Why are libraries great places for students? Well, beside the free access to things like DVDs, graphic novels, and music, libraries and librarians also want to help you locate the information that you need so that you can do your best on homework assignments and class papers. Take a look at some of the resources that are available to you through your public library:

Homework New York City
This is one-stop shopping for homework help. The website is divided into subjects, which are further dived into terms. When you click on a term within a subject it will give you a brief definition, a list of websites and an encyclopedia entry for the term. The website also links to study notes, textbooks and calculators as well as live homework help which connects you to a live tutor.

Info Zone at Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library has put together a set of links to different websites that they think are really helpful for research on different projects. Subjects range from the arts to science and sports. They also have a great section on Brooklyn and New York.

Teen Link at NYPL
Teenlink gathers all of the fun and interesting things going on at the New York Public Library on one page. You can download music, link to homework help and also see what cool events are happening at your local branch library.

Queens Library for Teens
In addition to homework help and events held at local libraries, the Teen page on the Queens Public Library website provides great information for teenagers interested in finding internships, health and relationships as well as information on the rights of teenagers.

Teen Zone at Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library links to great homework help sites offers many fun opportunities for teenagers to express themselves through opinion polls and a section named, “In your own words,” where teenagers can submit poetry and other forms of creative writing.

For certain kinds of research, sometimes Google just doesn’t cut it. For example, you have a paper where you need to find articles from a health journal or information on a famous artist. While you can do a simple Google search for your person or your topic you can’t be sure that the information you get from your search is accurate (You do know that anyone can post anything on the World Wide Web, right?) What would be so much better for your research is to use a library database. Here you know the information you find is of a high quality because you have the library’s stamp of approval. The list that follows are some databases that we think you will find very useful:

(Please note: These resources are only available for use on Hostos Community College campus)

Encyclopedia Britannica:
Have you ever used the multi-volume Encyclopedia Britannica? It is a great place to start research and get a basic understanding of your topic. At Hostos we also have the electronic version which you can search by keyword.

Info-Track Junior Edition:
This is a great database for junior high and high school students. Here you can find encyclopedia entries, journal and magazine articles and maps on various different subjects.

Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center
For a project that requires you to research a controversial topic the Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center is the place to start. It is organized by subject and covers issues ranging from stem-cell research to special education. The kinds of resources you will find here include essays, encyclopedia entries, statistics, articles, primary sources and more.

New York State Newspapers
Do you need to work on a current events assignment? We have a database devoted specifically to New York State newspapers where you can find various different types of articles. You can search by subject or keyword or for articles within a particular newspaper.Do you need to work on a current events assignment? We have a database devoted specifically to New York State newspapers where you can find various different types of articles. You can search by subject or keyword or for articles within a particular newspaper.

CQ Researcher
The CQ Researcher is another great database for researching current events. While not as current as a daily newspaper, CQ Researcher allows a student to track an event or issue to see how it has developed over time and also provides browsing options by date and topic. The CQ Researcher is another great database for researching current events. While not as current as a daily newspaper, CQ Researcher allows a student to track an event or issue to see how it has developed over time and also provides browsing options by date and topic.

Literature Resource Center
Literature Resource Center is an excellent database which provided information on literary figures from various time periods and from all over the world. The type of information you find here includes biographical entries, articles and summaries of an author’s work. Another helpful feature is a timeline of significant dates in literary history.

Science Resource Center
The field of science is enormous – the Science Resource Center helps a student by giving general overviews of different areas of science. Information provided by this database includes topic overviews, images and articles from magazines and journals, all of which are graded by difficulty level from basic to advanced.

As high school students you are asked to do a variety of projects many of which entail research and writing. Here are a few websites which you may find helpful to your writing process.

Write with the Writers
This website by Scholastic is very helpful for starting a particular writing project, from creative writing to drafting a speech. Look to the bottom right corner and there are activities divided by genre.

Developing an Outline
This may sound unimportant but believe it or not, developing an outline is an essential step in the writing process. This website uses some high-level words but it explains the process of developing an outline in depth.

Building an Essay
How many of you like writing essays? Well, we could all use some help, right? This website breaks down an essay into its distinct parts, discusses the steps of writing an essay and also describes the different kinds of essays there are.

Basic Steps to Creating a Research Project
Research projects are a big undertaking. It is not unusual for a person not to know where to start. This website provides a list of steps and explanations which outline the research process.

What do I want to be when I grow up? Where do I need to go to get there? How can I afford the journey? There are so many questions that we have as high school students. The following websites help give students steps when thinking of what options are out there for them when considering college

Mapping Your Future
This website outlines the steps a student can take to prepare for their college education whether they are in middle school or high school. It includes different interactive quizzes which may help to direct you in certain career paths and other informative links.

Princeton Review
Princeton Review is one of the most well-known College Preparatory companies. Their website provides information on school rankings based on various factors, like best value, quality of life or extracurricular activities. It also gives descriptions of academic majors a student can take while in school and a fun interactive quiz about what career maybe suitable to a student’s interests.

Occupational Outlook Handbook
This government website provides helpful information about hundreds of careers such as the training that you need, working conditions, salary expectations, expected job prospects and the kinds of things that one would do in a given profession. It also has a section on job searching tips as well as information on the job market in each state.

College Opportunities Online
This is another government website which provides information about institutions of higher education. You can search a particular state or region for a particular program or major for a certificate, associate’s, bachelors or graduate level degrees.

Hostos Community College: Office of Admission
Hostos is a great place to start your college career. Come visit our admissions page and see how you can study at Hostos Community College.

Learning Express:
Learning Express is an excellent resource for students of all ages. It offers online simulations of actual standardized tests, such as the ACT and the SAT and allows you to practice them in real time. The sections which will be most helpful to you are “College Entrance Exams,” “High School Skills Improvement,” “Job Search and Success Skills” and “Advanced Placement” In order to use this website you must sign in and establish a free account. Remember to write it down and keep it somewhere safe – you will need it each time you use the website.

Do want your students to learn how to find better sources for the papers and projects you assign them? That is exactly what we aim to teach students at the Hostos Community College Library. Your students can learn valuable research skills such as:

• Defining a research topic
• Locating relevant materials in the library
• Evaluating print and electronic resources
• Avoiding plagiarism

Professor Miriam Laskin
Instructional Services Librarian
Hostos Community College Library
475 Grand Concourse A308, Bronx, NY 10451

To request a workshop, please print out and complete our request form and sumbit a copy to the above address.