502 Millbrook Avenue, Randolph, NJ 07869-3799
Tel: 973.989.7100 • Fax: 973.989.7076

Randolph Township Free Public Library

Library: Online Resources

Websites—Art through Employment & Career Tools

We suggest these web sites as reliable and valuable resources as you start your Internet searches. Click on a subject heading to reveal the related websites.

Art

  • Art History Resources
    Well-structured overview of art history from ancient times to 21st century; time line, searchable by country and genre. Contains Western, African, Chinese, Japanese, Indian artists and images.
  • Artcyclopedia
    A search engine for locating artists, art news, museums, masterpieces, galleries and more.
  • Artsy
    Artsy’s mission is to make all the world’s art accessible to anyone with an Internet connection. It is an online platform for discovering and collecting art. Its growing collection comprises 50,000+ artworks by 11,000+ artists from leading galleries, museums, foundations, and artists’ estates.
  • ArtSource
    A gathering point for networked resources on Art and Architecture including links for journals, images, events, museums, media and other topics of interest.
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art
    The Metropolitan Museum’s informative web site.
  • National Gallery of Art
    Features over 100 images from the Gallery’s collection, along with basic information on the works.
  • Smithsonian Institution’s Collections Search Center
    Smithsonian Museum’s site, offering access to images, archives, libraries.
  • Web Gallery of Art
    The Web Gallery of Art is a searchable database of European fine arts and architecture (3rd-19th centuries), currently containing over 47,300 reproductions. Artist biographies, commentaries, guided tours catalogue, free postcard and mobile services are provided.
Biography

Business & Finance

News & Markets

  • Bloomberg
    World Business and financial market news, stock information and personal finance advice. Watch and listen to Bloomberg TV and radio live.
  • CNBC.com
    Includes news, analysis, feature articles, and data on stocks, funds, bonds, and financial markets.
  • CNN Money
    Provides links to Fortune, Money and Fortune Small Business magazines, as well as for CNN’s business coverage of financial, business, and industry-specific news for US and world markets.
  • Kiplinger Online
    Check the latest news, get stock quotes, and compare mutual funds.
  • Marketwatch.com
    Financial gateway for the individual investor with information on stocks, bonds, mutual funds, money markets, etc.
  • Yahoo! Finance
    Business news, personal finance advice, stock quotes and more. Link to CNBC news stories and video.

Investment Information

  • BigCharts from MarketWatch
    Investment charting and research site with historical quotes. Links to Wall Street Journal and Barron’s online editions.
  • Mint
    Advice and tools to help you make smart financial decisions.
  • Motley Fool
    Personal finance site that is both informative and entertaining.
  • Mutual Fund Education Center
    Get news on funds, build your own portfolio and plan your retirement.
  • TreasuryDirect
    TreasuryDirect is the only financial services website that lets you buy and redeem securities directly from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Also find the EE bond redemption tables, and other US Bond information.

