Learn to Use Online Resources

Databases, learning modules, skill builders?  The statewide online resources are any subscribed-to service for research and learning purposes.  These might contain:
  • articles, including full-text of magazine/journal issues you can read.
  • images, audio, and videos.
  • tutorials, practice tests, and quizzes.
  • full reference ebooks, which are searchable for your topic.  
Below are materials on what is available in our resources and how to use them. Need help with a product we don't have a video or tutorial for yet, or need help deciding which databases are best for your research topic?  Just contact the State Library.

Regular Research
  • Explora Multi-Search - Exploras have multiple databases powering them, so you search once instead of having to do your search again in another database.  This is a generic video, please realize we have more than one Explora version available (general, kids).
  • EBSCOhost Playlist - the majority of our databases are from EBSCO, including Explora.  These videos overview searching, reading articles, and special tools such as permalinks and folders that work on all EBSCO databases.
  • Consumer Health Complete - just about searching for health & drug information.
  • ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health - for health professionals & students, a guide to getting the most out of searches and saving your research to a personal folder.
Skill Builders
  • Auto Repair Reference Center
  • Learning Express Library - tutorials, practice tests, and ebooks for occupational exams, the GED, ACT, and other school exams, learning to use the computer, brushing up on your math & writing, selecting a career & building a resume, even a job search. Watch the full length video on their page or select a specific topic from the list.
History & Genealogy
Special Tools - coming soon
Tools are linked in the left navigation of the database page.
  • Journal Finder - need to look in a specific magazine or journal? This tool tells you which database you will find it in full-text, so you don't have to try several.
  • Kansas Periodical Index - Kansas journals and magazines are not always included in the big research databases.