut employment after the suspension of the space shuttle program.
The Story of Stuff Project
Environmental activist Annie Leonard’s project began with a twenty minute movie and has developed into a community of more than a million people making changes in their individual approaches to “stuff” as a way of taking responsibility to build a more sustainable and healthier world.
The World Counts
Water Footprint Calculator
Carbon Footprint calculator
Telling Fact from Fiction: Finding Reliable Information on the Web
Librarians have long advocated for, and taught the skills of information literacy, often invoking the so-called CRAAP test as a tool for evaluating the truth of information sources, particularly those found online. While this tool is mainly suggested to students evaluating sources for use in term papers or other assignments, the criteria the acronym spells out are useful for all of us to keep in mind as we evaluate the news.
C: currency
R: relevance
A: authority
A: accuracy
P: purpose
In 2019, some universities began to espouse a new checklist and corresponding acronym for evaluating information. The SIFT method, developed my Mike Caulfield of Washington State University Vancouver, encourages students to:
S: stop
I: investigate the source
F: find better coverage
T: trace claims, quotes and media to the original context
Evaluation of Statistical Claims
C. Get Calm, be attention to qualifiers intended to induce an emotional response.
C. Get Context, pay attention to the big picture, especially in spending.
C. Be Curious, try to discover what a statistical claim is telling you about the world.
Books for Background:
Atkisson, Sharyl. The Smear: How Shady Political Operatives and Fake News Control What You See, What You Think, and How You Vote, Non-Fiction, 070.4 Att
Kovach, Bill. Blur: How to Know What’s True in the Age of Information Overload, Non-Fiction 070.9 Kov
Rabin-Havt, Ari. Lies Incorporated: The World of Post-Truth Politics, Non-Fiction 320.6097 Rab (also available in other formats)
Young, Kevin. Bunk: The Rise of Hoaxes, Humbug, Plagiarists, Phonies, Post-facts, and Fake News. Non-fiction e-book accessible through Hoopla.
Davis, Stephen. Truthteller : An Investigative Reporter’s Journey Through the World of Truth Prevention, Fake News and Conspiracy Theories, Non-fiction e-book accessible through Freading
Stengel, Richards. Information wars : how we lost the global battle against disinformation & what we can do about it, Non-fiction 355.343 Ste
Abramson, Jill. Merchants of truth : the business of news and the fight for facts, Non-fiction 071 Abr (Also available in electronic formats)
Otis, Cindy L. True or false a CIA analyst’s guide to spotting fake news, Non-fiction teen book available through e-Library NJ/Libby
A 2021 article, “Dismantling the Evaluation Framework,” discusses the current frameworks for evaluating information and proposes a more proactive approach.
Rand Corporation report on “Truth Decay”
Fact-checking Websites:
Factcheck
Politifact
Snopes
Seeing News from a Variety of Viewpoints
Not Real News, from the Associated Press
Online guides from other libraries:
Clark College (Washington State)
The Enoch Pratt Library’s: Fake News: How to Spot It
The American Library Association: Combatting Xenophobia and Fake News in Light of Covid-19
University of Toronto: How to Spot Misinformation about coronavirus and COVID-19.
Since mental illness often strikes in the teen years, and sometimes earlier, it’s important to know the signs and symptoms so that appropriate, timely treatment can be found. The organizations listed below can help.
General Resources
NAMI Factsheet on Child & Teen Mental Illness
NAMI is the website of the National alliance for the mentally ill.
NAMI – fact sheet on child & teen mental illness
Mental Health Stats : Children & Teens
Helpguide.org for Teens
The teenage years can be full of pressure, uncertainty, and change, and it’s normal to worry sometimes. But no one should feel hopeless or worthless all the time. Whatever challenges you’re facing, there is help available.
National Institute of Health Publications About Children and Adolescents
The National Institute for Mental Health has useful information about many aspects of teen mental Health.
Bipolar Disorder Resources
Bipolar Child
Dr. Papolos, the author of this website, is an expert on juvenile and adult onset bipolar disorder. Learn about the latest research findings and useful clinical information that can help your child and your family cope with bipolar disorder.