General Business

Small Business Support

Company Information

Community Information

Cars

  • AARP Driver Safety Program
    Locate the AARP Smart Driver Course near you. Course is designed for drivers aged 50 and up.
  • Amazon Vehicles
    Research cars; includes images, videos, specifications. Read and write customer reviews. Shop for automotive parts and accessories.
  • Carfax
    Information on all used cars and light trucks model year 1981 or later. Includes tips and advice on car buying, maintenance, safety, technology, and selling your car. It also offers vehicle history reports, but they are not free as this is a premium access feature.
  • The Center for Auto Safety
    Includes a wide variety of safety information, from recalls to lemon laws, and allows users to view and submit complaints about specific makes and models of cars. Consumers Union and Ralph Nader founded the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) in 1970 to provide consumers a voice for auto safety and quality in Washington and to help lemon owners fight back across the country.
  • Distracted Driving
    Statistics, regulations, and general information about distracted driving for adults and teens.
  • Driving Tests
    Practice tests for cars, motorcycles, and commercial licenses. Online driver’s manuals and FAQ section for DMV-related questions.
  • Edmunds
    Helps shoppers compare and price new and used vehicles.
  • ePermitTest
    Free New Jersey driver practice permit test with sample questions that are highly similar or identical to those on the real MVC permit test, so you are fully prepared for your visit. The only thing that is missing at ePermitTest.com is a scowling DMV clerk!
  • Fuel Economy Guide
    Official U.S. government source for fuel economy information.
  • How a Car Works
    A lot of people love driving and for a good driver, it is important to have basic knowledge about his/her machine. This website will help you in understanding each and every part of your car and how it actually works.
  • Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
    The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is an independent, nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing the losses—deaths, injuries and property damage—from crashes on the nation’s roads.
  • Kelley Blue Book
    Vehicle valuation used by banks, car dealers, and insurance companies.
  • NADA Guides
    Source of information on buying, selling and business decisions about vehicle transactions.
  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
    The go-to source for information about traffic laws, vehicle safety, and driving safety. Visitors can also search for recalls and file vehicle safety complaints.
  • NJ Driver Manual
    The complete text of the the New Jersey Driver’s Manuals for cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, etc. in pdf format. Included are requirements for obtaining a NJ license, driver’s test information, and rules of the road.
  • NJ Motor Vehicle Commission
    To renew registration, pay fees, change address, order specialized license plates and look up agency locations and hours.
  • Popular Mechanics Automotive
    Geared to car owners and auto enthusiasts. Visitors can read about auto industry news, road test results, DIY repairs and more.
  • Road and Track
    Car lovers will discover tons of articles, images and videos featuring new and vintage vehicles. There is also information about car shows, motorsports, and road test results.
  • Safercar.gov
    Motor vehicle and highway safety, including crash ratings, recalls, complaints and defects, and other safety-related issues.
  • True Car
    Compare vehicle prices, models, and makes.
Charitable Giving

  • Charity Navigator
    A national service that evaluates charities of all types.
  • Charity Watch
    An independent and assertive charity watchdog evaluating and rating nonprofits.
  • ImpactMatters
    Rates nonprofits on basis of direct impact per dollar.
Collectibles

  • American Society of Appraisers
    Visit this site to find an expert appraiser in your area. Search for appraisers by their specialty. Also explains the credentials of the appraisers, continuing education ,and how to become a member.
  • Antiques and the Arts Weekly
    Free online access to the nation’s leading weekly publication on the Antiques and Arts Trade. In addition, offers a calendar of events, free online newsletter, and searchable listings of auctions, estate sales, antique shows, galleries and museum shows.
  • Christie’s
    One of the premiere organizations that offers auctions and private sales of fine art, antiques, jewelry, wine, and more. Look up what items sold at auctions and search for appraisers.
  • Go Antiques
    The oldest and most established antiques and collectible online trading community.
  • iCollector.com
    Bid on auctions live online. Search for items by category or geography and catch up on the latest auction news.
  • Kovels
    The go to source for information on antiques and collectibles. Must subscribe for premium content but prices, marks and other resources are free content.
  • ThoughtCo: Collecting
    General resource with timely articles and free price guides.
Consumer Information

General

  • Better Business Bureau
    You can use this site to check out a charity or business or file a complaint.
  • Consumer.gov
    Offers basic information and guides on consumer protection. Money management, credit,loans, and debt, scams and identity theft. Toolbox section includes videos. Very accessible.
  • Consumer Protection Publications from the U.S. Government
    This site includes publications on cars, computers, travel etc. You can download a copy of the Consumer Action Handbook from this site.
  • Consumer World
    Includes consumer news, scam alerts and information on bargains for services and products.
  • Federal Trade Commission - Consumer Information
    This site is a separate section of the main Federal Trade commission site and offers information on Money & Credit, Houses & Mortgages, Health & Fitness, Jobs & Making Money, and Privacy & Identity. It also offers options to file a complaint, register for the do not call list, and report identity theft.
  • National Do Not Call Registry
    Consumers may register a phone number, verify that a number is registered, or submit a complaint.
  • NJ Division of Consumer Affairs
    Provides consumer information regarding autos, charities, cyber fraud, etc. Also provides forms for registering consumer complaints.

Consumer Products

  • CNet
    Tech product reviews, forums, how-tos, videos, and more.
  • Consumer Product Information Database
    Currently links over 12,000 consumer brands to health effects and educates consumers about chemical ingredients of household products.
  • Consumer Reports Magazine via EBSCO
    Consumer Reports is the largest, most trusted independent product testing organization in the world. They accept no advertising, pay for all the products they test, and, as a not for profit organization, they have no shareholders. Full text, 1991 to present. From home, login with your library card number.
  • ConsumerReports.org
    Access the full ConsumerReports.org website including all reviews, articles, etc. Login with your library card number and then click on the icon to enter the full Consumer Reports website.
  • Safer Products
    Information about the safety, and recalls of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals.

