Love Your Library

Altadena Library has an impressive history. And that's primarily due to Altadena residents. They, we, have stepped up to the plate, time and again, agreeing to additional tax assessments, for example, and then book donations, volunteer work, and the like.

Sure, we don't have the greatest, most extensive collection of books -- we could do better in that regard. But it's a most welcoming place. The check-out counter, the reference desk -- you'll never find a nicer group of people.

Personally, I grew up in many different towns and in many different states. And one of the first things my mom would do is get each of us a library card. Some towns had libraries that were cold and austere, and others, cozy. I've come to think of libraries as holding the heart of the town.

Altadena Library has a good heart. And here are a few things you may not know it offers, online. You can even access these resources from home; all you need is that magical library card.

1. Brainfuse
One-to-one homework help from live, online tutors. State-aligned skills building lessons help students master key academic skills through engaging one-to-one sessions. Writing Lab specialists help students produce better letters, term papers, and reports. Tutoring for Spanish speakers. All core subjects offered (grades 3-12): Math -- including Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Calculus. Science -- including Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Earth Science. Social Studies. English/Language Arts. Writing assistance. Reading assistance. 

2. World Book Online Info Finder
Designed for grades 5 through 9. Search encyclopedia articles, multimedia collections, maps, primary source documents, e-books and more. Also includes research tools and science projects. 

3. Magazine Article Summaries Ultra School Edition
Magazine Article Summaries Ultra School Edition designed specifically for high school libraries, contains full text for nearly 500 popular high school magazines including America's Civil War, American Heritage, American History, Archaeology, Astronomy, Bioscience, Careers & Colleges, Civil War Times, Congressional Digest, Discover, History Today, Nation, National Review, New Republic, New Scientist, Popular Science, Science News, Scientific American, Smithsonian, World War II, etc. All full-text articles are assigned a reading level indicator (Lexiles). 

4. More databases, an incredible amount of databases, available through Altadena Library can be found here.