WebMD: Bipolar Disorder in Children and Teens
An overview about Bipolar Disorder from WedMD.com.
National Alliance on Mental Illness: Bipolar Disorder
An overview of Bipolar disorder from NAMI, the National Alliance for the mentally ill.
Mental Health Resources for Young Adults with Bipolar Disorder
“Mental Health Resources for Young Adults with Bipolar Disorder” shares organizations, virtual support groups, videos, apps, podcasts, and worksheets to help young adults and teens. There are also resources for parents and educators to better understand mood disorders and how to support individuals.
Psychosis & Schizophrenia Resources
RAISE – Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode
Dealing with Schizophrenia
NAMI: Schizophrenia
An overview of Schizophrenia from NAMI
National Alliance on Mental Illness: Psychosis
Information on teen psychosis from NAMI
WebMD Schizophrenia
An overview from the WebMD website.
Resources about Youth Suicide
Jason Foundation
The Jason Foundation is dedicated to the prevention of youth suicide through education and awareness programs.
SAVE
Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE).
Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Helps individuals in suicidal crisis within the United States to contact the nearest available suicide prevention and mental health service provider.
HelpGuide.Org: Suicide Prevention
Offers practical help for suicide prevention.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
American foundation for suicide prevention
Resources on Depression
National Institutes of Health: Depression
An overview of depression for the National institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
National Alliance on Mental Illness: Depression
An overview of depression from The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
Learn the facts about depression and anxiety from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
Vegan Living and Cooking
Lifestyle and Recipe Blogs and Guides:
These are among the most popular vegan blogs. They feature recipes, advice, and food product recommendations. Many bloggers have also written cookbooks or offer merchandise, so bear in mind that those presenting information may have a commercial interest.
Organizations
The websites of these organizations offer information on the ethical and nutritional issues surrounding veganism.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Recipe and Restaurant Listings by Location:
International Vegetarian Union Recipes Around the World
Nutritional Information:
Information found in the following websites can help you make sure your nutritional needs are met while eating a vegan diet.
Article on meeting protein needs
Vegetarian Nutrition Webpage from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
The Mayo Clinic’s Nutritional Advice for Vegetarians
Scholarly Articles:
If you are seeking academic, research-driven articles on the subject of veganism,
try typing “vegan” or “vegan diet” into the search box at the following government Websites
The Old Farmer’s Almanac
has an entire section on gardening and it includes garden plans, planting dates, beginner tips, vegetable growing guides and how to videos.
Vegetable Gardening at Gardener’s Supply Company
offers detailed gardening articles with video and photos along with a helpful Planning Tools section.
Better Homes & Gardens – How to Plan a Vegetable Garden
Better Homes & Gardens – Vegetable Gardening Articles
Vegetable and Herb Garden Fact Sheets
Planning a Vegetable Garden
Rodale’s Organic Life – Garden
published by Rodale Institute, pioneer in organic farming.
(Full issues of Organic Life magazine available through WML magazine database Zinio)
The National Gardening Association
offers Regional Gardening Reports and Expert Advice with How-to Projects and Videos
The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
The Xerces Society is a science-based nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. Learn how you can help invertebrates thrive.
Pollinator.org
A garden is nothing without pollination. The Pollinator Partnership’s mission is to promote the health of pollinators, critical to food and ecosystems, through conservation, education, and research.
Sunset – Edible Gardening
seasonal edible gardening articles and guides
Gardener News.com
local New Jersey gardening news
Savvy Gardening
This site contains links to Insects (such as beneficial pollinators), Produce (fruits and vegetables), Ornamentals (annuals and perennials), DIY projects, Techniques (such as maintenance and weed control), Advice and Tips (such as Cold Season Gardening).
Whether you are looking for new ways to give of your time or resources, these volunteering websites will help you find what you are looking for:
Volunteermatch
With over 77,000 volunteer opportunities, this site connects you to causes and lets you tailor your search according to your interests.
DonorsChoose
This site connects professionals with nonprofits and social good initiative for pro bono work.