Housing

  • City-Data
    Analyzes information from public and private sources to create detailed profiles of every city and town in the US. Includes financial, education, weather, demographics, crime, and more. Includes forums.
  • FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center
    Use the MSC to find your official flood map, access a range of other flood hazard products, and take advantage of tools for better understanding flood risk.
  • HomeFair
    This site is a partner of the American Moving & Storage Association. It provides the resources and tools needed to manage all stages of the relocation process.
  • Megan’s Law New Jersey Sex Offender Internet Registry
    Use this site to check if there are any registered sex offenders in an area.
  • Sperling’s Best Places
    Analyzes data about people and places, and rates.It provides information about real estate, mortgages, school comparison data, crime rate, cost of living, and best places to live lists.
  • Trulia
    An online market for real estate listings.
  • Zillow
    An online market for real estate listings.
  • Garden State Multiple Listing Service
    Multiple listing service for New Jersey Real Estate

Updated September 2020

Cooking

General

Food & Recipes

  • Allrecipes
    Comprehensive site with Special Diet, World Cuisine, Holiday, and more. Well-organized and easy to use.
  • Chowhound
    Interactive food trends/entertainment. Videos, recipes, and discussions on food-related topics. Content is free, with free membership for interactivity.
  • Cooking with Kids
    Get the little ones involved in the kitchen with simple, kid-friendly recipes and ideas.
  • Eating Well
    Magazine website devoted to healthy eating. Good recipes including vegan, gluten free,diabetic, and more.
  • Epicurious
    Food community with extensive recipe, menu, article, cookbook, and video collections. Partners with Bon Appetit and (the now defunct) Gourmet magazines. Content is free and available, but free membership required for interactivity, plus extra features such as recipe box.
  • Food Network
    Website of the TV network and magazine. Free access to recipes, instructional videos, current year’s episodes of shows featuring Food Network chefs: Ina Garten, Rachael Ray, Giada, the Neelys, and more. Free membership for interactivity and more content.
  • Food.com
    Food community with surprisingly extensive and multicultural reader-submitted recipes. Free content, plus free membership for interactivity.
  • Food & Wine
    Website of magazine. Free access to recipes, instructional cooking videos, ratings & reviews, pairing of food, wine, and spirits. Free membership for interactivity separate from magazine subscription.
  • LeanneBrown.com
    Designed by then-grad student Leanne Brown as a resource for families on food stamps. Brown ensured that families in need would have access to her book “Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day” by posting it online as a free PDF.
  • KITCHN
    Follows current trends in cooking, baking, and healthy living. Includes recipes, meal planning, instructional videos, product reviews, and kitchen design.
  • Kosher.com
    Thousands of kosher recipes, videos, articles, and tips. Holiday cooking
  • Martha Stewart Living
    The online presence of the popular TV shows/magazine. The food page has many recipes and videos.
  • My Recipes
    Easy recipes with plentiful information. Includes sections on Healthy Recipes, World Cuisine, and Special Diets including Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Low Carb, and more.
  • PBS Food
    Recipes, videos, and articles from public television. Blogs and TV shows.
  • Real Simple
    Articles, recipes, instructional videos, and a food blog from the magazine. Free membership for interactivity.
  • Spark Recipes
    Recipe page of a health/diet/fitness community. Free access to recipes and videos. Free membership for interactivity, customized diet plans, and other content.
  • Vegetarian Times
    Magazine website. Large collection of recipes, videos, and information on vegetarian and vegan diets.
  • VegKitchen with Nava Atlas
    Recipes, videos, information and tips on vegetarian and vegan lifestyle. Material on vegetarian kids and teens.
  • VegWeb
    Recipes and information of vegetarian and vegan lifestyle. Free membership for interactivity.
Education

Primary & Secondary School

  • National Center for Education Statistics
    Information about individual public and private schools and colleges, and libraries throughout the US. Includes school characteristics, demographics, enrollment by grade in an easily accessible format.
  • NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards
    Explains educational expectations by grade level as per Core Curriculum.
  • NJ School Performance Report
    These reports are designed to inform parents, educators and communities about how well a school is performing and preparing its students for college and careers.

Colleges & Universities

  • College and University Rankings
    This site maintained by the University of Illinois provides an annotated guide to the many college ranking lists for both graduate and undergraduate colleges and universities. Includes a “Caution & Controversy” section detailing and questioning the methods, validity, and value of the various lists - or indeed of any list. Also provides lists by subject and discipline.
  • College Navigator
    Good college selection site based using information from the National Center for Education Statistics. Select for state, degree, programs/major, setting, test scores, tuition, and more. Links to preparing for college, financial aid, and career planning.
  • Community College Finder
    Find information about community colleges.
  • Data Science Programs
    Information on various Data Science programs and degrees by level.
  • Teaching Degree Programs
    Search over 3,100 different teaching degrees and 1,700 different universities with accredited programs.
  • U.S. News & World Report: Best Colleges
    Lists ranking colleges by different criteria: best schools, best liberal arts, best value, and more. Articles on admissions, paying for college, and other information of interest.
  • U.S. News & World Report: Best Grad Schools
    Lists ranking colleges by discipline. Additional articles and tips for graduate students.

Financial Aid

  • College Affordability Guide
    This site provides information and advice regarding options students have to reduce the cost of their degree. “Affordability Scores” for the colleges are also provided.
  • College Affordability and Transparency Center
    A tool from the U.S. Department of Education about college costs.
  • FAFSA
    Applications and filing for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • Federal Student Aid
    Includes information on preparing for college, types of aid, eligibility, repayment options, and FAFSA instructions.
  • FinAid
    Comprehensive site on all aspects of financial aid; scholarships, loans, applying for financial aid, saving for college, calculators, and more.
  • NJ.gov - Grants, Financial Aid, and Scholarships
    Information on financial support for New Jersey students.

Tests

  • ACT
    Official site of the ACT test includes test dates, and the ability to create an online account for registration, printing admission ticket, and submitting scores. Practice questions and tips included.
  • CollegeBoard
    Information about the SAT and Subject tests, including practice, dates, and sign up. Also information on colleges, majors, and financial aid.
  • GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)
    Official website for the GMAT. Information about the test and registration, free downloadable study software. Many other materials available for a fee.
  • GRE (Graduate Record Exam)
    Test centers, dates, preparation including complete sample tests for GRE and GRE subject exams.
  • LSAT (Law School Admission Test)
    Registration, test dates and locations, free sample questions with explanations, free sample test.
  • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
    Registration and information about the Test of English as a Foreign Language exam. Includes tutorials and practice.

Resources for Students

  • FactCheck.org
    A project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania that monitors the accuracy of statements made by major politicians.
  • Practical Money Skills
    Visa’s financial literacy initiative with resources for students of all ages.
  • Purdue OWL
    Find writing, research, and citation information at the Online Writing Lab (OWL) of Purdue University.
  • ProCon.org
    A not-for-profit resource that provides the pros and cons for a variety of topics.
  • Shmoop
    The free resources on this site include literature guides, learning guides, college prep content, and more.

Resources for Teachers

  • 4Teachers
    Helps teachers integrate technology in the classroom. This site helps locate online tools and resources such as ready-to-use Web lessons, classroom calendars, quizzes, as well as resources in both English and Spanish for rubrics, project-based learning, and notes to send home.
  • Colorin Colorado
    A bilingual site for educators and families of English language learners.
  • DOCSTeach
    A resource about teaching with documents from the National Archives.
  • Edsitement
    A collection of resources in the humanities, literature, history, American history, foreign language, social studies. Primary sources, lesson plans by grade level, and stand-alone activities included.
  • Educause
    Discussion of issues relating to information technology in education.
  • Learning Network: Teaching and Learning with the New York Times
    Lesson plans and activities based on material from the New York Times. Recommended by the Times for ages 13 and up. Some interactivity.
  • Library of Congress: Teachers
    Classroom materials for teachers enabling them to use primary sources from the digital collections of the Library of Congress.
  • MERLOT (Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching)
    Online community and resource sharing with teaching and learning material for faculty, staff, and students in higher education.
  • NJ State Library JerseyClicks
    Find links to databases such as Academic Search Premier, ERIC, Literary Reference Center, Middle Search Plus, Novelist K-8, and Teacher Reference Center. (Available for use in libraries only.)
  • Reading Rockets
    National multimedia literacy initiative with resources to help readers build phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills. Online course on teaching reading.
  • ReadWorks
    Digital reading comprehension curriculum that includes fiction and nonfiction articles with lessons, vocabulary, and assessments aligned with all state standards. Instructional design includes embedded teacher training.