Catchafire
This site, founded by a former social studies teacher, helps you make an impact in classrooms by allowing public school teachers to post their requests (from books to art supplies to laptops etc.) and you choose a request to fulfill that suits your interest.
Volunteer.gov
This provides a listing of natural and cultural resource service projects with government agencies.
AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve directly with nonprofit organizations to tackle our nation’s most pressing challenges.
Create the Good
This site connects you with volunteer organizations to share your life experiences, skills and passions in your local community.
Universal Giving
This is a website that helps people give and volunteer with projects all over the world which are vetted and 100% of each donation goes directly to the cause. Their vision is to “create a world where giving and volunteering are a natural way of life.”
Mobile Meals of Westfield
Bonds of Courage
Westfield United Fund
Book Recommendations
Visit our Book Recommendations page.
Social Network Sites
Library Thing
Allows you to catalog books you’ve read and use them to find similar books to read.
Good Reads
Similar to Library Thing. Includes a Monthly email newsletter.
Fictfact
Allows you to track series fiction.
General Sites
What Should I Read Next
Enter a book you like and the site will suggest what you should read next.
Flashlight Worthy
Quirky but interesting booklists.
Blogging for a Good Book
Book suggestions from the Williamsburg Regional Library.
Speakeasy
Book blog from the Wall Street Journal. Also includes sections for other media such as television and film.
Mysteries
The Mystery Reader
Mystery reviews.
Stop You’re Killing Me
Resource for mystery lovers. Indexes by author, character names, time periods, places occupations etc.
Mystery Fanfare
Mystery news blog.
Reviewing the Evidence
Reviews of new mysteries.
Historical Fiction
Historical Novels Info
Over 5,000 historical novels listed by time and place.
Passages to the Past
Historical Fiction blog, includes author interviews and book give aways.
Reading the Past
News, views and reviews of historical fiction.
Romance
Romantic Times Book Reviews
News and reviews of romance novels.
The Romance Reader at Heart
Romance Reviews and Booklists.
All About Romance
More Romance novel reviews and news.
Science Fiction
The SF Site
Science Fiction and Fantasy news and reviews
Fantastic Fiction
Bibliographies for over 30,000 authors. Note this is a British site.
Locus Online
The website for Locus Magazine.
Literary Hub
The Best of the Literary Internet, Every Day
Voter Education
NJ Department of State
This New Jersey Department of State web page includes voter eligibility requirements, deadlines and links to voter registration application forms
Vote411
Vote411.org is a website of the non-partisan League of Women Voters providing an online voter registration tool, plus information on topics including absentee voting, early voting, and polling place details.
RocktheVote
Rock the Vote is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to building political power for young people. If you are a young, first time voter you can figure out how and where to register, which may be either your home state, or the place where you are studying. You can also get information about upcoming elections and what will be on the ballot.
Best Tools for Informed Voting
The New York Public Library’s Best Tools for Informed Voting blog provides links to Websites to help you register to vote and learn more about candidates, endorsements, campaign financing, political advertising, and fact-checking endeavors.
Local Government Resources
Federal Representatives
Senator Cory Booker
Newark Office:
One Gateway Center
23rd Floor
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: (973) 639-8700
Fax: (973) 639-8723
Senator Robert Menendez
Newark Office:
One Gateway Center,
Suite 1100
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Phone: (973) 645-3030
Fax: (973) 645-0502
Congressman Tom Malinowski (District 7)
Note: Tom Kean will be the new representation starting in January 2023.
75-77 N Bridge St.
Somerville, NJ 08876
Phone: (908) 547-3307
Fax: 1-844-272-0103
State Representatives (Westfield is in District 21)
Senator Jon Bramnick
251 North Ave. West, 2nd Floor,
Westfield, NJ 07090
Phone: (908) 232-2073
Assemblywoman Michele Matsikoudis
251 North Ave. West, 2nd Floor,
Westfield, NJ 07090
Phone: (908) 232-2073
Assemblywoman Nancy F. Munoz
57 Union Place, Suite 310, Summit, NJ 07901
Phone: (908) 918-0414