Online Continuing Education Resources

  • Academic Earth
    A free collection of online college courses plus original content.
  • Computer Skills Center
    Video courses for self-paced learning: Computer Basics, Internet Basics, Windows, Microsoft Office and Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
  • Coursera
    A for-profit organization. All courses are free to audit, but a mixture of free and fee-based courses. A range of requirements, student assignments, credits, certificates, and fees depending on the course. Some courses can be quite expensive.
  • Cybersecurity Degree/Certification
    Resource for cybersecurity-related educational opportunities. This includes information about cybersecurity degree and certification programs at all levels.
  • edX
    Free online courses. A nonprofit effort originally started and administered by MIT and Harvard, but joined by other universities. Not for credit, no certificate.
  • Khan Academy
    Free library of online instructional videos, including practice videos for SAT. Non-profit, and underwritten in part by Bill and Melinda Gates. Skills for secondary education.
  • MIT OpenCourseWare
    Free and open access to online materials for MIT courses for self-learners. Non-degree, non-certificate granting. Lecture notes, exams, and videos.
  • Open Culture
    One of the best free cultural and educational media on the web. Lots of ebooks, classes, movies, documentaries and much more!
  • Open Yale Courses
    Provides lectures and other materials from selected Yale College courses to the public free of charge via the Internet. The courses span the full range of liberal arts disciplines, including humanities, social sciences, and physical and biological sciences. No registration, fee, credit, or certificate.
  • TED (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) Conference
    Videos of talks given by prominent guest speakers. Each speaker has a maximum limit of eighteen minutes to present their idea. Topics cover a wide range of subjects in science and culture. Mission statement: “Ideas worth spreading.”
  • Udacity
    Free online college courses in computer sciences and related subjects. Certificate of completion given for each course.

Updated April 2021

Employment & Career Tools

  • The Balance Careers
    The Balance Careers provides practical advice on job searching, resume writing, salary negotiations, and other career planning topics.
  • Boomer Job Tips
    Offers tips and how-to’s for the growing baby boomer population to help them find a job, win an interview or move their career forward. The site has hundreds of articles from experts in the career area on resumes, interviews, strategy and tactics with a “boomer focus.”
  • Career Builder
    Online job openings.
  • XXCareerOneStopX
    U.S. Department of Labor source for career exploration, training, and jobs.
  • Get Help from the NJ State Library
    Links, videos, and contact information for individuals seeking job and career assistance.
  • Glassdoor.com
    Find out what past and current employees are saying about the company you are applying for.
  • EBSCO LearningExpress
    Powerful tools and expert guidance to help you find a great job. This is a database provided by the New Jersey State Library and a valid library card is needed to login.
  • JVS New Jersey Job Seekers Guide
    The Job Seekers Guide is produced by JVS New Jersey and iSeek Solutions as part of a national collaboration of the International Association of Jewish Vocational Services, with funding provided through the U.S. Department of Labor.
  • Monster
    Provides information on finding jobs by field, company or location, creating a resume, preparing for interviews.
  • NJ Civil Service Commission
    Information and job openings for those interested in NJ Civil Service employment.
  • NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development
    Information on state resources for the unemployed, links for job fairs, and information on state government employment.
  • NJ Works
    State Library job and career resource portal offering links to online job resources, computer training, etc.
  • NJ.com Job Search and Employment Opportunities
    State classified ads.
  • Occupational Outlook Handbook
    Federal government database of career profiles.
  • SCORE
    SCORE’s mission is to foster vibrant small business communities through mentoring and education.
  • Simply Hired
    Search engine for jobs and a quick way to survey a massive number of job listings. The site aggregates information from job boards, news sites and company listings. Job listings display a user’s LinkedIn connections to each job.
  • USA Jobs
    Federal listings of job openings.

Updated September 2020

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